Quick call to DD mech

[FlyNavyAir]

We arrived at Coinjock Marina the previous afternoon. Enjoyed meeting a couple who had recently purchased a 48 CMY in Charleston and were relocating her to the Chesapeake Bay. Our plan was for an early launch the next morning knowing we had numerous bridges and the Great Bridge Lock to tackle en route to Hampton.

At 0650 we were set to start engines and get underway. Starboard started and then I pushed the start button for port and zippo...nothing. I thought batteries so I used the parallel switch but no joy. Next, maybe the start button on the flybridge was bad so tried the one below. Again, nothing. OK, shut down starboard and head to the engine room. I checked voltage on batteries, dropped panel on battery selectors and checked voltage and fuses. All good. So, I went back on shore power and secured the generator so I could hear if the starter was trying to engage. Nothing, no clicking or drop in voltage. What to do next?

Then I had an idea. I'll call my trusty knowledgeable DD mech back home. It's Saturday at 0720 he won't mind. He answered and I ran him through the problem and what I had checked. He thought for a second and said the first thing he would check is the neutral safety switch. He told me to go to the bridge and push the start button and jiggle the transmission lever just a bit. Sure enough I moved the lever maybe a 1/16 inch and she fired up. He told me those switches are very close tolerance and easily get out of adjustment.

Glad he answered the phone! Thank you note and a check are in the mail for a DD virtual house call. Onward to the Chesapeake Bay for a month.

 

[SEVEN]

That happened on my old Chris Craft. But on my 53 MY it doesn’t have that safety feature. If it’s in forward or reverse and I push the button it starts and moves immediately. GREAT FEATURE and good catch.

 

[cww]

That happened on my old Chris Craft. But on my 53 MY it doesn’t have that safety feature. If it’s in forward or reverse and I push the button it starts and moves immediately. GREAT FEATURE and good catch.

My hatteras doesn't have it either. Those starters will absolutely start the engine in gear. I know this because I did it by accident. Thankfully we were in the middle of the river and I had cut power to just float around for awhile for a barbeque. If it happened at the dock that would have been not good.

 

[zigzag930]

When I closed on our 58LRC, the surveyor listed the lack of a neutral safety switch as "critical" problem and the seller was required to install them in order for my insurance co to write the policy.

Great catch on your mechanics side. Most people will look just about everywhere else before checking that simple switch.