Stupid human trick? Started engine in gear.

[skycam_tx]

Now I know what that interlock(sp?) switch is for. <br /><br />I wasn't having a good weekend. My girlfirend tied up the boat for the night. Woke up and it had floated off. Got it back and tried starting it and it wouldn't crank. I thought it was a dead battery. tried 2nd battery, no luck. Thought it was the solenoid so I jumped the solenoid and it started cranking. Finally starts and Immediately takes off while I am hanging over the back of the boat with the cowling off. Engines definitely start better in neutral.<br /><br />Did starting in gear do any damage?

 

[Spidybot]

Re: Stupid human trick? Started engine in gear.

No, the start-in-gear block switch is for your safety , as you now know <br /><br />Technically the motor doesn't care...

 

[JB]

Re: Stupid human trick? Started engine in gear.

Moving to SHT.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Stupid human trick? Started engine in gear.

my neutral switch died 3 outings ago on a river shakedown run before heading to the lake...<br /><br />beached it, crawled underneath and bypassed it. (keep those wire cutters and electrical tape with you!)<br /><br />...need to get it fixed. I know it's broke... someone else may not that isn't familiar with my boat if I forget to tell them about it.<br /><br />...I will say, it is quite handy when it's still cold, and it dies when docking or putting on the trailer to be able to start it right back up and imediatly be back under power without shifting.

 

[help_ma_boab]

Re: Stupid human trick? Started engine in gear.

Yep, I managed to do the same a few years ago - me in boat, mate in water holding boat steady, (2 - 3 ft deep), cowl off, making adjustments.<br />Darn thing roared into life - I fell onto flywheel and thought I had got an electric shock, cos it was just a big bang on the hand - jumped forward and killed engine. My mate (by some miracle the prop missed him) grabbed the boat and pulled us back in. He says 'You are bleeding' - look down and find half the nail and tip of ring finger gone (chewed off by flywheel). Not to be recommended! Sold that outfit and bought a new one - nail and fingertip grew back eventually, but there is enough of a reminder to make me manually check whether in/out of gear now.<br />Moral - we remember the hard lessons!<br /><br />Bill

 

[catmania]

Re: Stupid human trick? Started engine in gear.

ha I have a really old merc, 1966 95hp, made back in the days before saftey was a federally mandated concern. It will start in forward or in neutral or in reverse. So that way your never hanging onto the cowling trying to jumpstart it even if its in forward. Just sit down, shut up and turn the key. WEEEEEE