"Sven" wrote...

Once I dig through the duct tape, should I find such a
setscrew or is there some other secret to holding the throttle setting
in place ?

Yes. Most/all outboard motors have an adjustable throttle friction. You may
have to find the owner's manual to find the specific configuration for your
motor.


How about set and forget outboard direction ? I've had my life saved by
an outboard that swung tight starboard once I was no longer holding on
to the control, but in this case I'd really prefer to have the outboard
just point straight ahead if that's what I set it to. Should I be able
to adjust some friction clutch so the outboard doesn't turn once I let
go of it ?

Again, yes. There should be a friction adjustment on the fitting that holds the
shaft to the mount.

How you set this depends on your specific installation. On my San Juan 7.7 I
had the motor permanently set straight ahead. The rudder was powerful enough to
swing the boat whether in forward or reverse.

Your idea of a removable linkage to the rudder sounds interesting. I suspect
you'll have to improvise...