NXT Drive wont go into reverse
 

New to me boat has a 700SCI and NXT1 drive. While on the lake boat was running great. We went to get off the water and while coming up to the ramp to drop my trailer driver, it would not go into reverse. Will go into natural and fwd just fine.

Looking for some guidance. I am coming from the Bravo1 world so this is all new. I cant even find the water pickup on this thing lol. Was thinking I would pull off the prop and put it on the hose to see how it acts by disconnecting the shift cables.

nxt has a shifting transmission on the back of the engine with gears from a outdrive upper gear case kinda like an xr upper with cone clutches

The NXT is a cone clutch transmission, think of a bravo turned 90*,
the top gear is the front,forward/input, the pinion( bravo input) is an idler for reverse, the bottom/ rear is reverse.

I’d be checking the shift lever moves at the transmission to see if it’s moving enough to engage reverse

Really hoping it's just a shift lever issue!!!

Well dodged a bullet. A hatch hinge screw had fallen out. It managed to land right under the reverse side of the trans lever! Once cleared reverse is back!

better lucky than good sometimes