Shifting device for marine propulsion unit

In a shifting mechanism for an outboard drive adapted to be affixed to the transom of a watercraft, said outboard drive having a selectably engageable transmission including a clutch member moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, a shift operator member, and shift linkage having an intermediate element operably connected to said shift operator member by a first motion transmitting means including an input element for transmitting motion of said shift operator member into movement of said input element and said intermediate element, second motion transmitting means including an output element operably connected to said intermediate element for transmitting movement of said intermediate element into movement of said clutch member, each of said motion transmitting means being effective to translate reciprocation of said shift operator member into rotation of an operably connected element, the improvement comprising detent means acting directly on one of said elements for yieldable retaining said shift linkage in a position corresponding to one of the positions of said clutch member independent of said operator member and said clutch member.