Having spoken to the person involved it became very clear that he had acted with the very best intentions to rescue a child, and in the haste to effect a rescue accidentally forgot to attach the kill cord.
So what is a kill cord?
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| Kill Cord with inserts for different outboard makes. |
Basically a key that is attached by a lanyard to the boat handler's wrist. If the chap falls overboard the key pulls out and the engine cuts out. The boat stops and they get back into the boat. A simple bit of kit, easily fitted.
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| Kill Cord fitted to throttle |
So what might happen if you don't have one? Well people fall over board and the boat engine continues to run.....
Scenario 1: the boat circles making an increasing circle until it runs out of fuel. The end result in an open sea - a long lonely wait until you are picked up or drown.
Scenario 2: the boat circles making a decreasing circle until it hits you. The end result is people going through the engine's propeller.
A Kill Cord costs £6.00
Further Advice.
