Tom Wolf

I have a 2003 Utopia 205, kept on a lift in a boathouse on the intracoastal in Florida.

Bought it new and while I enjoy it occasionally, my travel schedule does not let me use it often.

I have about 60 hours on the motor.

A few weeks ago I cleaned it up real good and took my grandson out for a short ride.....I normally just lower the boat and push it out of my slip since the water is soooo shallow....I don't want to suck up any sand into the impeller.

Ran fine for an hour and a half.....when we took it back to the slip, I did the same thing I have always done.....except this time when I got the boat in the slip I tried to get the throttle handle in reverse and it would not go. I made sure the release was pulled all the way up, but still no luck. I was coming in too fast and was concerned about hitting my dock so I pulled the handle back hard and broke it right in half.

I immediately shut the engine off and tried like heck to get to the front to stop it from hitting the dock....ended up with a small bump and no damage I could see.

But, then I had a trottle handle in two pieces.

I bought a new one from an online dealer, received it and put it on.....not difficult of course.....BUT then I tried it and still cannot get it into reverse.

I am afraid of breaking this handle by trying too hard to move it.

I am not a mechanic, don't have a trailer, and the closest dealer is over 100 miles away. I would like to try to fix it myself IF it is an easy fix.

Any help or advice anyone can offer will be very warmly received

Thanks in advance for any help.

Tom