I hope it isnt what I think it is

This weekend was running about 5800rpm, water smoothed out and I punched it. Next thing I know the motor is out of the water. Though I had spun the prop, but then noticed that I could not get the boat into gear. The motor runs great, just can’t get it into gear. Prop spins fine by hand, doesn’t feel like the gears are all stripped.

I am pretty sure it is the lower unit, but then again what do I know.

Cant get it in front of a mechanic for about a week and have been loosing sleep ever since it happened.


2000 Merc 225 efi 2-stroke

What do you mean the motor is out of the water?

the motor popped out of the water

Does the motor not shift mechanically or when it does shift there in prop movement?

You might have hit something causing the motor to release. I hit a floater on Texoma once and the motor jumped. I thought I was going to have to take my wife to back to camp to change her undies. Luckily for me it was pretty soft wood.

how would the motor pop out of the water when its in forward and you punch it? im with stump on that one. you must have hit something when your rear end went down when you punched it.

I didnt think I hit anything, but I guess I did

25 foot of water on texoma?

that would be my best guess. when your prop is in forward(clockwise rotation), it is pushing your boat. in reverse it pulls it.

i had an old boat that if i put it in reverse and gave it too much throttle, it would unlatch and the prop would come out of the water. a safety mechanism in case you hit a stump or sandbar going across the lake.

did you see any evidence of hitting a stump or something on the prop or lower unit?

I was in at least 30-40' of water on Texoma when I hit the floater. It was a whole tree. The only way I knew it was there is because there were a a few small branches out of the water on one end. I really thought that I missed the whole thing. Buddy running behind me pulled up next me with the you know what grin. I said what are all giddy about. He said you ought to see the pile of sawdust you left. The only damgage was a severely clogged speedo pickup.

check the shift linkage....it may have slipped.....