Marina 50hp engine problem

[lisalisa]

We have a marina 50hp engine fitted to a small fishing boat in the U.K. We launched the boat into the sea and proceeded to start the engine up with the pull cord, the engine fired up straight away as useual and seamed to over rev. The engine then cut out and we had to anchor up, we tryed again to start the engine and nothing happened, the cable would just pull out and even atempt to fire up. We removed the spark plug from the engine and could NOT even see a spark, it was difficulrt to see as we were still on the water but the engine did not want to fire up. Please please please does anybody have any idea what could be wrong with the engine, does it have a cut off or fuse/switch to prevent the engine from over reving?

We are desperate to get the boat back on the water but NOW as the boat has been stood still for a long time the engine will not pull without the spark plug in the engine.

[pistnbroke]

well not really enough information but hand starting a 50 hp is no joke ...if its a mariner ( not a marina) then its a Yamaha and I would go to www.iboats.com and forum and pose your question ...ther is a section for Mariner and some very very knowledgable people ... without knowing Serial No model age igniton type its difficult to help you