Throttle stuck in reverse

[Rogandanny]

Hi everyone last evening we were out boating near a beach (Yamaha SX210) and hit a super shallow patch. Acting instinctively I jammed the boat into reverse and likely sucked up a good amount of sand/mud into the jets. The boat dislodged with a push, but both engines became stuck in reverse. Can’t get them into neutral or forward gear. Now we’re stuck with a boat that can’t start due to not being able to put it into neutral. It seems like a mechanical problem, but can’t seem to figure out what it could be.

 

[Yamahaboat89]

Hey that happened to me yesterday when I went out also, we couldn’t get the starboard motor to get out of reverse. I turned both motors off and jumped in and just pulled up on the reverse gate until it broke free. Idk if a pebble was stuck in it or what, the waters are to dark to see where I’m at in Maryland but once it broke free it worked fine

 

[FLBulldogger]

Agree with @Yamahaboat89 take a look at the gate and make sure it hasn't jumped past the nozzle! Just reset!

 

[Ajax]

I have had this happen backing off the beach. I always have success killing the motors, moving to the swim deck, reaching down to the bucket that is stuck and manually jiggle up and down a bit. You can tell when the obstruction let’s loose.

 

[tdonoughue]

Very common. A little pebble or rock in the side of the reverse gate will jam it. Usually a wiggle sets it free. But don't force it from the throttle side--you'll break the cable. Grab the bucket and shake it.

 

[Julian]

Your reverse gate cable has a spring clip that holds it on, learn how this clip works so when this happens in the future you can unclip the cable and manually move the gate to clear any debris out of the mechanism.

This thread has photos of the mechanism

https://jetboaters.net/threads/how-to-replace-reverse-gate-cable.28/

 

[Rogandanny]

Thanks everyone. Got them loose and everything works fine, just had to use more force than expected.

 

[Jet Boat Okie]

Very common. A little pebble or rock in the side of the reverse gate will jam it. Usually a wiggle sets it free. But don't force it from the throttle side--you'll break the cable. Grab the bucket and shake it.

Thanks for this post, I had a pebble stuck in mine this weekend and a good hard yank helped it fall out. This saved the day...

I’ll learn how that cable is reset, because I’m sure this will happen again at some point.

 

[ScottandMP]

Hi everyone last evening we were out boating near a beach (Yamaha SX210) and hit a super shallow patch. Acting instinctively I jammed the boat into reverse and likely sucked up a good amount of sand/mud into the jets. The boat dislodged with a push, but both engines became stuck in reverse. Can’t get them into neutral or forward gear. Now we’re stuck with a boat that can’t start due to not being able to put it into neutral. It seems like a mechanical problem, but can’t seem to figure out what it could be.

 

[ScottandMP]

We are launching our boat for the maiden voyage. Can’t get out of reverse. Pulling back out
Thank god for this forum! Checking things now.

 

[sunbyrned]

We are launching our boat for the maiden voyage. Can’t get out of reverse. Pulling back out
Thank god for this forum! Checking things now.

Most likely a pebble or stick lodged between the gates keeping it from moving. Keep us posted.

 

[BRØSTERGUY]

Hit this just now on my AR250, in probably 2 feet of water—so super shallow. Was pulling close to the dock (lake level is super low), throttling forward and back, forward and back, until the gears got stuck in reverse. I immediately cut the engine off, and that was the end of it until this very post.

With the boat on the lift, I laid down on the back of the boat, and freed the pebbles by moving the gates up and down. It rained pebbles from both gates. With the pebbles gone, I was able to move the gears back to neutral, and turn the engine on.

Good luck to the next person that gets tiny rocks/pebbles stuck!

 

[Cambo]

This seems to be occurring more often and looking into the new jet pump design it makes sense. The newer boats have a wider jet nozzle at the bottom compared to the round older shape. This leaves more area for pebbles to hang up, hit reverse in shallow water you blow all the pebbles and debri up and the jet pump sucks them up they go though the pump hit the gate and get wedged in that nice wide area not allowing the boat to shift. Pull real hard and you will snap the cable the E series senses that the tension is high then throws a code and will not shift.

Was pulling close to the dock (lake level is super low), throttling forward and back, forward and back, until the gears got stuck in reverse

Shallow water and reverse = problems