Boat dies once i put it into gear?

I have a 1985 Ski Nautique 2001. The boat fires up great and once going it will stay in gear and won't die. However when it is cold or I have just been floating in the water, as soon as I just nudge it in gear, it is hard for it to stay at the correct rpm without dying. I have turned the idle up but this doesn't seem to help because once I have been going the idle is WAY to high. what is my problem?

you could have some serious mis-alignment also

What rpms do you see?

I think Eric may have called it. Your idle is too high and that will also put a hurtin' on the tranny.

tieguy88 wrote: Yes the choke is working. WHere is the flame arrestor?

If you cant find the flame arrestor I really doubt you can tell the choke is in working order.

T Rag,

For starters your idle is way too high, you will need to adjust the idle and perhaps check the timing to be in the proper range. Do not adjust your idle artifically high to compensate for the engine dying while in gear. This puts a lot of load on the transmission plus makes it unsafe for slow speed manuvering around the dock and or other boaters.   

As Eric pointed out while out of the water, please check your engine/tranmission alignment (read that as mis alignment)perhaps it is way off causing excesive drag. Also perhaps check your transmission / propshaft connection to ensure the propshaft rotates freely with any excessive binding.