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Author Topic:   emergency cut off switch

sport15er posted 09-08-2001 10:19 PM ET (US)
There's a great article in the September issue of Saltwater Fisherman; about what may happen when you don't use your kill-switch lanyard. Luckily the outcome was uneventful.
Just wondering..., how many of us always use the kill-lanyard? Myself; whoever's behind the wheel clips the lanyard on.
SuburbanBoy posted 09-08-2001 10:37 PM ET (US)
How many of us have been in tight maneuvers while docking, skiing, fishing etc. and stepped away from the helm... and shut down? Sure beats getting spit out and then chopped up by your own boat (or chopping up someone else). My old hydro's all had "dead-mans" throttles, but no kill switch. I was spit out once, but the boat flipped in the process. I suppose that it's small two blade bronze prop could have chopped me up while at idle.
Short answer, I always use it.
sub
Tsuriki BW posted 09-08-2001 11:43 PM ET (US)
I always wear a seatbelt whether driving or riding, always lock my car, and always use the cutoff lanyard. I do the last for me, of course, but more for the people with me. They are not immediately at the controls when something may happen.
Tsuriki
FISHNFF posted 09-09-2001 01:14 PM ET (US)
My best friend and a buddy were run over and killed out testing a new motor. Had kill switch installed, but clip on lanyard was found holding a hatch shut. Now whenever I run (not docking or fishing), it is on. Religiously!
WantaWhale posted 09-10-2001 03:43 PM ET (US)
A guy I knew bought a new 115 evinrude for his small ski boat. He had problems with it from almost day one. VRO was one of the bigger things. He was frustrated as the dealer was giving him the run around about it. One day he was off of the main river in a lagoon area. He was in a turn at max throttle when the steering cable broke/disconnnected and he lost control. After 1 or 2 circles it threw him out of the boat and the safety lanyard is what saved him/his boat. He was pretty upset/scared about it as it was the dealer who insisted that they replace the steering system before they would install the motor. After that they had to eat crow and gave him a new motor and steering system.
JohnT posted 09-10-2001 11:32 PM ET (US)
I recently had a kill switch and lanyard system installed in my 1977 Montauk. I'm still getting used to using it (been on boats for thirty-five years and have never come close to actually falling out of one while under way), but it's becoming a habit, especially when I read threads like this or see videos of boats turning circles while their owners watch helplessly...or worse. Thanks for starting the thread!
Mullet posted 09-10-2001 11:49 PM ET (US)
I know this may be pie-in-the-sky but I picture an electronic cutoff that you can wear like a beeper. What keeps me from using the kill switch is the lack of mobility. I occasionally fish offshore by myself and have always had the nightmare of falling over and watching my boat troll off into the horizon without me. However, the lanyard isn't long enough to grab the rod, etc. If we can have cars that start remotely we should be able to have boats that stop the same way. It seems that this would also work in an emergency situation. If one of you dudes patents this I want my cut.
lhg posted 09-11-2001 12:26 AM ET (US)
Mullet: Your nightmare vision can happen. Some of us here know of a fellow, a very knowlegleable boater who ALWAYS wore a life jacket, who perished in 72 Degree water of Lake Erie from hypothermia. Trolling alone in his brand new 24 Outrage off Cleveland, using 10 HP 4 cycle trolling motor, evidently fell out and couldn't catch the boat, while 8 miles offshore. Found the boat 20 miles away when the little engine finally ran out of gas.
You're right a kill switch doesn't work very well in these conditions. Tie a long line around your waist, or wear a sailors harness, or something, if you must troll alone offshore in big water.
where2 posted 09-11-2001 02:48 PM ET (US)
I have to agree with the comments from JohnT. I've been boating for 30 years without a kill switch. It takes some getting used to, and I will admit that I usually only use my kill lanyard when I'm alone in the boat and opening it up (not idling). Having watched in horror at a friend being tossed from an 8' boat he was piloting solo, with the boat instantly turning and circling while he swam out from under it. I am lucky to say the prop was the only thing mangled that day, and the smaller the boat the more important the lanyard. I always recommend my friends use the lanyard while we're towing each other skiing. I suggest they pull the cord if anything causes them to panic.
jimh posted 09-12-2001 10:16 AM ET (US)
Here is a story from a fellow I met who was selling his Whaler 21-Revenge. He kept the boat in Charlevoix, and every summer had a tradition of going for a boatride, getting several miles out into Lake Michigan, and going for a swim. Apparently he liked the idea of swimming out in the middle of nowhere.
He generally took a buddy along with him, and on this occassion, he and a friend were aboard. The owner dives into the lake for a swim, and just as he does some wind comes up and starts blowing the boat away from him.
He sees the boat drifting away, and hollers for his buddy to start the engine and come back to him, but the panicked friend, unfamiliar with the boat, cannot get the engine started. With the canvas up, the boat sails off downwind, leaving the guy swimming in the middle of Lake Michigan.
He drifts for an hour or more, then out of nowhere a large cruiser comes by, almost running him over, sees him in the water, and picks him up.
The guy gets aboard the rescue boat, heads off downwind and finds his Whaler and friend, sick with worry about his fate.
After this episode, the guy decided he was getting too old for boating like that, and he put the Whaler up for sale.
A strange tale, but a true one!
--jimh

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Author	Topic: emergency cut off switch
sport15er	posted 09-08-2001 10:19 PM ET (US) There's a great article in the September issue of Saltwater Fisherman; about what may happen when you don't use your kill-switch lanyard. Luckily the outcome was uneventful. Just wondering..., how many of us always use the kill-lanyard? Myself; whoever's behind the wheel clips the lanyard on.
SuburbanBoy	posted 09-08-2001 10:37 PM ET (US) How many of us have been in tight maneuvers while docking, skiing, fishing etc. and stepped away from the helm... and shut down? Sure beats getting spit out and then chopped up by your own boat (or chopping up someone else). My old hydro's all had "dead-mans" throttles, but no kill switch. I was spit out once, but the boat flipped in the process. I suppose that it's small two blade bronze prop could have chopped me up while at idle. Short answer, I always use it. sub
Tsuriki BW	posted 09-08-2001 11:43 PM ET (US) I always wear a seatbelt whether driving or riding, always lock my car, and always use the cutoff lanyard. I do the last for me, of course, but more for the people with me. They are not immediately at the controls when something may happen. Tsuriki
FISHNFF	posted 09-09-2001 01:14 PM ET (US) My best friend and a buddy were run over and killed out testing a new motor. Had kill switch installed, but clip on lanyard was found holding a hatch shut. Now whenever I run (not docking or fishing), it is on. Religiously!
WantaWhale	posted 09-10-2001 03:43 PM ET (US) A guy I knew bought a new 115 evinrude for his small ski boat. He had problems with it from almost day one. VRO was one of the bigger things. He was frustrated as the dealer was giving him the run around about it. One day he was off of the main river in a lagoon area. He was in a turn at max throttle when the steering cable broke/disconnnected and he lost control. After 1 or 2 circles it threw him out of the boat and the safety lanyard is what saved him/his boat. He was pretty upset/scared about it as it was the dealer who insisted that they replace the steering system before they would install the motor. After that they had to eat crow and gave him a new motor and steering system.
JohnT	posted 09-10-2001 11:32 PM ET (US) I recently had a kill switch and lanyard system installed in my 1977 Montauk. I'm still getting used to using it (been on boats for thirty-five years and have never come close to actually falling out of one while under way), but it's becoming a habit, especially when I read threads like this or see videos of boats turning circles while their owners watch helplessly...or worse. Thanks for starting the thread!
Mullet	posted 09-10-2001 11:49 PM ET (US) I know this may be pie-in-the-sky but I picture an electronic cutoff that you can wear like a beeper. What keeps me from using the kill switch is the lack of mobility. I occasionally fish offshore by myself and have always had the nightmare of falling over and watching my boat troll off into the horizon without me. However, the lanyard isn't long enough to grab the rod, etc. If we can have cars that start remotely we should be able to have boats that stop the same way. It seems that this would also work in an emergency situation. If one of you dudes patents this I want my cut.
lhg	posted 09-11-2001 12:26 AM ET (US) Mullet: Your nightmare vision can happen. Some of us here know of a fellow, a very knowlegleable boater who ALWAYS wore a life jacket, who perished in 72 Degree water of Lake Erie from hypothermia. Trolling alone in his brand new 24 Outrage off Cleveland, using 10 HP 4 cycle trolling motor, evidently fell out and couldn't catch the boat, while 8 miles offshore. Found the boat 20 miles away when the little engine finally ran out of gas. You're right a kill switch doesn't work very well in these conditions. Tie a long line around your waist, or wear a sailors harness, or something, if you must troll alone offshore in big water.
where2	posted 09-11-2001 02:48 PM ET (US) I have to agree with the comments from JohnT. I've been boating for 30 years without a kill switch. It takes some getting used to, and I will admit that I usually only use my kill lanyard when I'm alone in the boat and opening it up (not idling). Having watched in horror at a friend being tossed from an 8' boat he was piloting solo, with the boat instantly turning and circling while he swam out from under it. I am lucky to say the prop was the only thing mangled that day, and the smaller the boat the more important the lanyard. I always recommend my friends use the lanyard while we're towing each other skiing. I suggest they pull the cord if anything causes them to panic.
jimh	posted 09-12-2001 10:16 AM ET (US) Here is a story from a fellow I met who was selling his Whaler 21-Revenge. He kept the boat in Charlevoix, and every summer had a tradition of going for a boatride, getting several miles out into Lake Michigan, and going for a swim. Apparently he liked the idea of swimming out in the middle of nowhere. He generally took a buddy along with him, and on this occassion, he and a friend were aboard. The owner dives into the lake for a swim, and just as he does some wind comes up and starts blowing the boat away from him. He sees the boat drifting away, and hollers for his buddy to start the engine and come back to him, but the panicked friend, unfamiliar with the boat, cannot get the engine started. With the canvas up, the boat sails off downwind, leaving the guy swimming in the middle of Lake Michigan. He drifts for an hour or more, then out of nowhere a large cruiser comes by, almost running him over, sees him in the water, and picks him up. The guy gets aboard the rescue boat, heads off downwind and finds his Whaler and friend, sick with worry about his fate. After this episode, the guy decided he was getting too old for boating like that, and he put the Whaler up for sale. A strange tale, but a true one! --jimh