Anbother vote for the killcord
- Thread starter fisherman
- Start date
NormanS
Well-known member
Wow! That's horrific.
StefanSG
Active member
The Darwin cord
Boathook
Well-known member
I saw that the other day. Wonder what injuries he or she suffered as the water did seem to go red in places.
thinwater
Well-known member
In the US they are increasingly mandatory up to 26 feet. There are exceptions for sailboats (not required if the boat operates at displacement speed).
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary - Flotilla 15-10, District 5NR
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary - Flotilla 15-10, District 5NR
Snowgoose-1
Well-known member
Just wondering.
Do propeller cages cause much in the way of drag ?
Do propeller cages cause much in the way of drag ?
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
I thought I saw red, too.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
I saw red as well. Lucky to be alive either way. Doesnt know about tuck, over reliant on luck
Rappey
Well-known member
Yes. Even the trim tab/anode causes drag.
I had a 14ft catamaran speed boat and put on a 90hp 2 stroke. Set the engine height as a long shaft and got 30 knts but it didnt feel right as could fell it accelerate over waves but then it felt like i was pulling a sea anchor. Raised the engine 5" to match a short shaft. Straight up to 45 knts.
Im still astounded how 5 " of shaft makes such a huge difference.
KevinV
Well-known member
That's certainly what the girls tell me,
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
Report forwarded via Cargreen YC says emergency response and medical assistance needed. Not good at all
Snowgoose-1
Well-known member
Interesting how yachts and power boats developed with automatic "cruise control" as standard unlike cars and motorcycles . One suspects that trains still have a dead man's handle .
Thoughts are with the family
rgarside
Active member
Was involved in a trial of a prop cage on a RIB. WOT speed without the prop cage was around 30 knots, with the prop cage it was around 20 knots.
westernman
Well-known member
They are often used on tugs where apparently the increased grip on the water is very useful for low speed manoevers.
And of course of turbo fan engines like on your average Ryan Air Boeing 737 Max.
A high bypass turbo fan is basically a turbo prop engine with a multibladed prop surrounded by an enclosure. And the blade pitch cannot be varied on your B737, where as it can be on almost all turbo prop aircraft.
High bypass turbo fan plane engines are all about fuel efficiency.
ylop
Well-known member
I’m always surprised how few yachtsmen (and women) seem to use the kill cord on their tender. In my experience powerboaters are much more likely to use it - although forgetting, bad habits like not using when starting etc. are all quite possible even in the normally diligent (which is why laws are probably pointless).
lustyd
Well-known member
I assume it’s because they assume a 2HP blender would do less damage than a 30HP blender. The more videos like this shared the better as it really makes the point.
KevinV
Well-known member
When I've forgotten the kill cord it's been because I hold the engine with my left hand and pull the cord with my right, then use my right for the throttle. This means you can't have the kill cord round your right wrist when starting the engine - and opens up the chance to forget.
Bigger engines will have electric start, so there's no reason to start the engine without the kill cord. I can still envisage it being taken off for docking/undocking when you need to move around handling lines.
Last edited:
lustyd
Well-known member
If you leave the helm take the kill cord with you no ifs no buts just kill the blender before someone gets killed. If you’re worried your engine won’t restart quickly you should do maintenance instead of boating.
Rappey
Well-known member
Taking the kill cord every time is a bit extreme. No way to untie or tie up while wearing the kill cord but that is also the time the throttle can get leant on accidently or a rope snags it.If you leave the helm take the kill cord with you no ifs no
I see some large centre consol boats dont appear to have kill cords (must be hard wearing 6 though) so at what point does one need or not need one ?
ylop
Well-known member
You'll still lose the fight - even with a honda 2hp and a plastic prop there's no way even at tickover I'd put my body part anywhere near it! I think its partly what you say - even though falling overboard on a tender must be more likely that a bigger boat, but also a large dose of "yachtsman complacency" of I've always done it this way. Possibly mixed with "and i'll invent an excuse why I can't do it any other way".
Put it on your left wrist, or your leg, or your bouyancy aid/lifejacket. I agree some seem to have been positioned as an afterthought by someone who never started an oboard whilst in a dinghy, but I don't think I've seen any that are impossible. If you want to get in a good habbit - keep it on YOU all the time then to start the engine you need to connect that end (this will also mean your engine is the least convenient to nick as everyone else left theirs dangling).
Its almost always possible to find ways to work without leaving the console.
Which is exactly why its not really extreme. There MAY be particular weird scenarios in an unfamiliar harbour with odd winds and currents where you find the best compromise is to leave the helm - but any powerboat instructor will be able to show you ways to manage it perfectly safely in 99% of scenarios.
Multi engine boats have a shared KC between all engines. There will come a point where falling overboard from the helm seat becomes very unlikely.
Other threads that may be of interest
