Where do you clip your kill cord? (Tiller steering)

[GandyGoose]

Hi,

Just wondered where everyone finds it easiest to clip the kill cord when you're tiller steering sitting on the tube at the rear. I keep finding that I move far enough to pop the cord, for example when reaching out when coming alongside. To be honest its a bloomin nuisance. It doesn't help that the clip at "my" end isn't big enough to fit the harness ring on a lifejacket, or onto anything really. The only way is to loop it round and clip it on itself, which obviously makes it much shorter.

I've never had to deal with this before, our tender didn't have a kill cord, and we never had them in the early '80s on the Zodiacs and Seariders we used. On the club rescue boats you're wheel steering, so never really move away from the console so its not a problem.

Tony S

[Poly]

Originally Posted by GandyGoose

The only way is to loop it round and clip it on itself, which obviously makes it much shorter.

? Maybe an inch ?

[9D280]

usually round the wrist that's on the tiller - replacing the silly clip with an "Animal" watch strap (other velcro watch straps are available! ) makes quite a good method of making sure it doesn't come off

I found clipping it to my lifejacket usually resulted in pulling it out as I went for the gearstick. Mind you that is on a good old gearstick halfway down the opposite side to the tiller - the new ones with the gearchange on the front probably won't suffer from that problem.

Could you wrap it round your knee? Itr will depend where the engine enfd is fixed & how you sit etc etc..

[GandyGoose]

Originally Posted by Polwart

? Maybe an inch ?

OK, brain failure on my part. Through the D ring and clipped onto itself will only shorten by an inch as you say. That's fiddly to clip and unclip though. So what I do is put it round my arm so it can be slipped on and off over my wrist without unclipping, and that shortens by more like a foot.

[Doug Stormforce]

There have been a couple of documented cases of a driver who has fallen over/overboard and the kill chord has slipped of his wrist (hence the strap suggestion above). I suspect a google search would find them, one was written up by the MAIB

Personally I wrap it around my leg just below the knee, come alongside unclip and go forward.

[ben tye]

kill cords should really not go around your wrist it is possible for them to fall off. I prefer them to go around the top of the leg were they are out of the way. You may need to find a longer kill cord or if it very new stretch it out a little. Good luck and safe boating

[GandyGoose]

Agreed, the wrist isn't ideal, hence my raising the question here. There's also the temptation to slip it off. I reckon changing the clip to something that will go on the D ring is the best idea, and a longer cord if necessary.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by ben tye

I prefer them to go around the top of the leg were they are out of the way.

That's where I used to wear mine as well.

On the new boat, I clip it around the drysuit crotch strap (don't really have anywhere else to clip it off to easily, and the crotch strap works whether I have the suit fully donned or halfway down.)

jky

[prairie tuber]

I have my kill cords attatched to a small carbiner and the carbiner clips to my belt. This gives me far more freedom to move all of my limbs with out inadvertantly cutting the motor. It is also far more secure and comfortable than around a wrist or leg.

[J S]

Originally Posted by 9D280

usually round the wrist that's on the tiller - replacing the silly clip with an "Animal" watch strap (other velcro watch straps are available! ) makes quite a good method of making sure it doesn't come off

I found clipping it to my lifejacket usually resulted in pulling it out as I went for the gearstick. Mind you that is on a good old gearstick halfway down the opposite side to the tiller - the new ones with the gearchange on the front probably won't suffer from that problem.

Could you wrap it round your knee? Itr will depend where the engine enfd is fixed & how you sit etc etc..

I use a waterproof type velcro watch strap also, that seems to work well

James

[Ribomaniatic]

Originally Posted by GandyGoose

Hi,

Just wondered where everyone finds it easiest to clip the kill cord when you're tiller steering sitting on the tube at the rear. I keep finding that I move far enough to pop the cord, for example when reaching out when coming alongside. To be honest its a bloomin nuisance. It doesn't help that the clip at "my" end isn't big enough to fit the harness ring on a lifejacket, or onto anything really. The only way is to loop it round and clip it on itself, which obviously makes it much shorter.

I've never had to deal with this before, our tender didn't have a kill cord, and we never had them in the early '80s on the Zodiacs and Seariders we used. On the club rescue boats you're wheel steering, so never really move away from the console so its not a problem.

Tony S

At the RYA centre I teach at we have to have them round the leg above the knee, wrists aren't practical when u need to do a lot of work with ur hands, just be careful when moving around it doesnt fall off your foot. Better not to just put it on the tiller though, defeats the object of a kill cord...

[prairie tuber]

Why does nobody else simply clip it to their belt loop? Wrists, ankles & knees seem like extremely poor attachment points to me.

[Markymark]

I've also replaced the plastic clip with a metal carabiner and clip this to my lifejacket D ring... by far the safest option !!

[GandyGoose]

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Why does nobody else simply clip it to their belt loop?

Speaking only for myself, if I'm wearing a sailing jacket and/or overtrousers then the belt loops become more and more inaccessible. If I'm going to attach the cord as a matter of habit, I'd like to settle on a method that I can use every time. That's why I quite like the idea of trying the lifejacket D ring, since I intend to always wear the lj when I'm out in the boat.

[GandyGoose]

Originally Posted by Ribomaniatic

At the RYA centre I teach at we have to have them round the leg above the knee, wrists aren't practical when u need to do a lot of work with ur hands ..

Round the knee is what we do in the rescue boats where your knee is right next to the controls. I suppose what I'm finding is that tiller steering I tend to move around the boat more.

[Bulligmore]

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Why does nobody else simply clip it to their belt loop? Wrists, ankles & knees seem like extremely poor attachment points to me.

When I did a RYA course the instructor said do not use a belt loop as they can be weak and break. I know of two men drowned last year and they would have probably been OK if they wore a kill cord on the tiller.

Take from a RYA page

FAO ALL CLUBS - PLEASE DISPLAY THE FOLLOWING ON YOUR NOTICEBOARDS AND SECTION 2 ON ALL OF YOUR POWERBOATS 1. Top Tips for Powerboat Drivers
- Check Oil before starting the engine, and cooling jet after starting
- On safety boats with tiller steering, kill cords should be clipped to the buoyancy aid of the driver
- Always clip the kill-cord around something strong (e.g. your leg) and back onto itself - never rely on the spring clip gripping onto fabric
- Never put the kill cord around the wrist. It may slip off or you may take it off
- On establishing contact with someone in the water, the engine should always be turned off.

REMEMBER - the primary reason for wearing the kill cord is to stop the boat hitting you or someone else after the driver has fallen out.
2. Safety Boat Drivers
- Wear the kill cord securely
- Stop the engine when in contact with someone in the water
- Always beware of the propeller
- Look before you start the engine

REMEMBER - the kill cord is to stop the boat hitting you or someone else after the driver has fallen out.

[treerat]

Tiller control - on the leg normally by the ankle.

Consol - middle ring on the life jacket.

[prairie tuber]

Originally Posted by Bulligmore

When I did a RYA course the instructor said do not use a belt loop as they can be weak and break. I know of two men drowned last year and they would have probably been OK if they wore a kill cord on the tiller.

Take from a RYA page

FAO ALL CLUBS - PLEASE DISPLAY THE FOLLOWING ON YOUR NOTICEBOARDS AND SECTION 2 ON ALL OF YOUR POWERBOATS 1. Top Tips for Powerboat Drivers
- Check Oil before starting the engine, and cooling jet after starting
- On safety boats with tiller steering, kill cords should be clipped to the buoyancy aid of the driver
- Always clip the kill-cord around something strong (e.g. your leg) and back onto itself - never rely on the spring clip gripping onto fabric
- Never put the kill cord around the wrist. It may slip off or you may take it off
- On establishing contact with someone in the water, the engine should always be turned off.

REMEMBER - the primary reason for wearing the kill cord is to stop the boat hitting you or someone else after the driver has fallen out.
2. Safety Boat Drivers
- Wear the kill cord securely
- Stop the engine when in contact with someone in the water
- Always beware of the propeller
- Look before you start the engine

REMEMBER - the kill cord is to stop the boat hitting you or someone else after the driver has fallen out.

My bad. I did mean to say belt rather than belt loop. I've never used a belt loop as an anchor point, always the belt. A lifejacket D ring can be just as good.

[Steve_B]

I can recommend the use of a cat collar! If you go to a good pet shop, you can find ones made of nylon with plasic fittings. This means they dont react in any way to sea water and you can adjust the size to fit around any part of your leg or arm. You can then clip the kill cord to the loop that would normally have the I/D, bell or lead.

I even use this for use on the rib

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by 250kts

I can recommend the use of a cat collar!

You mean, er, like a garter?