towing with outboard motor...WARNING

[quahauq]

pulling string of logs or towing large boats with outboard in skiff/small towboat? Outboard had wrist clip I didn't have attached to my wrist. Imagine my 8yr old son in the bow watching the boat going in circles at high speed winding me up in the tow rope after losing my grip on the OB tiller and being thrown overboard! Wouldn't take long before the prop got me!

[rudykruger]

Is this a question, statement or an actual event?

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by quahauq

pulling string of logs or towing large boats with outboard in skiff/small towboat? Outboard had wrist clip I didn't have attached to my wrist. Imagine my 8yr old son in the bow watching the boat going in circles at high speed winding me up in the tow rope after losing my grip on the OB tiller and being thrown overboard! Wouldn't take long before the prop got me!

Doesnt your outboard go back to idle when you release the throttle,
Thats a dangerous move on your part if it dont,

[valhalla360]

One sunday morning, we woke up to the sound a of a cigarette boat. Normally, wouldn't think much of it but it went on and on. The marina was in the corner of the bay, so normally, you would only hear something like this for a few seconds.

Finally walked to the end of the dock and there it was circling. After a call to the CG, they came in and blocked off the area for about an hour until the boat ran out of gas.

They figured the guy was out for an early morning ride and while crossing his wake got bounced out. He didn't have the kill lanyard on and with no one at the wheel, it turned to port and kept circling. Eventually ran himself over.

Was there a question or were we just sharing stories?

[BugzyCan]

That lanyard idea, while it works, is not very convenient. It seems to me a better solution would be a wireless remote attached to your life vest, that would kill the motor as soon as it got wet, or if you pushed a button.

And look, here is one. https://buy.fellmarine.com/

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

That lanyard idea, while it works, is not very convenient. It seems to me a better solution would be a wireless remote attached to your life vest, that would kill the motor as soon as it got wet, or if you pushed a button.

So what happens first time you take a wave over the bow of the dingy?

[BugzyCan]

I guess you shouldn't be out in a dingy in such weather.

Originally Posted by valhalla360

So what happens first time you take a wave over the bow of the dingy?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Doesnt your outboard go back to idle when you release the throttle,
Thats a dangerous move on your part if it dont,

I've owned at least a dozen outboards over the years, ranging from 2 to 15 hp and not a one had a spring return throttle. Not a bad idea, but just not there so far.

Jim

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

I guess you shouldn't be out in a dingy in such weather.

So you shouldn't take your dingy out on a calm day if there is any chance of boat wakes...or rain?

[thomm225]

Maybe he just got himself into a weird situation.

Also a little more experience might help. Outboards didn't even have shut down lanyards back in the day.

And as for as the throttle going back to idle after release, I don't remember seeing that. Once I set my throtttle it's set and the boat will go 20 miles or more like that. I also set the autopilot

The main engine on my boat is an outboard. It's a 2011 Mercury 5hp 4 stroke. I lost the lanyard maybe 7 years ago and have a piece of leech line holding the shutoff out........

I do have to remember to check it (retighten) every once in a while though when the engine refuses to start for no good reason!

I do have one quick story though somewhat similar. I was out on my new used boat just before I went into the military. It was about 45 degrees and water temp lower. It was flat calm. I have the boat just under plan (16' scow 40 Johnson with tiller)

So I went and stood on the bow..........until the boat appeared to start to turn at which time I looked back just before the motor slammed as for over as possible passed 90 degrees! At the same time, I jumped for the center of the boat

I made it and the boat spun otherwise I may have been drowned or run over with the boat. Water temp was 40 max and I was a couple miles off shore alone with lots of cotton clothes on and no PFD

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by quahauq

pulling string of logs or towing large boats

Which is it?

Originally Posted by quahauq

with outboard in skiff/small towboat?

Is this a question or a statement of events?

Originally Posted by quahauq

Outboard had wrist clip I didn't have attached to my wrist. Imagine my 8yr old son in the bow watching the boat going in circles at high speed winding me up in the tow rope after losing my grip on the OB tiller and being thrown overboard! Wouldn't take long before the prop got me!

Did this event happen, or you are you just panicking at the prospect of the possibility of such an event. And what does this situation have to do with towing anything. The same situation can occur without towing anything.

[tkeithlu]

Lanyards are a pain in the butt when docking; as soon as you head for your mooring lines you kill the engine because you forgot to take it off your wrist. They also can wrap themselves around the helm if you steer with both hands.

BUT... they kill the engine with certainty, do it when you need it most, and are very simple and reliable. You do need to test them from time to time to make sure that the spring on the switch hasn't gummed up. The magnet reed relays used on treadmills would be an attractive design for this - no spring to get gummed up.

I'm not enamoured of making this a wireless function. The electronic complexity means more opportunities for a failure, which could be that your engine simply failing to run just as well as failing to stop.

[Dennis.G]

Not sure what this has to do with towing. Yes, falling out of a dingy with outboard motor and no kill lanyard is dangerous. Watched it recently at anchor. Dinghy wildly circling again and again. Can be deadly.

Patrol boat came by with a good solution: They towed a floating line in the way of the dinghy. Rope fouled the prop and killed engine. No trying to jump on board the running dinghy required.

[cal40john]

How likely is this? It seems like even with a bridle with the engine hard over you're not going to ever get enough slack to go in high speed circles. You're just going to tow in circles or wrap around your tow.

[psneeld]

In some states NOT wearing the lanyard is a violation....an we see why.


I agree they are a PIA, but most safety features are.