ok so the manual is wrong? Or do they want you to set it in neutral a little higher to compensate for the load when underway? Or is it just for safety reasons that they don't want people to have the throttle cable detached while in gear?
Ayuh,...... Just set it for 650/ 700 rpms, if it drops when in gear, in the water, readjust it then,......
My merc./ weber/ afb idles at 650/ 700, in gear or out, in the water or out,.....
The only reason to detach the throttle cable is to make sure it's holding a slight tension against the idle adjustment screw, at idle, or in neutral,.....