2QM20 throttle

Benny17441 · Aug 10, 2015

Has nothing to do with the engine, it is a malady of older boats. The throttle lever stays in place by friction and after many years of use the friction points wear down. I would wedge a piece of cardboard between the lever and the binnacle to hold it in place or device a more permanent fixture. Check the archives as I think some of the fellows have device a clamp to help the issue.

rardiH36 · Aug 11, 2015

A concurent thread on the same topic is happening right now on another SBO forum:

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=173825

And as Benny suggested, check the greater archives (not only Cherubini Hunters) for a range of solutions. Slipping throttles has been discussed many times over the years.

I have my own friction fitting, but the because I made a major repair to the cracking plastic throttle housing which afforded a means to integrate.

tmjb · Aug 11, 2015

Mine has an Edson pedestal on which the stainless shafts that the shift and throttle levers mount pass through plastic plastic sleeves fitted into the aluminum housing. Both shafts have screws/bolts that pass through the aluminum which can be screwed in/out (assuming they are not seized of course) to increase/decrease the friction on the shaft. I thought this was standard on the Edson fittings. I believe Edson sells replacement plastic sleeves if needed (I purchased new for a different boat some time ago).

kloudie1 · Aug 11, 2015

I think this was/is a standard on the old Merriman pedestals as well as the Edsons.. If you remove the compass, they are normally in the control shaft supports.. but a lot of boats now don't have the traditional pedestal and/or have single lever controls..

rardiH36 · Aug 11, 2015

Hi Actel:

I am not sure your reference to "cable brake"? If you have the original Yacht Specialties housing, like I have, I don't recall ever seeing any OEM feature for controlling the friction of the throttle cable.

The pedestal housing has the wheel steering brake. I use it all the time!

About 1.5 years ago, recall that we had thread about the plastic throttle and gear shift housing on the Yacht Specialities housing. The link is below. I will call this piece the "puck". It has a serious weakness inside. The original design does fail after 25+ years. If you still have the original puck that hasn't been reinforced, give some consideration to modifying before you have a OMG moment! It isn't if. But WHEN.

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1084640&highlight=housing cracks pedestal

Also here is a link to a thread in 2009. Maine Sail also contributed with a recount and photos of his very professional repair method (as we have been appreciatively accustomed to).

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=607878&highlight=housing cracks pedestal

rardiH36 · Aug 13, 2015

Hi again Alctel:

I did look at your attached picture. Just to verify, the failure spot I am suggesting is not the bronze metal arms you are showing. Nor the metal "axle". Rather the plastic extrusions of the "puck". From your pic, this looks to me same as my OEM part.

Maybe hard to see if you don't remove it, but extending down are plastic molded extrusions or "arms" to which the morse cables sheathes are bolted to. That is where the stress cracks happen. If one of them breaks free (most likely the gearshift because is gets the most strain), then control of the engine is immediately lost.

wufibugs · Aug 13, 2015

The throttle brake on my Hunter was a very primitive clamp installed along the throttle cable that applied pressure to the cable jacket and hence the cable. I didn't care for the original version so I substituted a stainless U style pipe clamp [not sure the proper term].