Compulsory licensing and mandatory kill cords? What do you think? - Page 24

frankc · 22 May 2013, 23:33

Been running power boats for about 60 years, so I do not consider myself an amateur. Being paid to run a boat is not the dividing line between amateur and experienced.

Any boat which will plane must be handled with care. The faster and more responsive, the more is demanded from the helmsman. That is true from a 9 foot inflatable to the most ferocious go go boat out there.

Anyone with a little experience would know the value of a kill switch, but folks on this site have gone rather extreme with comments and requests for more demanding regulations, tee shirts, and other things. Someone posted accident statistics somewhere on the site, and the number which could be attributed to kill switches is underwhelming at best. You are in more danger in your bath or from other falls.

I would hate for the survivor of this accident to peruse the chatter, as it would be of no comfort. We do not know exactly what happened except that a terrible accident occurred.

Take away from this the value a working kill switch may have had and remember the lesson. In the meantime, efforts to support the injured with prayers would be a better approach.

I would hate to be seen wearing a tee shirt with a kill switch warning on it by anyone involved in the accident. That would be like rubbing salt in a fresh wound.

chris.moody · 22 May 2013, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankc

.
I would hate to be seen wearing a tee shirt with a kill switch warning on it by anyone involved in the accident. That would be like rubbing salt in a fresh wound.

A very good point made by frankc

Cookee · 23 May 2013, 08:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankc

I would hate to be seen wearing a tee shirt with a kill switch warning on it by anyone involved in the accident. That would be like rubbing salt in a fresh wound.

You say that but a father who lost a son to a kill cord accident has started a petition to make wearing them compulsory by law - and that was several years ago. I think if they can save a life it helps them make sense of their loss.

sinner · 25 May 2013, 02:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookee

You say that but a father who lost a son to a kill cord accident has started a petition to make wearing them compulsory by law - and that was several years ago. I think if they can save a life it helps them make sense of their loss.

There is always some additional way to "save a life"... How far are you willing to go? How about outlawing fast food, cigarettes, alcohol, etc. and while we are at it we can require training, education and licensure to make sure people are adequate parents...

kerny · 25 May 2013, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinner

There is always some additional way to "save a life"... How far are you willing to go? How about outlawing fast food, cigarettes, alcohol, etc. and while we are at it we can require training, education and licensure to make sure people are adequate parents...

Well said

frankc · 25 May 2013, 14:07

People like to blame objects without realizing that the danger comes from human actions. Some feel that if enough laws are passed, they will be protected as if they live in a cocoon. At that point, your freedoms will be restricted just as movements are inside a cocoon.

One of the points which stands out to a boater from the US is all the restrictions and red tape which must be followed in Europe. Due to possible congestion, some of this is understandable, but asking for more regulations on the basis that you can change human nature is pretty far out. If all regulations were followed by people, we could eliminate auto accidents some believe. Human nature has to be factored in to realize that regulation will not yield the desired conclusions. It does provide a means for governments to increase monetary income however.

This terrible accident has brought out people who would restrict the actions of others in an effort to prevent such a thing to happen again. All the laws which may be passed will not prevent another accident.

Just look at the poor soldier who was murdered recently. The perps who did the act ignored both government and God's laws.

The best outcome from this accident would be for people to realize the importance of the kill switches. Hopefully the uproar over the accident will serve to remind people of that. It has caused me to reconsider whether I should wear my kill cord under more circumstances than I have in the past and to explain its use to others who are in my boat. I am in the process of teaching a grandson to operate a power boat at this time, so it is very timely for me.

Cookee · 28 May 2013, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinner

How far are you willing to go?

I never said I thought it was a good idea, just that it was a way of a father trying to make sense of his loss.

frankc · 28 May 2013, 12:24

People try to blame objects as they want something to blame in the event of a tragedy. We just had a small child die from a swimming pool accident. Should swimming pools be outlawed? They account for far more tragedies than kill cords.

A mad man murders someone with a gun or a knife and people want to blame the tool rather than the act of the murderer. That is very shallow thinking.

clydeoutboards · 28 May 2013, 14:01

I must admit I have been reading this thread and thinking a few simple things like

1: when did anyone take notice and change behavior based on a T shirt.
2: as problems go this is tragic but compared to the problems we have the amount of deaths is minimal and though I would prefer it to be none surely we should prioritize and try and save the many first?
3: A law is only ever any good if it can be enforced and if they can not enforce the boating bi laws on a small loch what chance have we got with all of the uk waters.

Dave

#

Rob9999 · 30 May 2013, 12:09

You have closed your poll too soon ..... I guess you don't want any more people disagreeing with you.

The RYA has for years consistently opposed licensing/ registration of private leisure craft. So should you.

Nos4r2 · 30 May 2013, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob9999

You have closed your poll too soon ..... I guess you don't want any more people disagreeing with you.

The RYA has for years consistently opposed licensing/ registration of private leisure craft. So should you.

Welcome to Ribnet

Have you actually read the thread?

It usually helps.

It's Powerboat and Rib magazine that were talking of campaigning for mandatory killcords/licencing etc. NOT Ribnet. They are in no way affiliated to us apart from paying us some money to advertise, and the opinion of Hugo Montgomery Swan (the proprietor of PB&R) doesnt' seem to be echoed by our members.

If you read back, you'll find my thoughts on it on several occasions.

Rob9999 · 31 May 2013, 19:05

Calling Nos4R2.

Sorry for conusing you with RIB Hugo Montgomery Swan & RIBNET. I joined the forum entirely to say NO to Mr. Swan's two-pronged proposal.

Yes, I did skim through the thread .... in my opinion anyone who does not use a killcord when driving ...er sorry .. helming ... a power boat/RIB is a bit of an idiot, as is anyone who buys any sort of watercraft without seeking advice and/or takes it out on the water without supervision/instruction in handling the boat and understanding the water.

Being an idiot is not a criminal offence. Making these things compulsory and dragging the law into it ...... NO.

Licencing private watercraft in their home waters? A tiresome, bureaucratic expensive waste of time and money. Give the money to the RNLI - they will put it to good use.

Rob9999 Out

Nos4r2 · 31 May 2013, 19:08

No worries, it's a long thread to read.

I set the poll to a week long as it meant there was time for people who are registered to vote, but not time for any pressure group to try hijacking it.

Rob9999 · 31 May 2013, 19:42

An afterthought.

On second thoughts I have to admit that I frequently don't use the killcord when travelling fast in rough water - one hand is on the wheel, the other juggling the throttle and my feet/legs moving to keep my balance as the boat heels, attitude changing according to position on the wave/ trough; bend and straighten to keep wedged onto my seat etc. A kill cord fastened to any limb gets pulled out ..... with potentially disastrous consequences. I've tried a long cord on my arm/leg .... it inevitably gets tangled, catches on something else and ... kills the engine, bringing the bows down hard at exactly the wrong moment .....

Any ideas for overcoming this killcord problem would be welcome. Please don't say anything about stretchy elastic ....

paddlers · 31 May 2013, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob9999

An afterthought.

On second thoughts I have to admit that I frequently don't use the killcord when travelling fast in rough water - one hand is on the wheel, the other juggling the throttle and my feet/legs moving to keep my balance as the boat heels, attitude changing according to position on the wave/ trough; bend and straighten to keep wedged onto my seat etc. A kill cord fastened to any limb gets pulled out ..... with potentially disastrous consequences. I've tried a long cord on my arm/leg .... it inevitably gets tangled, catches on something else and ... kills the engine, bringing the bows down hard at exactly the wrong moment .....

Any ideas for overcoming this killcord problem would be welcome. Please don't say anything about stretchy elastic ....

What about Lycra, my wife looks great in Lycra..........

ShinyShoe · 31 May 2013, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob9999

Calling Nos4R2.
anyone who does not use a killcord when driving ...er sorry .. helming ... a power boat/RIB is a bit of an idiot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob9999

On second thoughts I have to admit that I frequently don't use the killcord when travelling fast in rough water - one hand is on the wheel, the other juggling the throttle and my feet/legs moving to keep my balance as the boat heels, attitude changing according to position on the wave/ trough; bend and straighten to keep wedged onto my seat etc. A kill cord fastened to any limb gets pulled out ..... with potentially disastrous consequences. I've tried a long cord on my arm/leg .... it inevitably gets tangled, catches on something else and ... kills the engine, bringing the bows down hard at exactly the wrong moment .....

So you are an idiot.

Tip #1 if you cant control the boat safely at the speed you are doing slow down.

Have you considered what happens if you go for a swim in tis circumstance?

Tip #2 Have you tried attaching it to lifejacket rather than a limb

Tip #3 it only needs to disconnect if tugged REALLY hard like 50kg of weight plus. SO have you tried running it through a loop on the console so that there is slack on your side and gentle tugs tug the loop and hard tugs pul the plug

BogMonster · 01 June 2013, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob9999

An afterthought.

On second thoughts I have to admit that I frequently don't use the killcord when travelling fast in rough water - one hand is on the wheel, the other juggling the throttle and my feet/legs moving to keep my balance as the boat heels, attitude changing according to position on the wave/ trough; bend and straighten to keep wedged onto my seat etc. A kill cord fastened to any limb gets pulled out ..... with potentially disastrous consequences. I've tried a long cord on my arm/leg .... it inevitably gets tangled, catches on something else and ... kills the engine, bringing the bows down hard at exactly the wrong moment .....

Any ideas for overcoming this killcord problem would be welcome. Please don't say anything about stretchy elastic ....

It shouldn't do unless either the console end is in the wrong place or it detaches far too easily. My killcord - tied around the knee - goes to the key at the bottom of the throttle, about a foot from my knee regardless of whether I am sitting with my knees against the console or standing braced with a foot under each tube. It only pulls if I leave the console, there's no position I could think of where I would still be even vaguely in control of the boat where it would go tight. I guess by the time the coily bit on mine is fully extended it is the best part of a metre long, and it won't pull off the key until it gets to that point.

Maybe stating the obvious, but travelling fast in rough water is exactly when you want it ... your point about the wisdom of not wearing one was well made

Cookee · 02 June 2013, 09:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob9999

.

Any ideas for overcoming this killcord problem would be welcome. Please don't say anything about stretchy elastic ....

Yamaha make an excellent kill switch and they can be located anywhere joining into the existing wiring which means that you can mount it anywhere on the console so that it doesn't get snagged - sounds like you need to do that before something horrible happens!

Solent Ranger · 13 July 2013, 23:35

Today, coming out of the Hamble I went past 6 ribs, only one had the kill cord on. Most had kids on board - all without life jackets. On returning to the Itchen more ribs coming out - no cord! The sun is out! Complacency rules! I don't know the answer any more! And what do we do about the "pros" from Leopard and the like.

Starovich · 14 July 2013, 17:25

well according to wisdom and votes shown here, more education i guess.

Tho i do remember someones tag line being "you cant educate pork"?

I still stand by my opinion of legislation, as you cant enforce something that is not legislated for.
If you are posting here you know the risks and HAVE been educated. If not, who is going to educate you if you don't know you need education?

Believe me, people take no notice of free advice until its too late.