Single Lever Throttle/Shifter Question

Rich Stidger · Jul 29, 2024

What shifter? Since he is new, maybe operator error?

Davidasailor26 · Jul 29, 2024

Often on a single handle the default behavior is to shift and speed control, and an extra action (like pushing a button) is needed to rev the engine in neutral. So it sounds like your friend might have that backwards. We had slip neighbors make the same mistake years ago. Marina staff came out to tow them but ended up just showing them not to push the button.

Michael Davis · Jul 29, 2024

Our single lever has a button on the centre that you push in if you want to increase RPMs in neutral then move the throttle normally. I generally only use it when starting the engine as Perkins says to start at WOT. Other than that it’s forward for forward and back for reverse and the centre is neutral.

Foswick · Jul 29, 2024

Many shifters have a knob on the side. Pulled out, the lever is disengaged from the shifting mechanism. Pushed in, the lever is dual-function (throttle and shifter). So, it just sounds like he has it backward. He should push the button in. (I believe some throttles are configured the opposite way, though I can't recall having encountered any. Maybe.)

However, another mistake the new people sometimes make is to push the throttle forward (or backward) too far before the transmission engages in gear. So, the thing will not go into gear because the RPMs are too high. He should, of course, just push the lever until the first "clunk", then wait for the transmission to engage before adding throttle.

An incorrectly adjusted cable can cause this to be a bit fussy or not work at all.

One thing you said makes me think maybe something else is going on, though. You mentioned him not wanting to force it for fear of breaking it. This suggests that maybe he is encountering resistance? Some throttles are pretty stiff and just need to be "convinced". My current throttle is this way, though I am replacing it next week. I find that I can generally help it along by pushing the lever a bit the opposite direction, then trying again. Not sure why this works, but it is one of the reasons I am replacing it. (Mostly, I am replacing because it is 50 years old and pretty much done.)

Jim Legere · Jul 30, 2024

If the engine control is the one made by Spinlock, with a removable black, plastic lever, your friend may have inadvertently pushed in on the lever before moving fore or aft to engage the transmission. This inner position is to allow advancing the governor in neutral during starts and warm-up. It is supposed to pop out when passing back through neutral to enable shifting into gear, but sometimes it is necessary to pull out on the lever's base a bit.

Joe · Aug 1, 2024

Ward H said:
My friend recently bought a Cape Dory 25 D w/ 1QM Yanmar.
On the sea trial and one short motor after, the engine ran and shifted well.

The next time he needed to go out he wasn't able to shift it into gear. He had it towed to the next marina for transport to my marina.

He said it is a single lever shifter. He thinks he has to pull a knob out to shift into forward but it wouldn't go into gear. He was afraid of breaking it so didn't force it.
I hope to help him this weekend but I'm unfamiliar with a single lever throttle and shifter.

Hoping someone here could explain how it is supposed to work.

Many Thanks
Ward

Ward, here's a link to a side mount shift lever typically used on sailboats with outboard auxilliaries. I won't try to explain how it works, I will said that the one that came with the boat was like the one pictured.... which is a generic version designed to fit any motor with a shift and a throttle cable.
The Big control lever has a set of levers and cams inside that allow adjustments to the linkage. If you're wondering why mail order outboard motor dealers won't deliver a remote control motor, it's because they want to do the setup of this rather complicated (but not impossible) process, for safety and warranty purposes.
The throttle increases once the gear is shifted. Push forward into gear, throttle then engages and rpm's increase.... push back it revere, throttle engages and rpm's increase.
<<<<<<< throttle increase<<<<<<shift forward<<<<<neutral>>>>>>shift reverse>>>>>>>throttle increase
My Tohatsu throtte box had a thumb button on the handle to allow the reverse shift.
There is also what called a "fast idle" lever. This is how you start the motor. Put it in Neutral and use the fast idle lever to control throttle when starting. This lever must be locked down to go into gear shifting mode. This lever (or push/pull button) should be checked first before trying to shift.

I've included this link because it shows a diagram for parts and such... It also has links to installation manual and parts manual.... All of which have GOT to make more sense than my confusing comments... Good Luck [also try google search: "single lever shifter for sailboats"]