Ski rope caught in prop, now electronics don't work?

So today was my first time pulling a skier in our family's boat and I got the rope wrapped around the prop. After cutting it free, the engine started back up and worked fine in reverse. Once dad shifted it into forward, the boat died and so did all of the electronics. Now the blower works every now and then and the trim works, but nothing else does and I'm not getting even any clicking when I turn the key. Any suggestions on how bad I screwed this thing up? It's a 1995 Bayliner Capri. Thanks folks

Would your boat be a stern drive (Mercruiser)?

I have a similar situation that I need help with. My first mate, bless her heart, "got distracted" while casting off the stern line, and (you guessed it) it got caught in the prop. NObody else realiezed what had happened. I put the boat in reverse and started backing up, but after a few seconds the motor quit. I was able to start it another time or two, but as soon as I put it in either forward or reverse it died. After that the little button on the throttle control that disengages the gears stopped popping back out like it did before. Now when I try to start the engine there is no response at all, no clicking, no turning over, no nothing. The batteries have plenty of charge in them, I can raise and lower the sterndrive easily. IT seems to me like there might be some kind of safety lockout at work, but I don't know about that. This is an old boat, 1979 with a Mercruiser 888 sterndrive and a single handle control Mercontrol #C-37782A1. I took the prop off, but couldn't see anything amiss there. I took the panel apart as much as I could to look at the control, but I couldn't see much there except that there is what appears to be a small (1/4"?) vacuum tube attached to the bottom side of it. I couldn't tell what the other end of that vacuum tube was attached to, but its not just flopping loose., so seems to still be attached wherever it goes to. This all happened about three weeks ago, and I need to figure something out so that hopefully I can get it started and winterized before the weather turns. Thanks in advance for any help or info you can offer.

Hello.. So I'll assume your boat is a stern drive. If so there is a kill switch located near the top of the engine. This momentarily kills the motor so you can shift gears. The switch is a rocker type and a cam with an electronic switch. The switch arm c
Shod be centered on the rocker cam. If it is not, for example the arm of the swituch is positioned to the left or right of the rocker the motor will not turn over. In this case you my need to replace the transom cable due to the rope around the propshaft issue.

Thanks for the info. I found the kill switch, and it seems to be the way it should be as far as I can tell, the switch arm is aligned properly with the rocker cam. But the switch arm is touching the rocker cam, is that correct? Would that contact prevent the engine from turning over?

On further investigation, I see that the throttle control operates the carburetor linkage both forward and reverse, but does not move the shift linkage at all in either direction.

Basic Joe said:

Thanks for the info. I found the kill switch, and it seems to be the way it should be as far as I can tell, the switch arm is aligned properly with the rocker cam. But the switch arm is touching the rocker cam, is that correct? Would that contact prevent the engine from turning over?

On further investigation, I see that the throttle control operates the carburetor linkage both forward and reverse, but does not move the shift linkage at all in either direction.

Click to expand...

My best guess is there is something binding either the through transom shift cable or the propshaft seals may have been damaged by the line and your lower unit oil has escaped.
Your correct, the roller on the electronic switch should be within the indent of the shift cam, however, because you stated that the cam does not move when you shift is an indication that the shift mechanics is bound somewhere. Try this, while you hold the key in the start position have someone move the cam back and forth or hold the switch arm all the way in. If the motor turns over then its most likely as I stated above. The shift on the 888's (188) are very sensitive. Obviously be very cautious and aware of moving parts when you crank the motor over...
Also, look very closely at the propshaft, be sure you have any traces of line removed.