Useful shifter mod

[Alctel]

I'm not sure how many of the cherubinis have the same pedestal I have, but I I did a little writeup on my blog about a mod I did and thought I'd repost it here.

The shifter on my gear pedestal is held on by a screw - this had already given way once (and was the first repair I did) and it gave way again when I was on a docking lesson - luckily in the middle of the channel, rather than the crowed marina. It would have been a Bad Time if it had happened a minute sooner or later, so I decided to do a modification.

First, using a carbide drill bit, I drilled all the way through the stainless handle and brass rod.

Then I inserted a pin in there and bent the edges round.

Even if it DOES break (which I don't think it will), its a matter of seconds to swap out the pins, since I'm going to tape a spare one to the pedestal.

 

[coleman]

First, using a carbide drill bit, I drilled all the way through the stainless handle and brass rod.

Then I inserted a pin in there and bent the edges round.

Cotter pins are not meant for shear applications, they serve best as retainers (like to keep a castle nut from packing off or a clevis pin from slipping out). The cotter pin will cold work and become more brittle with each shift and it will fail.

You've already done the hard work. On my own boat, I would install a roll pin.

http://www.engineersedge.com/roll_pin.htm

 

[Alctel]

I'll look into picking one up today, thanks!

 

[Alctel]

As an update - couldn't find a roll pin anywhere close by, so enlarged the hole and put a bolt through it.

Works great!

 

[pvtpotter]

Great modification!
I wonder, on my pedestal, the port gear works forward (gear forward) middle (neutral) and back (gear astern). However, my starboard throttle works counter-intuitively. I pull back and increase RPM, but when I slide it forward, I decrease propulsion. Seems to me like something is mis-configured.
On yours, do you push throttle forward to increase RPM?

 

[Alctel]

Yup, throttle forward increases speed

 

[MLampner]

On my old ysb12 the throttle had to attachment points one designed for cables coming forward of its axis and one for coming rearward of its axis. I can not speak to the throttle attachment on my new engine as I have not needed to study it but suspect since these were generic engines it too has both set ups. As such it is likely you are connected to the wrong one..

From posts from others I have learned this can happen for a variety of reasons. With age the place of attachment can fail and lead to jams. Many reroute to the other point. Anther reason my boat is old enough that the control is not on the pedestal but on the starboard side of the cockpit. If yours started life there and was moved as several owners have talked about here it is possible it was attached to same point it originally was which would produce this condition. I am sure there are other reasons but it may pay to check your setup below to see if you do have the double setup and if so can you route the cable to the other side without changing is direction of approach.

Would also check to see if the throttle handle is similarly equipped with to places to attach the cable. No first hand knowledge of this being done but no reason it might not be.

One more thing if it approaches out plane with the attachment point it can also cause these types of issue. Haven't seen it on a boat but on older cars with similar linkages to the cable we use.