Shifter To Seat Clearance
 

My Shabah 198SE is a 1997 model. I have the driver's seat set all the way down and all the way back. Even at that the shifter feels as though it is mounted too far to the stern.

The shifter works fine in all forward positions, but interferes with the seat back when in reverse. I can get it into gear OK, but once it has engaged the gears, I run out of shifter travel because the shifter hits the side/back of the bucket seat. I have to rotate the seat to starboard to gain shifter travel. It is as though my boat was assembled with either a shifter that was placed too far to the rear or a seat that was placed too close to the starboard side.

Is this a common problem, or is mine unique?

I can live with the rearward position, but the interference with the seat is dangerous. I will see if Mercury has a slimmer handle, but I doubt it. The only other thing that I can think of is to make a cover plate and move the shifter ahead, I will have to see if there is any extra cable.

Shabah 198SE

Re: Shifter To Seat Clearance
 

I have the same boat, just not an SE. I don't have any seat clearance problems with my shifter. I don't have any really good pics of the seat, but it you seat further forward that in the pic?

Re: Shifter To Seat Clearance
 

Hyperryd,

Thank you for your reply.

Your Shabah appears to have the Z type fibreglass side panels. Mine has vinyl covered panels that are relatively flat except for the mounting plate for the shifter/throttle control. It has a wedge shape to tip the shifter out at the top.

The position of your shifter appears to be where I would expect to see one located. Mine is mounted lower and further astern. I'll try to get some photos today.

Shabah 198SE

Re: Shifter To Seat Clearance
 

Here are some photos that show the shifter/seat interference that I am dealing with.

The seat is set straight, all the way down and all the way back. I am wondering if Mercury makes an alternatively shaped shifter handle that would cure this problem.

My shifter appears to be positioned much further to the stern that the one on Hyperryd's Mariah.

Please foregive the Siberian Husky hair.

Shabah 198SE