Marine: Boating, Sailing, PWC, GPS and Navigation - pops out of forward gear.

35 hoarse evenrude, hit bottom hard, and sat for 8 years, we got the motor running and put it in the river only to find that it wont stay in forward gear. the only forward motion we could get was when my dad tied a rope to the leaver (on the motor) and held it tight while the throtle was barly on we could put about 2miles per hour any more thotle and it would pop out of gear. it stays in reverse fine. all the exterier linkage seems to be working but the rope did make a small difference.

If all the linkage is set properly, then you probably rounded off the ears of the forward gear and clutch dog. They would need to be replaced. You should include the year of the motor in your post.