Reply With QuoteWell, you can move two handles instead of one.
What is the advantage of Offshore controls (throttle/shifter) in a river/lake boat, besides the cool factor?
Well, you can move two handles instead of one.
Much more precise shifting and throttle settings. And when you shift into gear your not apt to give the boat too much throttle. The offshore set up feels tight and precise. The merc shifter feels loose, clunky, and poorly made.
The disadvantage to the offshore controls is its possible to shift into gear with the throttle below idle. Anything above about 1K rpm and you risk O/D damage. The higher the rpm's the greater the risk of damage...
I was having chronic shift problems with my old OMC controls. Over-throwing the neutral to in-gear or grinding into gear from trying to avoid over-throwing. I looked at all the aftermarket stuff available and most of it was junk. For about $200-300 more I got a nice Gaffrig two-handle and some new cables--problems solved. Very positive feel and more travel in the throttle lever for more precise speed control. Comes in handy while skiing/boarding. The hardest thing to get used to is docking. But once you do it a few times its all good.
OL
Originally posted by rivercrazy
The disadvantage to the offshore controls is its possible to shift into gear with the throttle below idle. Anything above about 1K rpm and you risk O/D damage. The higher the rpm's the greater the risk of damage...
Not to mention one can accidentally shift with the engine out of gear.
Edit: Not to mention one can accidentally shift the engine out of gear.
Originally posted by DeltaSigBoater
Not to mention one can accidentally shift with the engine out of gear.
What do you mean?
Originally posted by Old Lavey
What do you mean?
Say you're going along about 3kRPMs, you goto slow down & instead of pulling back on the throttle, you pull back on the shifter.
Originally posted by DeltaSigBoater
Say you're going along about 3kRPMs, you goto slow down & instead of pulling back on the throttle, you pull back on the shifter.
In that case it would already be in gear. But I can tell you that you would have to be pretty lame to do that because the handles are not the same size or in the same position.
OL
Originally posted by Old Lavey
In that case it would already be in gear. But I can tell you that you would have to be pretty lame to do that because the handles are not the same size or in the same position.
OL
True, but I've heard rumors of it happening.
On my boston whaler i have seperate throttle & shift controls. I have never done it, but i was teaching a 'former' friend of mine to dock. I showed him, told him, and even docked 3x, and it was in one ear and out the other, because he shifted from F to R at about 5mph...
Once you learn to use it, which takes about a minute and a half...you should find it is much more positive and sturdy feeling.
The cool factor is definitely there. Its lilke moving from a play shifter to a professional grade piece of equipment. The action is smooth and sturdy.
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