Matt89

I just purchased a 1998 scarab 302. The boat is clean but with boat this age there are a lot of small projects I am hoping to sort out of the next 2 years.

The first project is that it has been updated to have seperate shifters to select forward and reverse and throttle... the selector for forward and reverse seems to be backwards which just seems to cause issues for me when docking.... is this just the cables put in place wrong on the shifter?

bajaman

You mean...if you push the lever forward, the boat goes into reverse?

tommymonza

You sure you don't have the props switched from side to side?

rak rua

Check your props ^^ they’re probably counter rotating, just swap them back. Maybe post a pic of the shifters. What type are they? Merc Zero effort?

RR

EDIT…… I had a boat many years ago, with zero effort controls installed the opposite way around. It was done so when the throttles (long angled levers) didn’t hit the dash when you pushed them all the way. If yours have been fitted later, maybe they’re installed in the opposite direction. Changing props would solve the issue but the boat may not run as well (props spinning in Vs spinning out).

Matt89

Here are the shifters.. to shift into forward you pull them backwards...

Rookie

iTrader: (4)

The LH prop on the RH side and vice versa.

Matt89

So the starboard motor rotates clockwise and the port counter.. any issue if I switch them?

hblair

The counter rotation comes from inside the left drive. The motors turn the same direction. Post a photo of the props on the drives. The props should be rotating outwards at the top unless somebody has swapped them. If they've been swapped they will be turning in towards one another at the top.

outonsafari

iTrader: (4)

Before you go switching props post a picture of your drives, i know you said 98 302, but i remember the 302 being an older boat and a center console, plus your screenname is 89. I'd rather be the dummy thinking i misread or whatever rather than you have any damage occur.
if its a trs boat someone may have put the drives on the wrong side and just switching props would make those type of drives run in reverse and they would not like that at all. Trs drives are stamped L and R on the end of the propshafts.
Seems likely unless new cables where just installed on the wrong throw side of the controls or the props are the wrong drives and the seller or mechanic just gave it the old who the capitol f cares, the thing is sold.

if they are bravo drives you can just switch the props, maybe they swapped them to see how fast it would go spinning in.

rarest of the rare if it is an older scarab it could maybe have alpha drives, wellcraft did that with some 30's and big blocks,
think the alpha scarabs were geared 1:98, seems really unlikey but crazy things happen, but a just bought boat and right out of the gate something is turned around i would 100% verify the drive type and make sure the shift cable on the engine side is correctly going into forward.

Edit in, i re read, the controls were updated most likely cables on wrong throw, mea culpa !

Matt89

It looks like the props are spinning the correct direction spinning to the outside.. starboard prop rotating clockwise and port rotating counter clockwise.. Motors are mercury 250s...

I know the controls were replaced recently and I have been told the lower units replaced as well... I’m guessing either the shift cables are hooked up wrong or possibly the lower units are swapped? Would there be any markings that identify a left or right lower unit?