Got the scare of my life yesterday

[crazy charlie]

REGAL COMMODORE TWIN 230 MERCRUISER ALPHAS. Pulling out of a marina slip Sunday,I usually have to pull straight out in fwd and to avoid the pier across the small canal,I put the port engine in reverse to pivot left while leaving the stbd. in fwd. Well when I put the port in reverse...THE BOAT LAUNCHED FORWARD !! I was beyond stunned. Thanks God there was no other boat in front of me.I could have killed someone.My boat almost wound up crashing the pier.I have never had anything even close to this happen to me. Long un-nerving story short,I jumped into the engine compartment and found that the cotter pin that secures the barrel of the shift cable in place was gone!! The barrel slipped out of the holder and it didnt matter if I put the shifter in reverse,IT WAS GOING FORWARD. I used a safety pin to replace the cotter pin to get home.My nerves are still shot after this incident/almost catastrophe.Anyone ever have this happen before?? Charlie

 

[ziggy]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

man, that sounds scary cc....

i've never done what yer talking about, but i did have a jetski that got the lanyard jammed in between the throttle lever while loading at the dock. that was a eye opener too. 1/2 throttle pointing at the trailer and it won't throttle down. i barely recovered but did. only a hand size hole in my ski from a dock pipe... that was close enough for me... my error was sheer stupidity though. if the lanyard had been on me it wouldn't have gotten jammed up... my error plane and simple..

like you, i'm lucky i didn't kill someone... i'll count my blessings and be smarter next time for sure.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

I was lucky for sure.I never even knew that it was possible to happen.I still cant believe it.Imagine that the next time you are approaching a pier and you put it in reverse to slow down and it does not slow so you put the reverse throttle down harder and the boat surges forward.I just cant believe it.Charlie

 

[Galaxyman]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

Thanks for posting this. It made me go inspect my pin! BK

 

[Bondo]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

I used a safety pin to replace the cotter pin to get home.

Ayuh,.... Glad ya pulled an Ace outa yer hat Charlie,...

Yer Quick thinkin' saved the day,....

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

Ayuh,.... Glad ya pulled an Ace outa yer hat Charlie,...

Thats not where I pulled it outta !! LoL !! after this episode I would recomend replacing the pin if you are going to take the time to inspect it.Mine was in when I last checked it.Charlie

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

Ayuh,.... Glad ya pulled an Ace outa yer hat Charlie,...

Yer Quick thinkin' saved the day,....

Good save!........

Bondo, post those two & get it over with..........

 

[Bondo]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

Good save!........

Bondo, post those two & get it over with..........

Ayuh,.... Ok Jeff,.... Here's # 29,999.....
I'll post the Magic # 30,000 down in Bob's Summit Meeting thread in DC...

 

[Lou C]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

At the beginning of every season...I grease the throttle/shift linkage and check the cotter pins...

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Got the scare of my life yesterday

As do I Lou,as do I.I have never even heard of this happening before.Charlie