Kill cords

[Whitelighter]

The tragedy in padstow and subsequent discussion has lead me to think about boats I have owned/used.

All of the outboard powered boats (cap camarat and a couple of RIBs) have had kill cords fitted. The inboard boats have been a different story however.

The only inboard boat I have had with a kill cord was a 30ft Bayliner (US legislation perhaps) but I have had boats 24ft through to 35ft plus been/skippered on plenty of boats in that range and none if them have had kill cords fitted.

So what size should a kill cord be mandatory? Or perhaps more appropriately, at what size boat does not having one cause little or no concern?

 

[Alchemy2665]

I may be wrong but I believe it's more about the engine as the kill cord system won't shut down a Diesel engine.....I know the kill cord is redundant on my 240hp yanmar.

 

[st599]

A kill cord normally shorts the spark plug HT to ground, so won't stop a diesel.

 

[sailorman]

I may be wrong but I believe it's more about the engine as the kill cord system won't shut down a Diesel engine.....I know the kill cord is redundant on my 240hp yanmar.

It will if there is a fuel solenoid

 

[Bandit]

You can certainly get a Kill cord kit for a Volvo Penta D3

 

[Latestarter1]

Kill cords were mandatory in the RB2008 powerboat race, and 99% of recreational diesel engines are set up ATR (Activate To Run). Therefore fitting a kill cord to diesel engined RIB is perfectly straight forward.

 

[Griffin Marine]

I run a twin engine rib for a client with twin d3 shuts the fuel off via the solenoid .
Tim

 

[gravygraham]

So what size should a kill cord be mandatory? Or perhaps more appropriately, at what size boat does not having one cause little or no concern?

Would it be more to do with the design of the cockpit area and/or helm rather than the boat length, or perhaps the coaming or guardrail or side screen height. I'd suggest there's a much reduced risk of getting flung overboard if the sides of the boat were at or above eye level. Just an ignorant bystander's view.

The accident statistics need reviewing by some wise eyes. Preferably looking at the stats from EU and USA as well. Not just speed boat accidents, but all mob's.

 

[aquapower]

Kill cords were mandatory in the RB2008 powerboat race, and 99% of recreational diesel engines are set up ATR (Activate To Run). Therefore fitting a kill cord to diesel engined RIB is perfectly straight forward.

I re powered a boat with Cummins qsb's that we used in RB2008 and was then asked to fit kill cords, this was a 5 minute job to connect into the stop circuits.

 

[NoviceRod]

I had a kill cord on my Merry Fisher 705, which was an inboard shaft diesel with wheelhouse. There was no way one could fall out of the boat from the helm, so I always felt it to be somewhat redundant.

 

[taz]

I had a kill cord on my Merry Fisher 705, which was an inboard shaft diesel with wheelhouse. There was no way one could fall out of the boat from the helm, so I always felt it to be somewhat redundant.

But you could be ejected from your seat and suffer head injuries.

 

[Jonmendez]

In many cases it's what throttle / gear arrangement is fitted. Nearly all outboards come with the throttle kit in one box so the helm ends up with a kill cord - even when it's a wheelhouse boat and pretty hard to fallout off. Most diesels end up in craft that its hard to fall from - hence no kill cord but they are an easy retro fit and should in my opinion be on any open boat that can achieve any form of planning speed -actually make that all open boats.

 

[rosssavage]

Often thought about it my boat. Occasionally go coastal single crewed, and I have no kill cord (princess 385). Easy to fit linked to the stop solenoid circuits, so I should do it!!

Just the idea of doing something daft and watching the boat merrily cruise off across the North Sea without me is a tad scary...

 

[WestWittering]

Just the idea of doing something daft and watching the boat merrily cruise off across the North Sea without me is a tad scary...

It's not when it goes , it's when it comes back!

Di

 

[taz]

Just the idea of doing something daft and watching the boat merrily cruise off across the North Sea without me is a tad scary...

Buy a saily thing, you can always swim after it

 

[Gk 66]

I may be wrong but I believe it's more about the engine as the kill cord system won't shut down a Diesel engine.....I know the kill cord is redundant on my 240hp yanmar.[/QUO

Pusser's RIB engines have a stop chord attached to a solenoid that activates a damper over the air inlet. Very effective.

 

[epervier]

It's a very important question, I often go out single handed, once clear of the berth/mooring go outside to sort out fenders and warps, it has crossed my mind "whatif"? The only resolution I've arrived at is to knock both donks into neutral while I'm doing these tasks.

 

[Tender_aft]

Occasionally go coastal single crewed, and I have no kill cord (princess 385).

Are these wireless kill cords/lanyards any good...or one like it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzXBeq0D-SU

When single handed it would be good to moor (at least get one rope on), use the engine to hold you against the pontoon, and then once tied up fully, immediately kill the engines. This seems to do that and protect you if you fall in.

Does anyone know of any other products that do this?