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24 ■ Chapter 3 Ignition Safety (Engine Shut-Off) Switches Most powerboats and PWCs come equipped by the manufacturer with an emergency ignition safety switch. This safety device can shut off the engine if the operator falls off the PWC or out of the powerboat, or is otherwise thrown from the proper operating position. ◆ A lanyard connects the safety switch to the operator's wrist or PFD. When the lanyard is pulled from the switch, the engine shuts off. ◆ If a PWC has an ignition safety switch, most states require the operator to attach the lanyard. (Most states do not require powerboat operators to attach the lanyard. See Chapter 4 for more on these requirements.) However, even if attaching the lanyard is not required by law, many lives could be saved by doing so. If your powerboat or PWC does not have an ignition safety switch, you should have one installed. ◆ Your PWC may have a self-circling feature. If the operator is thrown from the PWC, the engine idles while the PWC slowly circles so that the operator can reboard. Be sure the idle speed is set correctly. Use of Ignition Safety Switches Helps Prevent Propeller Strikes Each year, many boating accidents involve an operator and/or passengers who fall overboard for a variety of reasons. Wearing an ignition safety switch lanyard not only ensures that your boat or PWC stays close if you fall overboard, but it also prevents you from being run over by your own boat. When the operator isn't wearing a lanyard, the unmanned boat tends to run in hard, fast circles, often resulting in a severe injury or death from a propeller strike. Wearing the lanyard reduces the risk of a propeller injury and makes it easier to reboard the boat. Avoiding Propeller Strike Injuries If you've ever seen a propeller strike accident, you want to do everything in your power to prevent another one. They can be the most gruesome of boating accidents. Anyone in the water around a boat—a swimmer, scuba diver, fallen water-skier, or someone who's fallen overboard—is a potential victim. Many propeller accidents are caused by operator inexperience, incompetence, negligence, and intoxication. However, most accidents can be prevented if operators follow a few simple safety practices. ◆ Turn off the engine when passengers are boarding or disembarking. Propellers should not be spinning when a passenger is in a vulnerable situation. ◆ Prevent passengers from being thrown overboard accidentally. • Never start a boat with the engine in gear. • Never ride on a seat back, gunwale, transom, or bow. • Make sure all passengers are seated properly before getting underway. Some operators cause injuries by putting the engine in gear while people are still swimming or diving from the boat. • Assign a responsible adult to watch any children in the boat and sound the alarm if a child falls overboard. ◆ Maintain a proper lookout for people in the water. The primary cause of propeller strike accidents is operator inattention or carelessness. • Slow down when approaching congested areas and anchorages. In congested areas, always be alert for swimmers and divers. • Learn to recognize warning buoys that mark swimming and other hazardous areas. • Keep the boat away from marked swimming and diving areas. Become familiar with the red flag with a white diagonal stripe and the blue-and-white "Alfa" flag—both signal that divers are down. lanyard Short cord used for fastening something or securing rigging; on a PWC and most powerboats, it attaches the ignition safety switch to the opera- tor's wrist or life jacket Devices That Reduce Propeller Strikes Several new technologies are available to reduce propeller strikes. The devices fall into the following categories. • Guards: Devices that provide some type of physical barrier around the propeller. These include deflection devices, full cages, ring guards, ringed props, and "Kort Knozzles." • Propulsion: Devices other than a propeller such as jet drives and pump jets. • Interlocks: Devices that automatically turn off the engine or sound an alarm. For example, a ladder interlock stops the engine or triggers an alarm when passengers use the ladder to enter or leave the water. • Sensors: Wireless sensors or other devices worn by boaters that shut off the boat's engine or trigger an alarm if the wearer falls overboard. For more information about these devices, read the article "Propeller Injury Intervention" on the U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety website: www.uscgboating.org REMEMBER … A PFD does more than keep you afloat to prevent you from drowning. It also can help a boater spot you more easily. Copyright © 2014 Boat Ed, www.boat-ed.com

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