Tohatsu 9.8 2012, buzzer from remote, won't start

I have a Tohatsu 9.8, 2012 with remote controls with about 20 hours, eight of them in my use. Motor is on a used sailboat bought from a broker, engine oil was clean. Boat and motor were unused for 18 months but winterized. Engine has started and run OK until now. I was out yesterday and the motor started fine before we departed and motored out of the marina. After sailing for a couple of hours with the engine tilted up (electric tilt), I put the engine down again and it would not start. When turning the key to engage the starter an alarm sounded in the remote and nothing happened at the motor. Several tries same thing. Eventually it started OK with the pull start after several pulls. When we got back in the marina I checked again and same behavior. Any ideas?

You are in warranty, so if there is a nearby and friendly dealer, it can be checked at the boat. Failing that, you will want a good multimeter and the Factory service manual schematics to TS the start circuit. The process of tilting up/down might have wiggled a wire that wasn't properly strain-relieved, or you could have a bad neutral safety switch (or associated wiring).

As long as the RC box was in N, it should be OK. You cannot lift the warm-up lever if not in N. The buzzer is for low oil pressure, etc. Did the buzzer sound with the key ON, or only in START?

The alarm sounded only in Start. I think the RC box was in N (at least the engine was) as pull starting was easy and started the engine in neutral. Shifting and controlling from the RC was then OK with no alarms. It makes sense that it's the neutral switch as nothing happened in Start - starter motor was not energized. Is the engine covered under warranty if I am not the original owner?

Thanks Bill

Contact your dealer, and have them call Tohatsu America HQ. You will need precise model and serial, and the original owner. If everything goes right, and the warranty was originally registered, the warranty should transfer.