Kill Cords

[LURCHER]

Just click on this and have a look !

http://www.europeclass.org.uk/index....htm~mainiecars

[Flanker]

Scary

Pete

[Manos]

That is realy scaaaaaaaaaaaaaary Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Daniel]

Printed this out and stuck it on the wall in the bar @ local sailing club where i have a never ending battle getting the 'old salts' to wear kill cords when driving the RIBs on safety duty!

Cheers

[David Perry]

I will never say I told you so, but I told you so.
Quite right, needs to be on the wall of EVERY sailing club, particularly those that have Wizzo 5m RIBS with Macho 60HP engines, designed to be operated by prats who refuse to:
1. Wear Kill Cords
2. Bouyancy aids
3. Carry first aid kits
4. Carry Bivvy bags.......I could go on.

I have one particular club in mind who, in my humble opinion, operate Danger Boats!

DP

[thewavehumper]

I've had reason to be gratefull that my Kill cord worked although I was chucked out at high speed the boat was less than 50 metres away from me, hence I am here telling you the story. The interesting thing was although the switch operated and the cord detached from the switch. The force of me hitting the water removed the cord from my leg. Fortunately the spare was in the tub.

On another occasion I physically broke the Kill swith with ny knee , which was a bit of a bummer. I noted with apprecaiation that the organisers of the round Ireland Challenge stipulated that every boat carry a spare Kill switch and cord. good call!

Merry Christmas all
Stuart

[narked]

Lucky crew indeed. Hope that teaches em to use a kill cord in the future.

Merry Christmas!
Matt

[Richard B]

This kill-cord thing is so, so important. One of my early SIB-ing experiences resulted in me being in the water with the SIB circling around over my head with the outboard at full throttle. Only because of sheer determination am I here to tell the story, albeit with a large, unexplained scar on my big toe. And I had intended to use the kill-cord, but just forgot. In fact just seconds before leaving the boat, I'd thought - "oops - better attach the kill cord in a minute".

Had I been unfortuante to have been unconscious upon entering the water, I doubt that I would be here to tell this.

[matiboy]

as wearing a kill cord, ( which hopefully will avoid the boat coming back round and making mincemeat of you if you fell in ) is.............if there are other people on board who are clueless, they should be told before setting off

A. where the spare killcord is
B. How to fit it
C. Very Basic info on how to put the engine back into neutral, restart the engine and how to engage gear to potter back to pick you up, rembering to turn off engine as they approach you in the water.

Good advice would be to let them have a go at fitting killcord & starting engine and pottering around in circles at low speed approaching a buoy

Having the spare killcord actually attached on a short line to the console near the starter key would be usefull

[Daniel]

Could not agree more matiboy - a short breifing for novices is invaluable, in reality it's even more important when it's rough since departure from boat is more likely.

Originally posted by matiboy
Having the spare killcord actually attached on a short line to the console near the starter key would be usefull

Not a bad idea, never thought of that - would you not say there is an increased risk of this kill cord becoming lost/damaged etc. during normal use as opposed to, say, stowing it away under the seat, in teh console etc.

One final point - anyone fitted a second kill cord for passengers and what are the thoughts on this. I have recently bought one and intend to fit it for when it's really rough, at teh moment i am constantly looking over my sholder to check crew is still there! I am considering putting a 'by-pass' switch in though so i can restart the engine quickly should crew depart with their kill cord.

Merry Crimbo to all!

Daniel

[Richard B]

I'm fully in agreement with Matiboy's suggestion. What's surprising is that this ISN'T part of the RYA syllabus - to the best of my knowledge, they recommend NOT starting the engine once there's anyone in the water, but I don't agree. I think that a well informed crew with the means to control the boat under power would present a better chance of survival to both those in the water and those drifting in the disabled boat. And this means having a spare kill-cord.

[DJL]

Originally posted by Daniel
anyone fitted a second kill cord for passengers and what are the thoughts on this. I have recently bought one and intend to fit it for when it's really rough, at teh moment i am constantly looking over my sholder to check crew is still there! I am considering putting a 'by-pass' switch in though so i can restart the engine quickly should crew depart with their kill cord.
[/B]

What a good idea! Although personally I would rather the passenger kill switches flash a light/sound a buzzer than kill the engine, especially when it’s rough.

Originally posted by matiboy
Having the spare killcord actually attached on a short line to the console near the starter key would be usefull
[/B]

You could always have a few, one out for easy access and the other in the spares box. I was thinking of making my passenger wear a kill cord in rough weather so that they only need to connect it to the switch. It would save time getting the spare out and stop the temptation of just flicking the kill switch without attaching a spare.

[Daniel]

Originally posted by DJL
flicking the kill switch without attaching a spare.

Daniel(2), i thought you had a new(ish) engine - do the Merc control boxes still allow this? What a silly idea it really is, so many 'speed boaters' don't even know what or where a kill cord goes.

I like the idea of a warning rather than killing the engine, i already have a warning lamp connected to the engine buzzer 'coz i can never hear the buzzer, and a second connected to the depth/fuel warning 'coz i can't hear that either - a third connected to my 'passenger' is quite a good idea BUT is there any better chance of survival of a passenger if the engine is killed as he enters the water???

Daniel (1)

[DJL]

Originally posted by Daniel


Daniel(2), i thought you had a new(ish) engine - do the Merc control boxes still allow this? What a silly idea it really is, so many 'speed boaters' don't even know what or where a kill cord goes.

Yep, I have a 2002 merc with the standard Quicksilver remote unit and it just has a little switch. Its fine for the sensible boaters, in fact it’s quite handy because you could use any thin rope as a kill cord. But the idiot’s among us can just switch it to the on position and forget about it.

Daniel (2)

[David Perry]

The idea of a passenger kill cord seems on the face of it to be a reasonable idea, however I think that the natural movement up and down the sponsons, if seats are not in use, would make it a bit difficult, but for seated thrill seekers, an idea. Not sure I would want an engine cut out if a passenger fell off, but a warning signal maybe a good idea. Worth wxploring as an idea.


As for other matters raised on this thread, my boat carries a spare in the safety bucket AND all regular crew have a kill cord each. I was "taught" that the KC is a piece of personal kit, just like the buoyancy aid.

I seem to recall a few years ago, British Leyland made a car with a nagging voice to remind drivers to put on their seat belt, maybe we could have something similar on boats, or is this just to much nannyism in a coutry overburdened by such. If anyone develops this idea, rememeber you read it here first.

Nadolig Llawen ac yn Blywddyn Newydd Dda.

[Daniel]

A secondary purpose i failed to mention is that when instructing i can wear the 2nd kill cord hece being able to kill the engine from the back of the jockey seat.

I think the solution, for me at least, is to have it kill the engine but fit an override switch. The override switch should illuminate a light.

My only issue with this is it goes against my KISS approach to marine wiring - Keep It Simple Stupid, and is just asking for corrosing to get in there and eat away at such a critical circuit as the main ignition to the engine!

Daniel

[whitingiom]

I always make my crew (14 year old son) wear a spare on his life jacket.

He also took the Level 2 course with me, and although he can't have a certificate, I'm confident that he could start it up and toddle round to pick the old man up out of the drink.

It came in handy last w/e when I found some joker had removed the killcord from the rib parked on the drive, the night before we were safetyboating for the local dinghies - Not many chandlers open at 9am on Sunday am!

Merry Xmas to all

[Daniel]

Originally posted by whitingiom
although he can't have a certificate

Why? I issue Level 2 certificates to under 16's and endorse it with "Little Jonny must be directly supervised by an adult untill the age of 16"

As far as i am aware there is no official rule from the RYA about this - prehaps the teaching establishment you took the course at were quite caucious??

Only interested!

Daniel

[whitingiom]

Thanks for your reply Daniel.

I will take it up with the RYA.

The instructor actually commented that my son was far better at low speed handling than me!

[Daniel]

Originally posted by whitingiom
The instructor actually commented that my son was far better at low speed handling than me!

I quite beleive that - many younger (like 11 - 16) 'students' master low speed stuff quicker!

Let me know the outcome if you investigate it - i may be doing it wrong!

Daniel