Kill Cords

[Volantis]

The killcord alone isn't always infallible. A weakened spring and/or grains of sand can stop the button retracting when the killcord is removed. Check the engine kill mechanism is working as part of your preflight checks.

[kerny]

Originally Posted by Volantis

Britain’s Best Value Powerboating Magazine

should be ashamed of this knee jerk reaction, or worse still, attempt to use a tragedy to promote itself.[/QUOTE]

It certainly looks that way to me as well.

[Pikey Dave]

FFS!! I have my Coastal Skipper/ICC & getting on for 30 years experience & I FORGOT to clip on my kill cord when we had our near miss that I 'fessed up to on page 1. No amount of legislation, tinpot courses etc would have changed that, it was human error pure & simple. Legislate all you want, it won't change anything apart from criminalise yet another ( tiny) section of society. I also suspect legislation wouldn't have made a jot of difference at Padstow last weekend. So stop navel gazing, get on with it & use your kill cords, or not, it's your choice but be prepared to live with the consequences, if you're lucky.

[m3mm0s rib]

It is sad to die people for a fucking cable. All laws are useless if we do not protect ourselves

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Starovich

Come stick your arm in my 90 HP or I'm sure I can find a 9.9 I can borrow and you can stick your leg in there?!

I've seen people fall out of tenders with 2hp, that could kill you just as fast as a 350hp

A lump of metal wizzing round at 100's RPM + is going to make a mess of any flesh and bone.

The closest I ever came to getting chopped up by a prop was actually by my DT2.2 Suzuki. It wasn't fitted with a killcord from new-just a stop button. I slipped on the floor of the dinghy as I left the ferry slip in Fowey and it rotated 90 degrees, kicking it sideways on the Avon Redcrest's outboard bracket which in turn, whacked the throttle open.

The result was me nearly going in backwards as the dinghy rotated rapidly on the spot.I'd have been a real mess if I'd gone in.

It now has a kill cord mechanism fitted.

[Starovich]

Pikey, I too have a lot of experience and qualifications, and too on occasion have forgotten briefly to attach.

I am not saying that it would be an instant fine if caught not wearing a kill cord, but something more like, 1 warning, 1 required training course, then increasing fines (within a set time period).

What i would like to see is a method of strongly encouraging everyone to wear a kill cord but for people who refuse, some method of recourse of they fail to do so.

[jwfrary]

My point about the 150hp limit, or there about is that your not going to be doing the kind of speeds i.e 50 odd knots that twice the power will allow. - maybe 38 - 40. the sensation of speed does come quicker in smaller boats and therefore you'll drive slower. There is always the few boats that buck the trend, ultimately horsepower limits both speed and acceleration.

[colcreate]

HMS is entitled to his personal opinion however I am annoyed that he should use the PB&R magazine title as a campaign vehicle. It is clear from this forum that the vast majority of interested parties (currently 78%) are against a campaign for legislation. As a supporter (subscriber) of the magazine I am aggrieved that by association I am seemed to also support this ill conceived campaign, which I stress I DO NOT!
I therefore wish for HMS to expend an equal amount of effort in ensuring that all the companies and institutions he has notified are made aware that potentially, the readership of PB&R do not actually support his personal views and do not want legislation.
I now regret buying a subscription to the magazine and will not renew if it's editor continues in this vain, how can I get a refund?

In regard to the free stickers, I commend the offer if it is genuinely designed to promote safety and not the magazine however I doubt the usefulness of these as they can be more easily ignored than the long bright red dangly cord that hangs from a console and flaps around unsecured in the breeze....
Perhaps if HMS we're to hand out free universal kill cords instead of stickers he would be seen to be making more of a contribution to safety than self promotion.

Finally, I am deeply saddened by the deaths and injuries reported recently and as a boating dad cannot bring myself to read all the comments and reports that have been printed.
My condolences to the surviving families.

[C2 RIBS]

Spoke with a lifejacket and safety equipments manufacturer today and following the Padstow incident and feedback are now adding a clip/loop to their lifejackets for the kill cord clip to make is eaier to use- Already manufacturers are onboard

[harryesd]

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Spoke with a lifejacket and safety equipments manufacturer today and following the Padstow incident and feedback are now adding a clip/loop to their lifejackets for the kill cord clip to make is eaier to use- Already manufacturers are onboard

Thats great...do you think it would back fire or cause hastle if we were to know which one ? just a long term thought incase they are asked again, and let other ones know some makers are doing something already.
No doubt other members will know makers and could qoute this ? or is it too early and create waves.

Just a thought as it's such a good move forward, hats off to you.

[Rokraider]

Personally, I prefer to have the cord well away from the steering wheel as my kill switch is mounted on the underside of the control lever and is situated level with the steering wheel, so when seated it would probably get in the way, once it has gone round my gut. I loop it round above my knee and clip it back on itself. It is out of the way and has a reasonable length allowing for some movement. I often kill the engine with it, rather than the ignition switch, to keep the cut off switch free and to test it is working.

[boristhebold]

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Spoke with a lifejacket and safety equipments manufacturer today and following the Padstow incident and feedback are now adding a clip/loop to their lifejackets for the kill cord clip to make is eaier to use- Already manufacturers are onboard

Thats all well and good but seriously how difficult is it to use a kill cord, I just dont get it, you plug it in and then with the other end it goes round your leg and clips on. How difficult is that ? Also with it going round your leg it is below steering area and away from throttle levers etc and out of the way. I really dont get the need for a clip on a life jacket, it could if not positioned well cause problems.

If it aint broke dont fix it comes to mind, a well positioned kill cord switch and use of the cord around a leg should be fine.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

Thats all well and good but seriously how difficult is it to use a kill cord, I just dont get it, you plug it in and then with the other end it goes round your leg and clips on. How difficult is that ? Also with it going round your leg it is below steering area and away from throttle levers etc and out of the way. I really dont get the need for a clip on a life jacket, it could if not positioned well cause problems.

If it aint broke dont fix it comes to mind, a well positioned kill cord switch and use of the cord around a leg should be fine.

Agreed.

i've clipped mine onto various places on occasions to try it when I've had new kit and it's always been easier and safer to put it round my leg.

[PGIC]

The U.S. Coast Guard is still arguing about requiring manufacturers to INSTALL emergency engine kill switches in all new power boats below a certain length. If your boat does not have a kill switch, a kill cord is not going to do you much good.

The Milligan accident has focused attention on kill cords in the UK. We see waves of attention on kill switches / kill cords from time to time.

Here in the U.S. the Coast Guard proposed making them mandatory in all new boats below a certain length in 2009. The matter is still being discussed. USCG supplied some injury and fatality statistics from 2002-2006 with their proposal.

We posted a piece showing the same kind of stats were previously compiled by USCG back in 1979 when attention was focused on the issue.

Propeller Safety History Repeats Itself, Repeats Itself …. :: Propeller Guard Information Center

gary
propellersafety.com

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Agreed.

i've clipped mine onto various places on occasions to try it when I've had new kit and it's always been easier and safer to put it round my leg.

It's a function of the geometry of your boat, leg size and cord length. Round the leg doesn't work on our RC ... cord ends up too short and on two occasions I've stood up and killed the engine.

I'm not knocking anybody's method, just suggesting there may be more than one perfectly safe solution and not necessarily a one size fits all.

[chris.moody]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

Thats all well and good but seriously how difficult is it to use a kill cord, I just dont get it, you plug it in and then with the other end it goes round your leg and clips on. How difficult is that ? Also with it going round your leg it is below steering area and away from throttle levers etc and out of the way. I really dont get the need for a clip on a life jacket, it could if not positioned well cause problems.

If it aint broke dont fix it comes to mind, a well positioned kill cord switch and use of the cord around a leg should be fine.

Agreed.

I helm lots of different boat and I have never had a problem with attaching the kill cord. It does not tangle round anything, and it does not keep pulling out.

If the kill switch is really in the wrong place, then move it to an appropriate position where it does not tangle or pull out.

Sounds like a load of excuses from people trying to justify not wearing the kill cord to me.

[harryesd]

My one always goes on my leg, however i was thinking about my pals RIB that is between waist and chest high on the consol, it would be ideal for that set up. It's bound to be better than round his wrist.
In fact i always wear a PFD as sometimes i'm more in the water than at the helm. The PFD has loop attachments on it already, and he was going to buy one for just that reason.
Everybody has a slightly different set up, if it makes it easier for even a few, then it gets my vote.

Also a place for the crew/passenger to have theirs clipped ? just a thought.

If it was clipped in to a small pocket even better, save it swinging about, catching etc

[harryesd]

Autotether Man Overboard MOB wireless Kill Cord system. | eBay

Heres a wireless kill cord on ebay..
I will still wear and prefer my own, round my leg, with a spare cord on crew, and in boat box incase my one breaks or gets lost etc IMO

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by harryesd

Autotether Man Overboard MOB wireless Kill Cord system. | eBay

Heres a wireless kill cord on ebay..

I'm confused (but that's not hard). How does this kill the engine?

Is that a 12v cigar lighter plug that's invlolved?

No mention of what the wireless protocol is? Having been involved in the development of many bluetooth devices I'm inclined to needing a huge amount of convincing that wireless protcols are stable, reliable or durable enough for this type of safety feature at an affordable price point.

[harryesd]

Originally Posted by Leapy

I'm confused (but that's not hard). How does this kill the engine?

Is that a 12v cigar lighter plug that's invlolved?

No mention of what the wireless protocol is? Having been involved in the development of many bluetooth devices I'm inclined to needing a huge amount of convincing that wireless protcols are stable, reliable or durable enough for this type of safety feature at an affordable price point.

I don't know....didnt read how it worked, i just spotted it. a few folk have asked why cant we have wireless ones, it was put up in answer to that. As iv'e said before i'm quite happy with my trusted cord round my leg.