Kill cord / dead man / on the larger boats?

RobWales

RobWales

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Gran Canaria
www.3ksengineering.com
I think we all agree that the need for using a kill cord on the smaller craft is a no brainer.......

But I'm wondering what method is used on the larger craft? (if any)...

Ok I doub't you're going thrown over the side while making an erratic manouvre or if hitting a rogue wave, but what happens if the helsman is taken ill while alone or perhaps his crew are taking a nap etc, are there fail safes available for the larger craft?

I have an enclosed helm quite secure on my 24ft boat but I do have a kill switch fitted as standard.

Just interested to know....

Cheers....
 
No kind of kill cord at all.

I recently took our 20m Princess over to Mallorca on my own.
During daylight hours.
I know this doesn't help with your concern but I wore a lifejacket all the time and had a PLB in my pocket.

As far as enclosed areas are concerned, we have one of the last flybridge designs to have an internal staircase to the flybridge deck.
At sea, we make a point of not using the patio doors and only going to and from the flybridge using the internal stairs.
Quite amazing that modern designs have removed this inherently safe feature.
Indeed on my single handed passage, I transferred to and from the flybridge/main helm several times - each time safely.
 
I have been speaking to insurance companies today getting quotes for my renewal. One asked if I had a kill cord, never considered it before. If you're sat down all the time, it is a no brainer, if you are moving around it would be a pain.
 
Not sure it's a concern, more I'm interested....
All the boats I've owned (largest being a SS Portofino 34 a few yrs back) had a kill cord fitted and I regurlarly went out for trips solo and confess to not using the cord myself on those rare flat calm days!
Hate to imagine where the boat would end up on a passage like yours Hurricane should you have been taken poorly....(of course glad nothing occured)
Depending on tankage perhaps a Libyan beach!......
Perhaps a gradual and automatic throttle reduction after say 20 mins if the skipper has not made any inputs to the controls ?
Patent RW.... ;-)
 
Necessity is the mother of invention
There are bigger fish to fry on road death s - and accidents -- eye sight test for over 80 ,s? -anti sleep tech , distronic cruise control , lane assist + much more.

If there was a need we would have it on big boats .
A single handler could black out or die with the kill cord in .Like someone dying at the wheel of a vehicle ! Happens !
 
Isn't the primary purpose of a kill cord to cut the engine if the pilot gets ejected into the water? Especially when there would appear to be a tendency for the smaller craft to start circling tightly around the ejected person(s). A comparatively very unlikely situation in a large boat. So I'd guess it's a matter of dwindling benefit. Still, it's one of my nightmares to be MOB while watching my boat sail off into the distance so not without some credit.
 
Then there's the issue of you accidentally pulling the cord on your new Volvos/Cats/Cummins/MANs at full chat. That might not be an issue on a petrol outboard, but I'll bet your expensive inboard turbo/super charged marine diesels won't thank you for it.
 
dragoon said:
Then there's the issue of you accidentally pulling the cord on your new Volvos/Cats/Cummins/MANs at full chat. That might not be an issue on a petrol outboard, but I'll bet your expensive inboard turbo/super charged marine diesels won't thank you for it.
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Interestingly, my UK supplied D4-300 powered 30' American sportboat doesn't have a kill cord, yet lower powered, way slower petrol versions of the same boat have one as standard. The diesel kill cord switch is more expensive than the petrol one. Surely that's not the reason it's not fitted ?(apply the usual irony, sarcasm as required etc).

I was surprised that for the D4 I had to turn the "ignition" key anticlockwise to "stop", not just to "off" to stop the engine. Diesel cars I have had, incuding 2 Volvos did not need that. I know there is a stop solenoid/ valve on the engine, but why ? What must be many hundreds of million diesel cars in this world don't seem to need one
 
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GrahamHR said:
Interestingly, my UK supplied D4-300 powered 30' American sportboat doesn't have a kill cord, yet lower powered, way slower petrol versions of the same boat have one as standard. The diesel kill cord switch is more expensive than the petrol one. Surely that's not the reason it's not fitted ?(apply the usual irony, sarcasm as required etc).

I was surprised that for the D4 I had to turn the "ignition" key anticlockwise to "stop", not just to "off" to stop the engine. Diesel cars I have had, incuding 2 Volvos did not need that. I know there is a stop solenoid/ valve on the engine, but why ? What must be many hundreds of million diesel cars in this world don't seem to need one
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I think most modern diesels have a solenoid valve - either normally open or normally closed. My Volvo Penta valves are normally open. My Land Rover valves are normally closed to my knowledge.
 
Nigelpickin said:
From what I've seen I think that most raggies have a kill cord attached when motor sailing
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I've sailed on many sailboats, but only ever seen a kill cord on sailboats with outboards. Maybe smaller boats have them - I've mostly been on 30 feet plus boats and not had them, especially on inboard setups. I forget if our 20 foot boat with a 5hp Johnson had one or not.
 
My uk supplied 30ft American sportscruiser has them & it's running volvo kad 32's . I too have to turn the ignition key fully backwards to shut down the engines, quite old fashioned and annoying!
 
dragoon said:
I've sailed on many sailboats, but only ever seen a kill cord on sailboats with outboards. Maybe smaller boats have them - I've mostly been on 30 feet plus boats and not had them, especially on inboard setups. I forget if our 20 foot boat with a 5hp Johnson had one or not.
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Oh I just assumed that they could never wave back cos their wrists were attached to the boat!
:)
 
Interesting thread
In normal, non emergency, use does everyone use the engine stop button then the key, or only the key?
 
MartynG said:
Engine stop button ? I dont have one.
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Its on Mercury throttle controls. The manual says so you can stop the engine without taking your hand off the controls but why would you need to keep your hand on the throttle when switching off?
 
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