Neutral starting safety switch

[nauticlew]

A survey finding was that the engine started while in gear. The engine cut-out was deemed inoperable. Surprise, my starting proceedure never revealed this condition and I was unaware that the vessel even had such a safety feature. Any ideas on how to install a neutral starting safety switch?

 

[SIBERNUT]

If you have a velvet drive trans , it's on the stbd side of the trans

 

[SteveK]

I am not aware of more than two wires going to Trans and that is for the neutral switch.
Someone bypassed a failed switch.

 

[SoWhat]

A survey finding was that the engine started while in gear. The engine cut-out was deemed inoperable. Surprise, my starting proceedure never revealed this condition and I was unaware that the vessel even had such a safety feature. Any ideas on how to install a neutral starting safety switch?

If you have Cat 3208s you probably have TwinDisk transmissions. Search for manual online. Not uncommon for PO to disconnect safety switch.

 

[jleonard]

My Albin never had a neutral switch on the BW velvet drive.

 

[Keysdisease]

If you have a Morse / Teleflex / Sea Star / UFlex etc. control there should be a neutral safety switch available to install in the control itself. Switches are brand and model specific, this is just one source for a Morse "S" Control

SeaStar Teleflex Morse 47307 Kit Neutral Safety Switch S | Seattle Marine

Neutral safety switch kit for SeaStar S and Twin S controls.

www.seamar.com

 

[psneeld]

My Velvet Drive never had it hooked up either.

Based on the boat's performance characteristics and the depth and location of the prop, I felt that it was no hazard to people in the water nor ever starting it in gear.

I figured the rare time I needed the engine starter in an emergency, not having the gear shift in exactly the right position and wondering why the engine wouldn't start would be a greater hazard.

Trawlers are one thing, sport boats are another.

 

[Bmarler]

Completely agree. I don’t have a neutral safety and I don’t want one.

 

[Turtle Blues]

Minor point. Was the switch inoperable or does it not exist?
It is never easy requesting corrections to a survey report and often they have been disseminated before problems arise, but there is a distinction and it may save you some unnecessary work.
If the switch did not exist, as in many older systems, it seems a reach to require you to install it.

 

[jgwinks]

My Velvet Drives have neutral switches with wires connected, but they start in gear anyway. So not hooked up on the other end. Not really important on a boat this size, but on a small outboard with you leaning over the stern to pull the rope, starting in gear could throw you out of the boat.

 

[jleonard]

It was in an emergency situation that i discovered that I did not have a neutral switch.
Brand new to me boat on our maiden voyage from Rochester, NY where we bought it to Mystic, CT our home port.
Going thru the Harlem river against a 4 knot current i lost power. Fuel starvation which ultimately was MY doing, and as we were being pushed backward my second anchor hooked up.
So i switch Racors ( dual element system) and no start.
I bleed the system, turn over, no start.
Wife ( on deck) yells “ we’re dragging” I go on n deck and boat is going backward but stops. Anchor holds. I think to myself WTF, then see that the tranny was still in forward.When it was turning over the prop was spinning pushing us forward slowly.
I put it in neutral NOW the engine turns over just a tad faster and now can start.
Theres more to the story BUT if i had a neutral safety switch the engine would not havebturned over and i would have immediately known it was in gear.

 

[loxbex]

I can say from my own experience that it can be very unpleasant if you start the machine from the lower helm, while the wind or another coincidence like little pressure from a rain cover at the upper helm has engaged the upper throttle. Then trying to take back the gas at the lower helm leads to an involuntary coupling in reverse, which in my case made the sinfully expensive transmission with a crack in the housing the most expensive mistake of my boat career, which was still young at the time. Yes, sometimes I dream of it, because in my case it was myself who had folded the throttle "only briefly" when cleaning...