Do you use tha kill cord on your outboard?

[Salty John]

Is it possible to retro fit kill cords? My Yamaha 4 has a stop button, but no kill cord, and I would prefer to have one. My old 3.3 Hp had one and we were always in the habit of clipping it to our wrist etc when operating it.

Yes, if you google kill switch you'll find two items - a replacement lanyard with a variety of attachment clips for different makes of outboard, and a complete kill switch arrangement for motors that were never fitted with them. The latter are about £20 or so.

 

[Salty John]

Having a kill switch/cord fitted isn't enough, of course. I posted this video on the Motor Boat forum; the owner of this dinghy was riding chariot-style across the harbour in Georgetown, Bahamas, and lost his footing - he wasn't attached to his kill switch:

http://www.luvmetender.co.uk/tender-talk.htm

 

[tim_ber]

I always use it.

 

[SimbaDog]

Sat on boat yesterday evening in Fowey & watched a complete t*at in a small inflatable (older male with 2 kids & a women), he thought it was amusing to go across the river at full chat & keep violently serving from side to side to dip the tubes under a get them all wet, no lifejackets obviously.

 

[Boathook]

Main boat no (does any large yacht hace a kill cord?) and the malta is not equipped with one I suspect that I could wire one in but it is another electrical connection to fail and I have anough problems with out adding any more .....

 

[Thistle]

I admit to occasionally forgetting the cord but I generally use it - hooked onto a belt loop.

I wonder if the belt loop is strong enough for a safety-critical role? I'm sure most of us have seen them come adrift at some stage. Wouldn't putting it round the belt itself be safer?

 

[snowleopard]

I wonder if the belt loop is strong enough for a safety-critical role? I'm sure most of us have seen them come adrift at some stage. Wouldn't putting it round the belt itself be safer?

Some insist on tying it round a leg for example. The pull required to detach the clip from the button on the motor is only of the order of 200 grams or 2 Newtons, far less than the breaking strain of a belt loop on a pair of jeans.

 

[Lakesailor]

Boathook has a very good point. Whilst everyone is castigating the non-use of killcords on outboard installations, how many inboard engine installations use one?
Or boats with outdrives? Or boats with sail drives?
If you fall off your yacht or fishing boat or cruiser, will it stop?