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Posts: 10
| Is it oblivious to me, or do not many people use this safety feature? |
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Posts: 2088
| small lakes no - always at night when on plane for me, more and more during the day too. Any time I have the life-vest on I clip on the kill switch. Since I'm usually running 55-65 mph I SHOULD do it all the time! |
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Posts: 445
Location: Duluth, MN | WOW i can't believe how many of you dont wear it!! My cousin was killed when he was driving a boat and he got out of control and went overboard...the boat was at full throttle and turned back around and ran him over. If he would have been wearing the safety strap it would not have happened. I NEVER start my boat without looping it around my wrist. Theres just no reason not to it's so easy and can save your life or god forbid someone elses life. |
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Posts: 255
| Since I run a larger tiller motor, I always clip it to my life jacket when up on plane. |
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Posts: 392
Location: KY | I especially try to remember to wear mine when I am operating the boat solo and in winter months.
Don’t ask how many times I could not start the motor when the safety switch had been pulled by accident.
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Posts: 1220
| If you fish an FLW bass tournament, you not only need to wear it when the big motor is running, you also need to demonstrate that it works to kill the engine during the pre-tournament boat inspection. The only other time I have actually used it was during the Sturgeon Bay Open when the water was so rough, and the operating speeds were so stupid that I was scared not to. Honestly, though, I will always wear the PFD when it's rough or I am alone but not the kill switch lanyard. I keep the inflatable on the whole time I am out, but just can not abide the constant unhooking of that little red cord. It's a bit of a trade off. The guys who keep the jackets on don't tend to use the lanyard and the guys who keep the lanyard attached to the jacket take off the jacket every time they get up. My sense is that the jacket will save your butt more times than the kill switch will. Marty Forman |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I like to live life on the edge. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Junkman - 5/24/2010 1:24 PM
If you fish an FLW bass tournament, you not only need to wear it when the big motor is running, you also need to demonstrate that it works to kill the engine during the pre-tournament boat inspection. The only other time I have actually used it was during the Sturgeon Bay Open when the water was so rough, and the operating speeds were so stupid that I was scared not to. Honestly, though, I will always wear the PFD when it's rough or I am alone but not the kill switch lanyard. I keep the inflatable on the whole time I am out, but just can not abide the constant unhooking of that little red cord. It's a bit of a trade off. The guys who keep the jackets on don't tend to use the lanyard and the guys who keep the lanyard attached to the jacket take off the jacket every time they get up. My sense is that the jacket will save your butt more times than the kill switch will. Marty Forman
Ha! I've ridden with you on Green Bay...and you sure scared me!
TB |
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Posts: 76
Location: Kentucky | Duck season = 100% of the time
Spring/summer/fall fishing solo = 75% of the time
Spring/summer/fall fishing with someone = 10% of the time
=/ |
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Posts: 264
| As much as i can remember too, but i forget a lot of times though. |
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Posts: 15
Location: Eagan, MN | When I'm alone or when I'm the only adult in the boat I wear it. Just think how horrific that would be if you got bucked out of the boat at 30 mph and your 3 year old was still in it ripping across the lake. |
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Posts: 480
| I bought a merc tiller this year and was really surprised that the kill switch lanyard was not standard equipment. I bought one from the dealer as a option. For such a simple piece of safety equipment, why leave it as an option? |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | I keep it attached to my PFD. If I am on a no-wake lake I'll run w/o it. If I'm going to be on plane at any speed I wear it. Its pretty simple and not at all in the way. Its just like a seatbelt IMO...too simple to ignore. |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Every Merc tiller I have ever purchased has a kill switch lanyard standard. |
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Posts: 1202
Location: Money, PA | Never....I walk across the street everyday too, knowing I could get hit by a car....odds are greater that I'd die that way anyhow. I still cross the street everyday. |
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Posts: 572
| I always thought most everyone would use the kill switch, not only for their safety, but for others too. I guess the odds are that others won't be involved with something who doesn't use a kill switch.
I remember one guy who didn't care to use a kill switch. Well, after attempting to start his motor several times, he flagged down a much smaller boat for help. The smaller boat towed him back to camp, which took over 30 minutes. When he asked me to look things over, I merely plugged his kill switch back in. Amazingly, his motor started right up.
Of course, he begged me not to tell anyone, especially those who towed him back to camp.
I can never figure out why anyone would not want to use a kill switch....it's made for everyone's safety, not just their's.
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Absolutely 100% of the time. Yes, I always wear it. With my job, I've seen too many bad happenings with overboard boaters. That, and I fish with my dog, and I hate to fall out and have him flying across LSC at 50 mph by himself only to collide eventually with something and die. Add to that, that I imagine you could be liable if your boat headed on unattended and hit someone else because you didn't use the kill switch lanyard.
In my mind, there's just no reason to never use it. |
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Posts: 96
Location: Eau Claire | I should but I don't. Boat tops out at 18mph, and the tiller is set to kill when I take my hand off the throttle. |
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Posts: 1504
Location: Oregon | Never................... |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | Nice eye openner....such an easy thing to put out of ones mind.
I vow to wear mine more.
I challenge all who read this to make the same vow.
Thank you!
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Posts: 256
Location: MadCity Wisconsin | WARNING: Circle of Death Boating accidents.
www.boat-ed.com/images/animations/circle_of_death
The smaller boats, tillers, this can be a real problem if your hand slips off the tiller handle. Nearly threw me out of the boat. My first boat was a 14 Ft. Aluminum with a 25 H.P. tiller. My hat flew off and I reached with my right hand to grab the hat and my left hand slipped off the handle. Just about ended up in the water. The boat spun in circles. It took all my strength to reach back for the handle. Could have been fatal. Resort owners have a few horror stories on this.
Attach your switch cords!
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | A lot of the responses seem to be about your own safety. You want to kill yourself that's ok with me (less guys fishing my spots), but don't just worry about the boat coming around and hitting you as you bob in the water. Even if the boat doesn't hit you it going to hit something. Several years ago I had to make a mad dash to grab my four year old nephew (fishing at the end of the dock) and then get us both off the end of the dock before a run away Donzi smashed through 2 of our boats, our dock, the neighbor's boat and dock to then end up stuck on the third dock it hit. This chucklehead was extremely lucky he did not kill someone. I think I posted the pics on here when it happened. It was a very bad scene that could have been avoided if the guy would have used the kill switch. |
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| It's actually embarassing. I am a safety professional at work and I never use the kill switch. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i lost my balance running a center console once and it scared the hell out of me ... from that point forward things changed and i started wearing it. |
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Posts: 2361
| There seems to be a segment among musky fishers and on this board that sit around and worry about ways to die.
I guarantee, it is going to happen to you all.
I've got enough crap to worry about without adding the kill switch to the list. Not gonna add sun blocker to the list. Not gonna add plastic water bottles to the list, and I am not going to wear a life jacket.
I am thinking some of us have a special pocket in our life jacket for the "list". |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin |
"I can never figure out why anyone would not want to use a kill switch....it's made for everyone's safety, not just their's."
...Well, some of us who drive don't let go of our tiller handles, don't drive at full speed when waves dictate otherwise, don't drive full speed through areas we don't know, or in my case I can't picture any scenario in which I could fall out of my boat while it is running. My "kill switch" is common sense and always staying alert when on the water, while not good enough for some people I find it good enough for me... |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | fish a long day ... then many days in sequence, now do all your driving standing up ... situational, choices, real dangers ... no absolutes either way.
but, not unlike any and all internet threads that get to the bottom of the page ... the thread finds the slope and slides the rest of the way downhill.
it's hot outside and we need rain badly ... |
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Posts: 909
| Lundbob - 5/24/2010 12:39 PM
WOW i can't believe how many of you dont wear it!! My cousin was killed when he was driving a boat and he got out of control and went overboard...the boat was at full throttle and turned back around and ran him over. If he would have been wearing the safety strap it would not have happened. I NEVER start my boat without looping it around my wrist. Theres just no reason not to it's so easy and can save your life or god forbid someone elses life.
I just had a guy who lived by me get killed with his boat last summer when he fell out and the boat came back around and hit him! I wear mine 90% of the time and as someone else mentioned 100% in the winter months!
Brian  |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | jonnysled - 5/26/2010 4:14 PM
fish a long day ... then many days in sequence, now do all your driving standing up ... situational, choices, real dangers ... no absolutes either way.
but, not unlike any and all internet threads that get to the bottom of the page ... the thread finds the slope and slides the rest of the way downhill.
it's hot outside and we need rain badly ...
I don't think you stand up when you drive anymore.....
I've never put it on when driving our Boston Whaler center console. Neither of the Sheriff deputies I rode with all last summer ever wore it.
FSF nailed it. How some people venture outside these days is a mystery. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Ah...most salt water guys stand up while driving all of the time. I do it on occasion myself, as I got used to it when I lived down there several years ago. Go riding over 3-5 footers for about 10-15 minutes, and after you stop peeing blood (from all the kidney bruising you're going to get), you'll decide that standing isn't such a bad way to go while running in the crud.
I sit 90% of the time, but have no problem folding the seat down in the Lund, raising it all the way, and then using it as a butt rest while standing. It works pretty slick, if you don't have to be on the wheel all the time.
TB |
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