Yamaha 90 lost reverse?
 

We were out of OI this morning in a buddy's boat casting eels for striper and 1 hour into it he tells me no reverse? We drive out of the surf and into the channel and shut the motor off to see what is going on. I disconnected the shift linkage at the motor and control works fine. Hook it back up and goes into forward but still bound going into reverse. Oh well atleast we can get back, think again now the motor will not start because we cannot get the shift lever back to nuetral. So now we are adrift in the middle of Oregon Inlet channel. We got the anchor out and the next boat coming in thankfully gave us a tow back.

The motor is a 2002 Yamaha 90 2 stroke with low hours. Any ideas?

Re: Yamaha 90 lost reverse?
 

Did you try shifting it into reverse by hand while you had the cable off?

Not trying to be insensitive to your buddy's motor problems but.....did ya'll catch any stripers?

Re: Yamaha 90 lost reverse?
 

Yes and No.

Yes I tried to shift at the motor after the cable was disconnected but no joy.

No we got there at slack tide and was waiting for it to get going when this happened. We did see 3 caught while we were seeing how it was done. It was my first trip trying to fish the surf from the boat so we kind of approached it slowly.

Re: Yamaha 90 lost reverse?
 

Slowly = very smart. It is a very dangerous area as you well know. Never fails, there should be a rescue video out soon showing 2 dudes being plucked from a capsized center console. Let's hope not but I can't remember a year not seeing one. :'( :-/

All I can figure on the reverse is it sounds like the probelm is in the lower unit. Wish I could be more help.

In the meantime, are you taking your V out there? I don't know if I'll make it down this season or not.

Re: Yamaha 90 lost reverse?
 

NC had the same problem a couple of years back, sometimes because of vibration, wear or the Gods of the Sea the shift rod that goes down the shaft, which is adjustable with a threaded nut and a lock nut backs itself out far enough to just barely not engage.
Something to check your self, I had it happen after a water pump replacement job in which I apparently did not adjust it right and it would go into reverse but as soon as you gave it any gas it popped out not engaging fully.

Re: Yamaha 90 lost reverse?
 

NC be very carefull at OI, I fish out of there that's my backyard. The inlet is dangerous when the tide is running out of the sound and you have a east or N east wind. I see a couple of boats every year capsized. Also watch out fishing the shoals that water is only about 2-3ft deep, that's why the waves are so big.

Re: Yamaha 90 lost reverse?
 

Thanks for the for the kind words. It was slick calm and high tide other than the breakers. I believe we are going to drop the lower unit and check it out this weekend.

I generally take my boat but that kind of fishing is much easier out of a center console.