Control box throttle?

[Tides]

I just purchased a 2011 16 ft Smokercraft with 50hp 4stroke Mercury outboard. The throttle on the control box doesn't seem to incrementally accelerate as it should. The engine hardly revs up with first inch or two of moving forward the throttle and then it suddenly kicks in with a lurch. This is especially noticeable in reverse. Extremely frustrating in a relatively "new" boat. Thanks for any help!

 

[racerone]

The first part of handle movement shifts the motor to forward gear.-----Then it opens throttle.-------Hurry and run to a dealer and politely ask for instructions and owners manual.----It will save you some money !

 

[Tides]

Thanks.
But there seems to a much bigger lag between shifting into gear and engine revying up than other motors I've used, both with control box and tiller throttle.
It's like nothing happens until the throttle handle is well forward or backward in reverse before the engine engages.
It's very difficult to increase of decrease the boat speed in small increments.

 

[fastjeff]

See if there's too much slack in the throttle cable at the motor.

Jeff

 

[Tides]

How do you check that?
Is that something I can do?