Just use caution to not overstretch the lanyard. Some boaters prefer attaching it even lower and secure the ECOS lanyard around a thigh or ankle. Life jackets often have a plastic ring to connect a lanyard clip, while pant belt loops are also convenient, and since that location is lower on the body, it may be less prone to snagging. Wrist-worn lanyards that have a quick-adjust hook-and-loop strap are commonly used on personal watercraft and may also work well at the helm of a powerboat. If one doesn’t work for your kind of boating, try another. There are four common locations on the captain’s body to attach an ECOS lanyard.“But there are some things to think about that will help you wear it when you need.” The boating nonprofit offers top tips for wearing your ECOS lanyard: “There are no rules for how or where to attach an ECOS lanyard to your body,” said BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water Assistant Director of Boating Safety Ted Sensenbrenner. What have boaters learned while complying with the new law? The law mandates the use of either a helm or outboard lanyard or wireless engine cutoff switch (ECOS) on certain vessels less than 26 feet when traveling on plane or above displacement speed. Currently, there is no requirement to wear an Engine Cut-Off Switch Link if the helm station on the vessel is within an enclosed cabin.Last summer was the first full season boaters were required to use an engine cutoff switch as a result of a new law that went into effect on April 1, 2021. When docking your boat, the kill-switch lanyard is not required since you may need to move away from the helm in which case the link would be disengaged from the switch, shutting off the engine and preventing safe control of the boat while docking. Foundation published a report regarding their study of various types of kill-switch devices. A professional marine electrician will most likely need to make this installation, especially if you plan to connect it to your GPS or chart plotter. There are also wireless man-overboard alarm systems that can be used in place of a lanyard. The Cole-Hersee lanyard is one that allows the engine to be restarted without the lanyard attached. There are several different makes of kill-switch lanyards. When the lanyard kill-switch style device is separated from the boat’s kill-switch, the engine is shut off and the lanyard must be re-attached in order to start the engine again. The Coast Guard highly recommends using an engine cut-off device on all open-style boats. Boats manufactured after January 1, 2020, are required to have an engine cut-off switch, but boat manufacturers have voluntarily installed ECOS on their boats for decades. Boats under power without an operator tend to start running in circles, creating a hazard not only for other boats, but also for Coast Guard personnel who must get the boat under control. This important safety device prevents the boat from continuing through the water without an operator with the risk of running over people or running into other boats. If the operator is thrown from the helm station, the lanyard pulls away, shutting off the boat’s engine switch. The lanyard is usually a coiled bungee cord lanyard clipped onto the operator’s person, such as clothing or their lifejacket, and the other end attached to the boat’s engine cut-off switch. The lanyard-style kill-switch is the most commonly used device when operating small boats with open helm stations. The Coast Guard is currently planning educational enforcement for this law where applicable. To-date, Washington State has not yet implemented this Federal Law. Seven States have adopted the law, with other States to soon follow. The Engine Cut-Off Switch (ECOS) link must be attached whenever the boat is operating on the plane or greater than displacement speed. This Federal Law takes effect on April 1, 2021, and applies only to boats manufactured after January 1, 2020, with 3 horsepower engines or greater. Operators of vessels less than 26 feet in length, with open-helm stations, must wear a link that shuts off the engine in the event an operator is ejected from the vessel or thrown from the helm station.
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