Throttle cable unhooked/broke

[87rocket455]

Ok so this is not a real stupid human trick, but you may get a laugh out of it...
So i took the boat to the lake yesterday to drop her off at a slip so i could pull the trailer home to paint it and do some maintenance on the old thing. I go in the boat while my buddy launched me. Got the boat into the water and started and we cruised up the lake before we docked it. So cruised up about 7miles to Willow bay then pulled in and came off plain then coasted a bit in neutral.
Now we decide to head back i pushed the throttle forward it went into gear then i pushed a little harder to speed up and the damn throttle went all the way to the WOT position and we didn't move I thought oh F#$% . I didn't have any tools (usually do) and it is dusk... so i cannot see what the hell happend in the shifter.
So now we are cruised down the lake back to the marina with my buddy at the helm and me in the back seat with half the engine cover off and running the throttle lever. We got her back to dock and i took the helm and idled her into the slip... luckily the forward and reverse cable lever was still working.

Anyway it was a rather humorous sight
Hope you enjoyed my little shenanigan

 

[joed]

Re: Throttle cable unhooked/broke

I had a simlar experience in a small datsun once.
Boss and I were out of town on a call and offer a jump start to someone. Something was wrong on the truck ground cables and the throttle cable burned off. No problem grab a spool of hook up wire, connect to throttle feed under hood in drivers window. Work throttle with left hand. Problem is this was a standard. He worked throttle and peddles. I shifted stick when he said 1st, 2nd, etc.

 

[dlkiller]

Re: Throttle cable unhooked/broke

So now we are cruised down the lake back to the marina with my buddy at the helm and me in the back seat with half the engine cover off and running the throttle lever.

Been there, done that. The screw that holds the fast idle lever on came loose and wouldn't let the throttle open past idle. I had my buddy steer and I hung off the splash bay holding the throttle open. I'm glad we were only 2 miles from the dock.

 

[jennis9]

Re: Throttle cable unhooked/broke

Yup, ours went this summer too. Had to hold the doghouse open and hang on to the lever. Not a fun way to find out I'd be $1100 poorer! Had to replace the throttle and the cable. Now it works like a charm... never heard the boat run at idle so sweetly!

 

[modernrocketry]

Re: Throttle cable unhooked/broke

When I was a teenager, my grandfather had a big express cruiser. It must have been between 40 and 50 feet. He would let me (17 years old) take it out with my brothers and cousins in a safe area off Galveston. We all though we were cool, sporting around in this big fancy boat.

When you dock a twin screw, you don?t use the rudders or throttle, it is done completely by transmissions.(remember the green machine you had as a kid)
On approach to the dock and deciding to back it in ? because I was cool and could it. One of the transmission cables broke and the engine was in gear.
I freaked out and rammed the boat into the dock. I tore up one side of the dock and really damaged the side of the boat.
My grandfather came down, worried but furious and chewed my backend for at least an hour. He said, should have turned off that engine and come in on one.

The next day, we took his big Chris Craft out for an afternoon spin. When we got back, he made me dock this huge Constellation on one engine with my whole family on board. It must have taken 30 tries, but I finally got it.
After everyone got off the boat, we spent rest of the day going in and out of slips on one engine.
I?m really thankful for that broken cable ? it gave me one the best memories of my childhood.

 

[INJUN]

Re: Throttle cable unhooked/broke

WOW, great stories.
We had the steering cable (roller type of system) break and had to steer the outboard by hugging it to guide us back to the ramp.
I'll never forget it.

 

[thatguy]

Re: Throttle cable unhooked/broke

I was about 15 when I had the shift cable break on my old mans boat. He has a 27 searay. I was pulling up to the dock, and turned out so to back her in. I popped her in reverse, and back she went. everything was looking good until I needed to stop. I shifted into forward to slow the boat. My old man was screaming "FORWARD!" I gave the throttle a quick stab, and back she went, putting the swim platform about 10 inches into one of the dock floats. At that point I shut the motor down. Before I had a chance to get my finger off the key, my father came at me and brought the wrath of hell with him. He reamed me for about 30 mins. I couldn't get a word in to save my life. I was trying to tell him that the cable or something broke and that the boat just stayed in revers. Bullsh!t was called by my old man on my story. About an hour later, he was nice enough to tell me that the cable was broke, but I still hit the dock. Hard to satisfy the old guy. I can drive or dock any boat I look at now because of that guy though. Tough teacher, look out if hes teaching you and you dont get it right the first time, but none the less hes my old man, and hes a great guy. Everyone else thought I did pretty good considering.

Tom