Marty:

Can't tell you why your transmission is getting stuck in reverse, but I
would heartily recommend PUTTING it in reverse while you're sailing. That
isn't boat-specific, it is common-sense specific. An auto-rotating prop,
whether on an airplane or a boat, creates drag that is equivalent to towing
a disk of the prop's diameter, and that's a LOT of drag. When you "freeze"
the prop by shifting to reverse (the equivalent of feathering an airplane's
propeller) you lower the drag to what is caused by the area of the prop's
blades--probably a third or so of the area of the prop's diameter.

Can you start your engine in reverse and then shift to neutral--and then
forward? If so, do that, and don't worry.

Cheers,

Dick Behan


"Marty" wrote in message ...
Is it boat specific, or does it apply to all boats, that the
transmission should be put into reverse when the motor (inboard diesel)
is off during sailing?

Even when the boat manual says to do so, I frequently find the tranny
stuck in reverse when attempting to return to neutral before starting
the motor.

So, let the prop spin freely while under sail or lock it in place with
reverse?

And why is the tranny getting stuck in reverse?

Thanks,

Marty