Thoughts on extending the kill cord?

[Adios]

I'm 100% sold on always using a kill cord for the obvious reasons as seen on Youtube. I can also see why ideally its not smart to lengthen it as if you need to be further away than the cord length you're not close enough to the motor to be in full control. However, I want to use a tiller extension to move my weight forward. Seems to me the main reason for a kill word is falling out of the boat so even quite a long one is going to stop the engine. OK its possible to fall forward, hit your head, pass out, boat carries on out off control, rams a boat full of nuns. But thats much more unlikely and as a compromise it doesn't seem wildly irresponsible to have a longer one for that use. What am I missing? Bound to be something

I found these while looking for a metal core lanyard Kill Cord Attachment - SeaSafe Systems Ltd - Kill Cord Attachment looks better than the knee method which takes up most of the length of the cord to go around. For non-harness lifejackets that don't already have a ring anyway

 

[dankilb]

No harm in extending it, as far as I can see. The product linked above seems a nice idea - but (as with most things boaty) seems a lot to pay for some webbing and a plastic D-ring!

Have you looked at surf leashes? Plenty strong enough, coiled, and could go around the ankle or calf (if having the cuff on the arm was a bit much!). A cheap one would be less than the attachment loop.

The only downside I could see is that a longer cord could be more likely to be chopped by the prop, but we're talking about a lot of bad luck to align for that to happen! If it makes it more 'wearable' (and easier to use 100% of the time) I'd say it outweighs the risk, myself.

 

[Adios]

If it makes it more 'wearable' (and easier to use 100% of the time) I'd say it outweighs the risk, myself.

Thats what I was thinking. How many times is it unhooked to get something just out of reach? And how many times before it is forgotten to be hooked back on. Of course in theory we would all stop the engine every time. But bad luck does have a habit of aligning so I thought i'd ask the question to see what my thinking has missed. @OneArmedJim will be along soon to share his experience

 

[dankilb]

Thats what I was thinking. How many times is it unhooked to get something just out of reach? And how many times before it is forgotten to be hooked back on. Of course in theory we would all stop the engine every time. But bad luck does have a habit of aligning so I thought i'd ask the question to see what my thinking has missed. @OneArmedJim will be along soon to share his experience

Indeed! Arguably if a longer cord did come taught between the wearer and the prop, it would probably release from the shut-off switch anyway. Perhaps some real world testing would be in order - and would at least provide comedy value, if nothing else?!

When we're out in the safety boats with our club we normally clip the cords onto buoyancy aids anyway (just be doubling the cord around a convenient strap) as it keeps the hands free for waving helplessly at the kids while they crash into something!

 

[Roberto]

I made a very simple one with a length of thin 3strand 3-4mm, a floater on one side, + a whistle; I do not hook it I keep the spliced eye around the wrist.
Also, I attached a second horseshoe shaped safety pin to the engine: should the driver fall in the water it would allow the others to restart the engine and come to rescue Just a loop of rope, to take it away and not leave it near engine while it is left alone.

 

[Adios]

Also, I attached a second horseshoe shaped safety pin to the engine: should the driver fall in the water it would allow the others to restart the engine and come to rescue Just a loop of rope, to take it away and not leave it near engine while it is left alone.

Excellent idea. And yes these stop switches are useful against casual theft or kids taking the boat

 

[prv]

I think a too-long one in a RIB or something would have the risk of it getting tangled round something and then not pulling the stop switch when the coxswain went over the side. But the chances of this seem low in a tiller-steered dinghy where you just want to scooch forward a bit.

Pete

 

[Adios]

I think a too-long one in a RIB or something would have the risk of it getting tangled round something and then not pulling the stop switch when the coxswain went over the side. But the chances of this seem low in a tiller-steered dinghy where you just want to scooch forward a bit.

Pete

thats true, hadn't though of it getting wrapped around something in the boat which would take the forces before snapping as I went over. But yes pretty unlikely in a dinghy, maybe in a rib with centre console as you say. I'm only thinking of having 2 coiled ones combined, both proper metal cored ones.

 

[TernVI]

I grew up using small outboards without kill cords.
A kill cord is essential in a fast boat which can throw you out, less so in a slow tender.
I suppose the line is blurred these days, with medium outboards and planing tenders.

It might be better to avoid over-thinking the subtleties of a kill cord that's a foot longer and think about not losing control of the outboard or falling out of your tender while the engine is running.
Just consider wearing a kill cord good training for when you get in a powerboat.

 

[Adios]

I grew up using small outboards without kill cords.
A kill cord is essential in a fast boat which can throw you out, less so in a slow tender.
I suppose the line is blurred these days, with medium outboards and planing tenders.

It might be better to avoid over-thinking the subtleties of a kill cord that's a foot longer and think about not losing control of the outboard or falling out of your tender while the engine is running.
Just consider wearing a kill cord good training for when you get in a powerboat.

Same here until a few years ago had one on a 5HP on a strictly displacement 15ft GRP open boat that wasn't going to throw anyone anywhere and I didn't use it. But a planing inflatable even with a small outboard is definitely kill cord required. I'll just keep it as short as possible

 

[dunedin]

I have about a metre of light rope tied to the dinghy kill cord, and that gets tied to the life jacket when I remember to use the cord (pretty much only when solo in dinghy).
Need to move weight forward when solo, and can’t do that with standard cord.

 

[prv]

A kill cord is essential in a fast boat which can throw you out, less so in a slow tender.

Indeed. My tender outboard doesn't have a kill-cord and I feel no need to add one.

As a passenger I've been thrown out of a fast inflatable crossing a wave awkwardly, and there's no question that I'd use the kill-cord as coxswain.

Pete

 

[Adios]

As a passenger I've been thrown out of a fast inflatable crossing a wave awkwardly,

Pete

Its only thanks to youtube that I can see how quickly things can go wrong in fast boats. One of those things that looks easy to do but requires lots of experience to do safely. And the number of videos of boats carrying on smashing into things due to no kill cord is impressive

 

[rogerthebodger]

There was an incident a year or two ago in Padstow I think where the coxswain was thrown out of a RIB and it then run him over and killed him.

Some brave guy had to get on the boat while it was racing around to kill the engine

 

[Adios]

There was an incident a year or two ago in Padstow I think where the coxswain was thrown out of a RIB and it then run him over and killed him.

Some brave guy had to get on the boat while it was racing around to kill the engine

I was reading about one in scotland, man and 2 daughters, forgot life jackets but went anyway, instead of thinking to take it easy due to that went 50mph with no kill cord, had a sudden loss of steering fluid, boat suddenly turned which threw them out and 2 died. I seem to remember 20 years ago a fast boat went 25mph now everyone seems to be going 50. I've always been happy with displacement speed

 

[ash12]

I used to connect two together.

 

[Adios]

One of the craziest no kill cord videos. Frankly how come they aren't wearing a seat harness at these speeds?

 

[Adios]

I used to connect two together.

Thats what i went with, ordered a second one. The surf leash was a good idea but I felt it was too long

 

[ash12]

I used to do it on a 3.4metre Avon with jockey seat. There wasn’t really anything for it get caught around so didn’t worry about it

 

[Caer Urfa]

No not a good idea at all, the idea of the kill cord is if you go over the side you will pull the cord and stop the engine as you are falling NOT when you are already in the water.

Not to mention you are totally responsible for others in the boat