Better Boater—Kill Switch

Because I believe in honesty, I’m going to share something here that makes me a little uncomfortable. There was a time in my life, and it wasn’t that long ago, when I never even gave the kill switch a second glance as I jumped onboard. I’ve heard the crazy survival stories of people treading water for several hours because they had a run-away boat, but I never considered the possibility of that ever happening to me.

So last year at our annual Shootout Boat Test, I was caught off guard when a voice behind me asked if I was going to attach the lanyard for the kill switch. Mike Krautkremer, an engine rep for Yamaha, was standing on the dock and, yes, he was talking to me.

I wasn’t planning on going far. I wouldn’t even be going fast. The water was calm. I was boating in a large group setting so I would assume someone could save me quickly.

Justifying questionable decisions is a skill I developed in my 20s. But Krautkremer looked really unimpressed when I told him all the reasons I hadn’t slipped it on.

He then told me his own story of how a kill switch saved his life when he was knocked overboard unexpectedly. Since he wasn’t on a pontoon or a deck boat at the time, I barely consider what he had been doing boating. But at the very least, I can now say I know someone who was saved by the kill switch and that is the number one reason I’m fanatical about attaching mine these days. The second reason is I recently saw a movie where the widowed father dressed his daughters in track suits and gave them bowl haircuts. I know my husband pretty well and he would probably consider this appropriate for our two girls, so me living is a must.

The Facts

The Coast Guard says the kill switch lanyard is second on the list of essential safety gear (after PFDs), as it addresses 77 percent of all probable accidents. As of now, six states (Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey and Nevada) have lanyard laws. If you are thrown overboard, a moving prop can amputate or injure your body more quickly than the person sitting next to you could even get to the helm. A kill switch being activated is the only thing that can stop the pontoon quickly enough to prevent disaster.

Outboard manufacturers include a kill switch as a voluntary conformance with NMMA recommended practices. This is a wonderful example of how our industry can regulate itself, instead of having the federal government involved. Of course, having the safety cut out switch installed is no guarantee of it being used by the operator. Just like cars: when manufacturers were first mandated to include seat belts, drivers weren’t required to use them.

It’s Not Too Late

By now, I’ve probably depressed you which is never the goal of PDB magazine. Let’s move on to the positive part of this story. The good news is your boat most likely has a kill switch. The kill switch was invented in 1974 and by this point, most (if not all) manufacturers build boats that come with one standard. If you own an older boat, you can add this same protection easily and quickly with one of the many available aftermarket products.

Becky’s Story

I had the opportunity to visit with Becky Haynes from Port O’Conner, Texas. She is passionate about this topic because she knows firsthand how important it is.

“I was raised on the water in Port O'Connor and taught to run a boat safely at an early age,” says Haynes. “Kill switches were not part of the standard equipment then and like many others I never developed the habit of wearing it.”

Haynes was involved in a boating accident in 2010. She was not drinking, driving fast, on rough or shallow water. In fact it was a completely calm day when her boat swapped ends and she was ejected. 

“Every reason anybody could come up with that might have caused the accident was ruled out,” says Haynes.

It took a few seconds for the person sitting next to her to reach over and kill the engine.  But by that time, the prop had passed over her leg from just below her knee all the way to her heel, fortunately missing the bone. Her father was on his boat nearby and immediately came over to investigate. His quick thinking saved her life as the prop had cut a blood vessel. 

These days, Haynes leads a normal life running her marine upholstery business and  still enjoys being on the water with a scar and the memory of a year full of four surgeries and many doctor visits to remind her of what she’s been through. 

“I am very blessed, I have both of my legs attached and can walk, run and dance without  any noticeable change in their function but there is quite a noticeable change in the  appearance of one of my calves,” says Haynes. “There is really no reason for not wearing your kill switch and I can give you a lot of good reasons why you should.” 

Knowing her story could have been much worse, she educates other boaters every opportunity she gets about the importance of a kill switch.

“I'm blessed; since I had my accident I have had hundreds and hundreds of people share their boating accident stories with me and my experience seems to have had one of the better outcomes in terms of prop-related injuries,” say Haynes.

Next time you jump onboard, make sure you attach your lanyard right away, for the safety of you and your passengers.