Cant Get it Into Reverse.... HELP!

I have a 9.9 Yamaha outboard 4 stroke, and she has been running great, but now it is not popping into reverse. It was popping in and out, but now it will not go into reverse at all. I took the cover off the power head, and looked at the linkages, and it all seems to be fine, with no obvious problems.... but I am wondering what I should do next. I have the boat in a moorage slip, so it is over water, and I dont know how much I trust taking the lower unit off to inspect down there. I was wondering if anyone else has came across this problem and what they did for it. Maybe you guys have some genius ideas for a fix that I havent thought about.... The next step if I dont get any better ideas is to take the whole motor off the boat, and take it into a shop... and then no fun on the water for at least a couple weeks.
Any ideas or fixes, PLEASE let me know, and the more specifics the better!!!! Happy boating!

[robert graham]

there is a linkage adjustment on the motor which probably just needs a little change...maybe one of the local guys can go down to your boat and have a look at it. Goog luck!

one of the problems was that the shift cable housing had been cut at some point in the past before we bought the boat. . .this just wore itself out and finally wore to the point where it allowed the shift cable to loop out at this point in the housing instead of pushing/pulling the linkage. . .

. . .we got a new shift cable and installed it today. . .initially it still wouldn't shift into reverse, so we took the motor off the boat. . .got it home and it shifted into reverse a couple of times and now it's not shifting into reverse again (no problem with going into forward or neutral). . .it's moving the linkage but it's just isn't catching reverse. . .

is the linkage adjustment made at the black plastic piece which screws onto the rod at the motor end of the shift cable or is there another adjustment elsewhere???

Any more help on this???

[boats.net]

The only adjustment is the shift cable end. If it wont adjust then either there is too much loose play in shift linkage or the shifter parts in gearcase are worn.

Uuugghh. . .I hope the parts in the gearcase aren't worn!!!

We just bought this sailboat and one of the great things about it was the motor. . .our last sailboat had an old pullstart (as in '69 Johnson 2-stroke 9HP) and having an electric start 4-stroke is great. . .the boat came with a back-up 4-stroke Honda 6 HP but it's pull start and I would just prefer the electric starter and the extra HP for when we have to navigate through some of the passages which have stronger currents!!!