The shift bellow doesn't seal water out of the cable. If the bellow leaks
the boat will take on water. A defective shift shaft bushing is the main
cause for water intrusion into the shift cable. An inoperable interrupter
may be causing difficulty pulling out of gear and inadvertantly shifting
into the opposite gear. Idle speed too high will cause this as well but the
shift clunk will be unusually loud. If the throttle opens too soon, your
cables need adjusting. If the engine stalls while shifting there is
excessive resistance in the lower cable or linkages.
Jim

"markvictor" wrote in message
oups.com...
The shift interrupt should Not cut out the ignition if the cable is in
good working order AND adjusted correctly. The purpose of the interrupt
switch is to prevent damage to the drive from the throttle opening
before forward or reverse gear is engaged. A number of models did not
come supplied with interrupters at all. I would check the adjustment,
if incorrect, adjust to spec, if still sticking then check the lower
shif cable. You can sometimes see dried mineral deposits directly under
the engine end of the lower cable, indicating a leaky shift bellows and
probable damage to the cable, it only takes a few ounces of extra
resistance to cause a problem, but if you do have a shift interrupt
switch ,the engine will stall when shifting(as it should to prevent
damage.)..Also make sure your idle speed is correct...
markvictor