Starting issues

[bmyers98]

Last night took the boat out for the first time this season. At the dock before floating off the trailer the boat started just fine. Ran it for a minute, then floated off the trailer. Drove around the river for a bit then turned the boat off and floated. Next time I tried to start the boat I turned the key 1/2 way to let the fuel pump cycle and all the other bells and whistles to stop, then turned the key the rest of the way and nothing. Just silence. I tried this a couple of times, everything would cycle, the gauges would move, but would not start. However, if I just turned the key all the way to start without letting everything cycle it would start. This what we ended up doing the next few times we had the boat turned off and it would start every time but only this way. Anyone had this happen before?

[svtcobra50]

Yep, happened to me last year. I tested by putting a test light on the starter while I tried to crank it over. The light would only light up every few cycles. Traced it back to the starter slave solenoid and that ended up being the problem. The new solenoid was 25 bucks at the dealer.

[boatwakes]

Actually sounds like a neutral safety switch. Just move the shifter back and forth while holding the key in "start" position to determine if thats the problem. If it is, the engine will start when the switch makes contact while you're moving the shifter. Easy to replace, on upper starboard side of transmission with 2 wires screwed into it.