Not in reverse when engine turned off.

[expatria]

During last week's sailing trip around Waiheke Island, we experienced an odd non-functioning. With sails hoisted and turning off the engine, we then always move the engine / prop into reverse, so the twin folded prop closes. On this one occasion, it wouldn't go into reverse with the engine off. There was this kind of mechanical stop. We'd turn the engine on and it would go into reverse no problem. Turn it off again and NO go into reverse. This happened some four times. Then the rest of the trip it didn't happen again. The engine is 29hp Yanmar with saildrive and only 102 hours. I'll check with the local dealer here in Auckland, but I would be very grateful for some unbiased suggestions please.
Greetings from the sunny Hauraki Gulf.

[Rapanui]

We have the same Yanmar setup on our cat x2 and it happens to us occasionally. If both the engine input and prop output shafts of the saildrive are not rotating, the dogs on the dog clutch to engage reverse (or forward) may not be aligned and it will not shift. The good news is that if this happens with the engine stopped, it means that the prop is not rotating, so the folder has done its job without assistance.

Whether it happens is chance, 4 in a row is unlikely but possible.