I had the misfortunate of having my boat yard launch my boat a couple of days ago. I was not there during the launch, but got a call that they started it in gear while in the well and it rammed the boat behind mine in the the well. His bow went through my transom and the swim platform was totaled. It's all fixable, but my question is this: Did they make a neutral safety switch for these boats during manufacture (It has 8V92T Detroits)? I honestly never had this problem as I was always careful about making sure I was in neutral. Are there after market switches that can be installed for these boats?
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05-21-2014 04:59 PM #1Registered Member
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- Aug 2009
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Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
Your boat probably has Allison gears, right, or Twin Disc? I think Allison isn't around any more, but a transmission shop that services Allisons ought to be able to help you.
The two ways to do this that I know of are 1) a switch on the transmission itself 2) a switch on the shift quadrant. I think they are usually on the transmission.
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
A simple switch at the linkage that is tied to the start circuit will do it. Any good mechanic can do that for you. It's not complicated and you don't need anything special. It's all off the shelf parts.
Sky Cheney
1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI
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05-22-2014 12:23 AM #4Senior Member
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- Jan 2006
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- 821
Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
It will probably be less expensive to add a neutral safety switch to the shift control head than trying to add something to the gear. Morse was bought by Teleflex so I would start there looking for the parts. The ones on the shifters had a micro switch that fell in a detent to allow the engine to crank.
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05-22-2014 06:15 AM #5
Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
What a total bummer!
My 56 did not have a neutral safety switch; never occurred to me to have one. You could feel a very slight pause in tension in the controls at the middle of the swing. We used to charter a Mainship out in California whose NSS was problematic on one engine. I learned how to handle a twin on one engine on that boat; took it from Rio Vista to Sacramento and back down to SFO that way, with a couple of dockings and a couple of anchorings thrown in. Put a damper on my enthusiasm for an NSS. Did it again on another trip a year or two later.George
Former Owner: "Incentive" 1981 56MY
2007-2014
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
For your first question my 67 did not have them when I bought her when I replaced the shifter during the Re-do I hooked them in. All the boats in my younger years including commercial boats never had them. IMO they made a rookie mistake a yard should know better and never Assume!
Who is getting the Bill?Dan
End Of The Line II
1967 34C
EOTL II Rebuild Web Page
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05-22-2014 08:42 AM #7
Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
Ive had them on all types of boats but can remember if they all had them. Then again I never count on them being 100%.
I always check for neutral before starting and check for the boat to be still after. I have had a few times it was in gear with a poorly adjusted NSS.
Dan is right. Rookie mistake and someone could have been hurt.Scott
41C117 "Hattatude"
Port Canaveral Florida.
Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
They may not have known that the clutches on a Hatteras are on the stbd side.
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
Good point. Other boats are set up differently. Seems they ought to have known, though.
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch for 1985 56FBMY
Our 1984 56 has neutral safety switches. I can only assume they were added when the gearbox swap was performed.
I did watch a yard guy on another Hatteras not know that the shifters are on the starboard side, he put the shifters in reverse and throttled up half way thinking someone made a mistake. I caught him before it was too late, but my question was how did he not feel the throw of the shifter?Nightingale - 1984 Hatteras 56 Motor Yacht