skipjack27
Petty Officer 3rd Class
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2009
- Messages
- 79
I have a 1987 model 27 ft fibreglass launch powered by a 200hp Volvo Penta diesel and stern drive. I recently paid a good deal of money to replace the ageing throttle and gear shift controls and cables at both the lower (saloon) station and the upper (flying bridge) station. The mechanics assured me that the controls were high-quality commercial units.
The lower station (which is directly connected to the gearbox) works very well. Shifts in and out of forward and reverse with no trouble. The upper station, though, is quite sticky and troublesome. I'm told that this is to be expected to some extent because the upper station gear lever drives the lower station gear lever, which in turn controls the gearbox.
The upper station gear shift does seem unreasonably troublesome, though. It is quite difficult to reliably shift in and out of forward and reverse. This is merely a nuisance under ordinary conditions, since repeated shifting eventually results in the gear being selected. But it can be downright dangerous when manoeuvring into a pen from the flying bridge.
These are brand new controls. Does anyone know whether they lose stiffness and become more reliable with a bit of use? Or is there something that can be done to ease the problem?
I had the mechanic who installed the new system look at the problem the other day and - wouldn't you know it? - he had no difficulty shifting in and out of forward and reverse! Which suggests that there may be a "touch" factor here. I'm quite unfamiliar with these kinds of boat control systems. Should I ram the shift lever fast and firm into the required gear? Or is it better to ease it into the required gear?
Jeff
The lower station (which is directly connected to the gearbox) works very well. Shifts in and out of forward and reverse with no trouble. The upper station, though, is quite sticky and troublesome. I'm told that this is to be expected to some extent because the upper station gear lever drives the lower station gear lever, which in turn controls the gearbox.
The upper station gear shift does seem unreasonably troublesome, though. It is quite difficult to reliably shift in and out of forward and reverse. This is merely a nuisance under ordinary conditions, since repeated shifting eventually results in the gear being selected. But it can be downright dangerous when manoeuvring into a pen from the flying bridge.
These are brand new controls. Does anyone know whether they lose stiffness and become more reliable with a bit of use? Or is there something that can be done to ease the problem?
I had the mechanic who installed the new system look at the problem the other day and - wouldn't you know it? - he had no difficulty shifting in and out of forward and reverse! Which suggests that there may be a "touch" factor here. I'm quite unfamiliar with these kinds of boat control systems. Should I ram the shift lever fast and firm into the required gear? Or is it better to ease it into the required gear?
Jeff
