Kill cord on the river.

[snapper]

My small sports cruiser can do about 40 knots, and when i used to keep it on the Tidal Thames and before that the Solent, I would always use the Kill Cord.

Now I only use the boat on the non-tidal with family, I never even think about using it while ticking over at 4 knots or so.

In light of recent tragic events, I am wondering if i should be using it every time I go out on the river. What are peoples thoughts on this?

Snapper

 

[sailorman]

My small sports cruiser can do about 40 knots, and when i used to keep it on the Tidal Thames and before that the Solent, I would always use the Kill Cord.

Now I only use the boat on the non-tidal with family, I never even think about using it while ticking over at 4 knots or so.

In light of recent tragic events, I am wondering if i should be using it every time I go out on the river. What are peoples thoughts on this?

Snapper

Your call as skipper

 

[Richard Shead]

My small sports cruiser can do about 40 knots, and when i used to keep it on the Tidal Thames and before that the Solent, I would always use the Kill Cord.

Now I only use the boat on the non-tidal with family, I never even think about using it while ticking over at 4 knots or so.

In light of recent tragic events, I am wondering if i should be using it every time I go out on the river. What are peoples thoughts on this?

Snapper

It will do no harm but can be a pain if jumping around trying to tie up in locks etc.

 

[Captain Coochie]

How are you supposed to go for a wee if you have the kill cord attached ?
Ahhhhhhh sports cruiser , i guess you just go over the side

 

[No Regrets]

How likely are you to fall past the helm seat, rear seating, bathing platform and out of the back?

Er, No.

As long as the helm is being manned, and you don't go wandering (unlikely, as your sportcruiser won't go in a straight line without second-by-second input...) you're fine!

 

[Richard Shead]

How likely are you to fall past the helm seat, rear seating, bathing platform and out of the back?

Er, No.

As long as the helm is being manned, and you don't go wandering (unlikely, as your sportcruiser won't go in a straight line without second-by-second input...) you're fine!

What happens if you slipped and pushed the throttle forward and unable to get to it ? It happens trust me ... More often than not in a small sports boat.

And you are talking to a man that got a very close hair cut off the back of a merc 25 at full chat before it climbed a wall and landed on me upside down leaving me to swim out underneath ...

 

[rosssavage]

I do on my rib every time. Even upper Thames 4kt times.

 

[No Regrets]

Yep, I do on the tender with 2.5hp!

A sportcruiser though!? Not sure what Richard was up to at the time though...LOL

 

[Richard Shead]

Yep, I do on the tender with 2.5hp!

A sportcruiser though!? Not sure what Richard was up to at the time though...LOL

Trying to start it, which it did but it just so happened to be in gear and full throttle...and yes it had a fault..

When I say sports cruiser I am talking 21ft jobs not 30 ft Bayliners etc

As I said it can do no harm.

When it comes to small outboard if the throttle is twist grip you can of course make sure the tension is zero so it will always go back to idle.

To add I was by the ambulance which was by out stand at Southampton Boat Show a few years back when the RIB ran over the 21 year old, pretty it was not.

Same thing, no kill cord.

 

[rosssavage]

Was out on the rib last summer with a friend on his rib. He was bow in to the bank, engine idling in fwd gear to hold the boat while he tried to tie the painter around a tree root. Inevitably in he went, boat now empty and slowly turning to port, trapping him twixt bank and boat, with the spinning prop moving inexorably towards his kicking legs. Luckily I was there, and managed to come alongside and yank on the kill cord (which of course he wasn't wearing). Different issue, yes, but it happens...

 

[mikhalis]

I'd wear one these days especially in a smaller boat even at lower speeds. I always used to think it was a bit of a faff but still wore it on a 15' GRP fishing / day boat with tiller steer 25hp on back. I very often used to stand at the stern and steer with my foot on the tiller and leaning on the gantry that supports the flag and light. One day whilst doing this at low revs I went to go into a light turn, slipped a little, managed to kick the tiller right over and in the process cranked the twist grip throttle with my foot too. It tried to do a 180 at full tilt with the port gunwale in the water and I'd have been in too if hadn't grabbed the gantry. Although it was a one off bit of a shock at the time, with a boat that I'd had for some years without incident, I never thought again about the whys and ifs of wearing the kill cord. If I had gone over the side, the fact that I was wearing it would have hopefully saved me. In the past if I'd forgotten it I would wrap a bit of wire onto the button to hold it out and run the engine. Wouldn't do that nowadays though after that near mishap.

 

[stuartbaggs]

If you have one, please wear it.

I am appalled by the rowing coaches that I see not wearing them. British Rowing need to get their act together and sort this out because it won't be long before someone gets killed.

 

[sailorman]

If you have one, please wear it.

I am appalled by the rowing coaches that I see not wearing them. British Rowing need to get their act together and sort this out because it won't be long before someone gets killed.

Coaches have an ignition key to the fuel stop solenoid

 

[stuartbaggs]

Coaches have an ignition key to the fuel stop solenoid

Yes, and?

If they fall overboard for any reason will the boat stop?

 

[sturmvogel190a]

See plenty of kids blatting around in daddys tender on the river without a kill cord to get em off the mothyer ship ,no lifejackets and bearing in mind the increased number of people swimming sections of the Thames and how they can be difficult to see in sunny conditions this sceanario could get very messy

 

[byron]

When my boys were young teenagers I carried a small rib with a 15hp Yamaha as a Tender. They would tear around in this especially at Ramsgate where they could get out of harbour. Religiously they would attach the Kill Cord because they knew if caught using it without the cord then they would get a ban.

 

[alruss]

Tim, I would suggest Sophie and the kids know what it is for and leave it hanging when you are all on board, if single handed it makes sense to use it. I don't have one on my boat or on my tender, any ideas on what I should do?

 

[stuartbaggs]

Tim, I would suggest Sophie and the kids know what it is for and leave it hanging when you are all on board, if single handed it makes sense to use it. I don't have one on my boat or on my tender, any ideas on what I should do?

Are you seriously suggesting that they should leave the kill cord hanging when more than 1 is on board? I hope not...

 

[CJL]

Powerboat and rib magazine are suggesting that using a kill cord and having basic training should become compulsory!

http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/compuls...atory-kill-cords-what-do-you-think-55022.html

 

[teddington_lock]

When my boys were young teenagers I carried a small rib with a 15hp Yamaha as a Tender. They would tear around in this especially at Ramsgate where they could get out of harbour. Religiously they would attach the Kill Cord because they knew if caught using it without the cord then they would get a ban.

Exactly the same , my dad used to insist i wore one when i was out in our dinghy , whether blatting about up the pit at PHM or pottering at Windsor.

Lifejacket and killcord all the time. Ban if not worn.