Transmission stuck in Reverse

[PM in TO]

backed out of my slip the other day, although I moved the lever back into Neutral or Forward the boat continued backing up (not a nice feeling with all your other fellow members boats coming closer and closer) anyone else had similar issue?
Cheers PM

 

[SG]

First: Is the connection to the engine's transmission working? (I presume it's a cable connection from the cockpit control.)

That's the first thing to check.

You had a pretty tame Winter up there in Toronto?

 

[SFS]

Are you asking how to fix it, or just if someone else has had that happen? If the former, you need to check the cable, at the control and at the transmission. Sounds like it may have failed or become disconnected. It you can get to the attachment at the transmission, you should be able to change gears there (though that is a little scary if you are solo).

If the latter question is the one you are asking, there are lots of folks who have experienced a similar failure, so it's just a question of what gear the boat was in when the failure occurred. I was at the helm maneuvering on a friends Catalina 30, and lost the cable attachment at the transmission. I happened to be in neutral, but in desperate need of forward. (I guess reverse would also have been better than neutral in the particular circumstance, now that I think about it). It always happens at the worst possible time, or in the worst possible manner, so Plan B should be implementable instantly, and Plan C on standby.

 

[Gunni]

Yes, but I have never seen it happen catastrophically. A binding, difficult or misadjusted shifting assembly pre exists the failure to engage. So I expect you have some additional experience that would help you answer your question. Do you have your shifter assembly manual and have you inspected the mechanism and attachment points?

 

[SG]

There are cases where a transmission locks up. Rare, but it can happen. Then, it an expensive rebuild or replacement.

BUT, the linkage is probably the issue. It could be the shifter itself.

I'd suggest dealing with the more likely first.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

What were your RPMs when you tried to shift? I will run my boat at about 1,000 RPMs to reduce the vibration. But if I am just a little higher, like 1,100 or 1,200, the transmission won't switch at that rate.

 

[SG]

It should switch to neutral at any normal RPM.

He did say he was backing out of his slip?

 

[Tally Ho]

I had a rough day on the water once, when I left my tranny in reverse instead leaving it in neutral (I did it intentionally to see how free-wheeling vs locking the prop affected speed). When I got back to the marina, I could not shift back to neutral. I forced the shifter harder, and boom...it moved. I assumed I was in neutral, started the engine, shifted into forward, but nothing happened.

Turns out forcing the shifter forced the cable out of the clamp that held it in place near the transmission shift lever. Cable moved, but would not move the shift lever.

Reattached the cable clamp, and all was well.

Greg

 

[PM in TO]

Thanks for all the replies I did check the linkage and it seemed to be alright but will perform some more checks. I guess l was just waiting for others coming back saying they had transmission problems.
Greg on your last point, I am sure I read somewhere that with a feathering Prop you should always sail with it in reverse? Otherwise you are defeating the feathering action and or create undue war.

PM

 

[SG]

With a feathering (not folding) prop, we found that you want to put the prop into reverse momentarily. Then the blades "feather" (i.e., go in-line with the flow, or un-pitched); and, then we put it neutral and the shaft doesn't auto-rotate.

If we leave our two-bladed Max-prop in neutral, it usually auto-rotates when sailing because the blades won't automatically feather completely.

I don't like to leave it in reverse (and don't need to, anyway) because if you start the engine and "forget" to check the gear, there is a lot of strain on the transmission and engine as the prop digs' in against the boats motion.

 

[Tally Ho]

Thanks for all the replies I did check the linkage and it seemed to be alright but will perform some more checks. I guess l was just waiting for others coming back saying they had transmission problems.
Greg on your last point, I am sure I read somewhere that with a feathering Prop you should always sail with it in reverse? Otherwise you are defeating the feathering action and or create undue war.

PM

I don't have a feathering (or folding) prop. But there was discussion about free-wheeling the prop in neutral, or locking in reverse to save wear and tear on tranny, shaft, etc.and to cut down on noise. So I tried it. I believe Yanmar has now said to sail in neutral, which I do.

The point was I had to force the transmission out of reverse, and when I did, I unknowingly popped the shifter cable out of the clamp and rendered it inop.

Greg

 

[KZW]

Freewheeling has less drag than putting the transmission in reverse and keeping the prop static. However, even so, the drag from the prop is almost half of the complete hull drag. Feathering or folding props are pricey, but they help performance considerably.

 

[Tally Ho]

I am replacing the 30-year old bronze shaft with a new SS one this year....folding prop will have to wait. My buddies have folding /feathering props (and newer, longer boats)....so my fixed blade give me a good excuse for being slower ;-)

But it is on the boat wish list.

Greg