The binary decay properties of the 477 nucleus, produced in the 35C1 + 12C reaction, have been investigated at the 35C1 bombarding energies Elab=180 and 200 MeV by means of a kinematical coincidence technique. Binary reaction products show full energy equilibration and a characteristic 1/sin(0om ) angular distribution. The elemental distribution of the fully-damped products is asymmetric, similar to what has previously been observed in the decay of the 56Ni nucleus. Comparison with theoretical model predictions suggests the occurrence of a fusion-fission rather than orbiting process. Moreover the calculations performed using the Extended HauserFeshbach Method reproduce well the experimental fission yields~ A general discussion of orbiting and fusionfission experimental data of light heavy-ion systems is presented in the framework of the calculated number of available open channels for these systems.