Need Help, first boat, Please~!!

[jrockin08]

Alright,
We just picked up our boat last night and put it in the water. Its a 1995 Donzi 255 Medallion. We got it in the water and started it up. She runs great!
Here are our problems/questions:
1-we went to put it into reverse to get out of the spot where we put it in and we heard a grinding sound. Kind of like it didnt want to go in reverse. So...we pushed it backward and didnt use reverse the rest of the night.
IS THERE A TRICK TO PUTTING IT IN REVERSE??!! ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING. I thought most boats you just pull the handle backwards and youre in reverse.

2-THERE IS A BUTTON UNDERNEATH THE HANDLE, THAT GOES BOTH WAYS...IS THIS THE LOWER UNIT ADJUSTER?! From being on other peoples boats, its what it sounds like to me,but we're not sure.

3-I think this is the last Q for ya! :0) TO GET WATER CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE SHOWER HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE BOAT, DO WE JUST HOOK A HOSE UP TO THE SPOUT AND LET IT DRAG IN THE WATER AND USE THE SHOWER HEAD?! OR IS THERE ANOTHER TRICK TO GETTING CONTINUOUS WATER?! We want to scrub it down tonight and that would be very convenient!!

Thanks for all of your help!! We totally appreciate any help and suggestions~!!

~Jeanette and Jason :confused:

[BaldEagle]

Not sure about the grinding. Someone on the board will. Possibly your shifter cable is loose.
There is usually a rocker switch on the throttle to raise and lower the drive. Another switch or throttle release under the handle that needs to be depressed in order to shift from neutral into foward or neutral into reverse.
R/e the transom shower. If your boat has a potable water tank with pump you should lonly have to make sure there is water in the tank and turn the pump on. There should be a switch on the electrical contol panel.

[CrackerJack]

What you should have is an owners manual. However, if you don't have one try searching the web for one. (www.searay.com) has a library of all their owners manuals. You may be able to find one of their boats that is like your engine/drive setup and use it, the controls and operation should be almost the same, I would think.

[Hutchs1]

If so, when you go into reverse, you have to do it with some authority. You have to 'chunk it in" or it will grind if you do it slowly. This is typical of Merc units.

It could be as simple as that, or as the others mention, shifter cables, etc.

Enjoy your boat, keep it afloat.

[mrfixxall]

Alright,
We just picked up our boat last night and put it in the water. Its a 1995 Donzi 255 Medallion. We got it in the water and started it up. She runs great!
Here are our problems/questions:
1-we went to put it into reverse to get out of the spot where we put it in and we heard a grinding sound. Kind of like it didnt want to go in reverse. So...we pushed it backward and didnt use reverse the rest of the night.
IS THERE A TRICK TO PUTTING IT IN REVERSE??!! ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING. I thought most boats you just pull the handle backwards and youre in reverse.
2-THERE IS A BUTTON UNDERNEATH THE HANDLE, THAT GOES BOTH WAYS...IS THIS THE LOWER UNIT ADJUSTER?! From being on other peoples boats, its what it sounds like to me,but we're not sure.
3-I think this is the last Q for ya! :0) TO GET WATER CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE SHOWER HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE BOAT, DO WE JUST HOOK A HOSE UP TO THE SPOUT AND LET IT DRAG IN THE WATER AND USE THE SHOWER HEAD?! OR IS THERE ANOTHER TRICK TO GETTING CONTINUOUS WATER?! We want to scrub it down tonight and that would be very convenient!!
Thanks for all of your help!! We totally appreciate any help and suggestions~!!
~Jeanette and Jason :confused:

answers
1)the grinding noise is its the tipical noise a alpha makes in forward and reverse..try putting it into reverse a little faster,if it still grinds then you need to have the shift cable adjusted...if you loose forward gear after its adjusted then you may need to replace the shifter cable because its either sticking or its streched out.(the cable that goes from the shift linkage to the lower unit)

2)the button thingy that goes both ways is for the lower unit,you want to put the lower unit all the way down when planing the boat out,then raise it to 1/4 to 1/2 on your trim guage....the square black button above the two wat switch is the trailer button....Its used only when you trailer the boat you want ithe lower unit all the way up so you dont drag it on the highway..

3)Your boat has a water tank on board,fill it with a garden hose and a electric pump will pump the water th the shower head..

hope this helps
Good luck

[Formula Jr]

You may also raise up your drive using the trailer switch, if you are running in shallow water, beyond the trim limiting cut off.
The rules to this are that you never go past idle and you don't forget that your drive is in this upward position when you want to go faster.
I would recommend that anyone's first boat not be a particularly nice one like a Donzi.. You are going to makes lots of mistakes....we all did.
Good luck,
Welcome to the madness.

As said before, the alphas use a sliding gear to engage and disengage the prop shaft. The shifter handle needs authority to shift cleanly with out too much grinding. While you are getting use to it, keep in your mind where your ignition key is just in case your trepid shifting doesn't release the gear.
The shift interruptor is what unloads the gear and lets it slide out of union with the prop shaft. There is a feel to it. And you will pick this up quickly with some practice.

[Donziweasel]

Welcome.

Just a suggestion. If you do not know what certain switches are and have never owned a boat, it might be a good idea to get some instrcution from a dealer or someone who has owned some boats. Not knowing where your drive trim is located is not a good thing. There is more to driving a sterndrive boat than simply jumping in and going.

With a little help, you can make the learning experience pleasurable and hopefully not damage your new boat as well. You will be a pro before you know it.:)

[jrockin08]

thanks for all the help....we got running good, and it sounds great,drives smooth,and everything works so far, but the AC...(see other thread)

This is our first boat, and I have heard that Donzis can be a stubborn boat; we were looking for a searay, but htis one came up, and it was such a great deal we couldnt pass it up!!! Besides that, there arent any Donzis by us...so that makes it even better!! We plan on being on this forum quite a bit, and we will get pics up soon!!

[beergut]

All great advice from above...I agree, a little grind is normal when going from "neutral" to "reverse"

I also just wanted to add, and this may be common sense and you may know this already so I'm sorry if this is old news... but incase you don't, being your first boat and all...never run that Merc without water going through it, not even for a second. You could do some real damage. If you haven't already done so, pick up a pair of water muffs so you can flush your motor out after running in salt water (if you're near the ocean that is). Make sure you keep that lower end properly lubed and the trim position sender (both of them) greased well. Don't assume the previous owner did this, you'd be amazed on how many people don't maintain their boats. I've had customers call me for an end of season tune up, and when I check the gear oil, it's almost dry because it was never serviced or there's water in it!

[jrockin08]

we got the motor muffs and did all that, the previous owner took great care of this boat, you wouldnt believe how much we got it for, and the excellent condition it is in! we did go thru it with someone who knows abot boats yada yada, however, not all boats are the same, and not too many people here have Donzi's. We have a few weeks to figure stuff out b4 winter. Thanks for the help all!

[Team Jefe]

Jason - I have been running boats since I was two in my dad's lap...and I still don't consider myself an expert....but never fear, the Donzi experts ARE HERE ! ! !

Weasel had the best advice of all....get with a person you trust and who knows boats. I've seen ignorance...not stupidity....ignorance fu$k up some perfectly good boats. Good thing is, Ignorance can be cured pretty quick in most cases.