1981 Viking deckboat stuck in reverse!

joel.fisher

Recruit
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
4
Please help!!!! Haven't been on the water for 2 weeks and we finally got a chance, but as soon as we cleared the marina went to clear weeds from the prop and it stuck in a slow reverse. Played with shifter for a while with no luck, shut boat down, and now wont restart. wood assume it is because its still engaged in reverse. where do I begin??? New to boating and family loves it! I am fairly mechanical with vehicles but boats...not so much!
 

Lyle29464

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
1,261
Re: 1981 Viking deckboat stuck in reverse!

Very hard to help with out any info. However it might be good that it does not run. You might be out of gear oil.
 

joel.fisher

Recruit
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
4
Re: 1981 Viking deckboat stuck in reverse!

1981 viking deckboat, 350 small block motor 228 mercruiser prop I believe. 19 foot in length. One owner boat prior to me, and I know the previous owner well. The boat was just serviced before we purchased and only used A total of 5-6 hours since. I haven't noticed any oil sheen on the water, would I see that?
 

jestor68

Commander
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
2,308
Re: 1981 Viking deckboat stuck in reverse!

Take it to your nearest Mercury dealer. You don't want to mess with the shift mechanism unless you know what you're doing.

The problem could be in several places in the boat,on the engine, or in the drive. Consider this your first repair bill.
 

steelespike

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 26, 2002
Messages
19,069
Re: 1981 Viking deckboat stuck in reverse!

At that age only an uninformed guess is a cable failure of some sort could be as simple as it has come unhooked but more likely one of the cables has failed.
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,287
Re: 1981 Viking deckboat stuck in reverse!

Please help!!!! Haven't been on the water for 2 weeks and we finally got a chance, but as soon as we cleared the marina went to clear weeds from the prop and it stuck in a slow reverse. Played with shifter for a while with no luck, shut boat down, and now wont restart. wood assume it is because its still engaged in reverse. where do I begin??? New to boating and family loves it! I am fairly mechanical with vehicles but boats...not so much!

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,... What motor,..?? What drive,..??
 

joel.fisher

Recruit
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
4
Re: 1981 Viking deckboat stuck in reverse!

Thanks all for the help. I found an access panel that showed me where a linkage bracket had snapped off for the shift cable. Looks like an easy fix, I hope.
 
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