when loading i idle up to the trailer and coast in. i wait until the boat centers itself then i give it some gas to get on the trailer - normal loading that i see all bass boat do.

after i get all they up on the trailer i can't bring the throttle all the way back to neutral. i can pull it back most of the way but then it starts resisting before i can go all the way to neutral. it is so hard to pull all they way back to neutral that i feel like i'm going to break the handle of the throttle. i always end up just shutting the engine off with it slightly in gear b/c it won't go back anymore. once i shut the engine off the throttle easily goes back into neutral.

any idea what is going on here?

i have a 150 merc optimax - less than a year old.

thanks,

More than likely, you've got a bad shift cable. Undo the end of the cable on the motor, and try shifting. It is is still stiff, 90% chance, that is your culprit.

but wouldn't it be hard to shift all the time not just when i am trailering?

that is the absolute only time it is hard to shift all the way back to neutral.

How much trim do ya have in it when ya load? Could be just enough ta put tha thing in a bind. Could be both cables. Check it out.........T

not sure what you mean? you mean if it is trimmed in too much i might be putting them in a bind?

i've put it in neutral before while trimmed in with no issues.

this only happens on the trailer - every time without fail.

Out or up whichever ya wanna call it..........

I would guess its the trim up problem too.. When on the lake and you trim it up, you don't go to neutral
while running, so you have never noticed it..??

no i've gone into neutral with the motor trimmed up besides on the trailer.

now i am confused

You are trying to overcome the torque your prop is producing which transmits to the gear case. Is your motor idleing too high? Pull the lever back in one smooth fluid motion to neutral. Also try giving it a bit more throttle and then come back in one motion to neutral. This will cause a negative torque (take the load off of your gears)for an instant as your prop is slowing back down and should allow to disengage to neutral. If you allow it to go back to idle and then try to go to netral, you will have the same problem. It must be one motion back to neutral, but easy and smooth. Sometimes just holding pressure on it will allow it to start to move. Do you have a hot foot? If so, just hold pressure on the handle like you are trying to put it in netral and just hit the pedal a little to increase rpms. As you let off, it should slide into neutral. Otherwise, just shut off the motor and pull it in neutral. Not a big deal if it works fine otherwise.