What is the purpose of the engine cut-off switch?

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Photo Credit: National Safe Boating Council

Emergency engine/propulsion cut-off devices, sometimes referred to as an engine cut-off switch or kill switch, are a time-proven safety device used to stop the boats engines should the driver unexpectedly fall overboard.

Boaters frequently ask these questions about how an emergency engine/propulsion cut-off switch works.

1. If the water is calm and the boater is driving safely, do they need to wear the engine cutoff switch?

Yes, no matter the weather or the operator’s experience an engine cut-off switch should always be worn.

2. Wearing the engine cut-off switch lanyard feels uncomfortable on my wrist. Is there any way to make it more comfortable?

Lanyards can also be securely attached to clothing or life jackets as well as the wrist.

3. Is it true that engine cut-off switches are required to be worn during some professional fishing tournaments?

Yes, wearing an engine cut-off switch is required. Watch this video showing two members of the University of Florida Bass Fishing Team being thrown from their boat during a tournament due to a steering part failure.

4. Is the engine cutoff switch lanyard my only option?

There are engine cut-off switch models that work just as well using wireless technology rather than a lanyard. Wireless engine cut-off switch models may feature:

• False activation safeguards
• Monitor multiple individuals at once, such as operator and all passengers on board
• Easy portability and installation
• Compatibility for inboard, sterndrive and outboard engines
• Loud overboard alarm
• Radio Direction Finder (RDF), wired GPS and chart plotter compatibility

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A new law took effect this month requiring boaters to use an engine cut-off switch on all personal watercraft (PWCs) and most powerboats less than 26 feet in length. The law aims to reduce the problem of runaway boats and propeller strikes, which account for about 4 percent of all boating accidents and injuries in the United States each year.

Also called a “safety lanyard” or “engine kill switch,” an engine cut-off switch is designed to stop a boat’s engine if the operator is thrown from the helm. The system typically consists of a switch mounted to the boat’s console (or the engine itself in the case of tiller-style outboards) and a clip that must be inserted into it for the engine to run. The clip is attached to the operator’s life jacket, clothing or wrist with a flexible lanyard, ensuring that when the driver leaves the helm for any reason the clip pulls out and immediately stops the engine. Wireless versions are also available, doing away with the physical tether and allowing the operator a little more flexibility to roam.

Engine cut-off switches save lives

Boats can make sudden turns with enough lateral force to throw an operator from the helm area or completely out of the boat. When this happens, torque from the spinning prop will cause the boat to go into a tight turn, becoming a hazard to the ejected operator, as well as anyone and anything else in the vicinity.

Dozens of Americans are injured or killed every year in accidents that an engine cut-off switch could have prevented, including 172 propeller strike accidents in 2019 alone. Those accidents resulted in 35 deaths and 155 injuries. Many more people were injured in other runaway boat accidents such as boats striking people in the water and boat-on-boat collisions.

“Every year Americans are injured and killed in boating accidents that could easily be prevented by the use of a simple engine cut-off switch,” said Verne Gifford, Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division. “This new rule is intended to make the use of these life-saving devices second-nature for boaters, just as seat belt laws have for motorists.”

It’s the law everywhere in the U.S.

The new use requirement took effect on April 1, 2021 and applies to all U.S. waterways, with fines of $100, $250 and $500 for the first, second, and third offenses, respectively. State and local authorities may choose to enforce the law differently, but using an engine cut-off switch is now the law for qualified vessels everywhere in the United States.

It applies to all PWCs and most small powerboats

The law applies to all personal watercraft and recreational boats under 26 feet with motors capable of 115 pounds of static thrust (a little under 3 horsepower). Boats not currently equipped with an engine cut-off switch are exempt, but that grandfather clause is closing fast. Another recent federal law required manufacturers to install engine cut-off switches on all new boats starting in January 2020.

The law applies only to recreational vessels, so law enforcement and other government-owned vessels are exempt. The law also does not apply to vessels whose main helms are inside an enclosed cabin.

It applies at planing speeds

The law doesn’t require you to have the lanyard attached when the vessel is idling or performing docking maneuvers. The rule takes effect when the boat reaches planing speed, which means you’ll need to have your cut-off switch and lanyard attached before you push the throttle forward. Best practice is to use the switch at all speeds.

It allows electronic cut-off switches

One of the major barriers to the use of lanyard-style engine cut-off switches is that they limit an operator’s mobility. The switch must be removed every time the captain moves more than a step away from the wheel, and then must be replaced before restarting the engine. In activities like fishing where an active captain might stop and start dozens of times in a day, there’s a strong temptation to put the clip in the switch and leave the lanyard dangling from the console.

Electronic cut-off switches solve this problem using the same transponder technology found in keyless automobile ignitions. These devices use an electronic fob that is carried by the operator and senses when it is too far from the helm or is submerged in water, activating the switch and stopping the engine.

Electronic cut-off switches can be used with multiple fobs, so that if anyone leaves the boat—operator or passenger—the motor will stop. The switch can then be reset and the engine restarted to recover the man overboard, if needed. Among the more popular electronic engine cut-off devices are ACR OLAS Guardian and FELL Marine Man OverBoard.

A seatbelt law for boaters

Paul Petani likens electronic engine cut-off switches to the new generation of life jackets that replaced the orange horse collar life jackets of yesteryear. “Now that life jackets are better and more comfortable, people are using them more,” says Petani, a vice president at FELL Marine.

The parallels between seatbelts and engine cut-off switches are also clear. Both are simple devices that save lives, but only when they’re used. And the history of seatbelt laws suggest the new mandate could make a big difference in the use of engine cut-off switches.

Seatbelt laws became the norm in U.S. states a generation ago, helping push seatbelt use rates from 16 percent in 1983 to nearly 90 percent today, and contributing to a 66 percent reduction in traffic deaths per mile travelled.

Engine cut-off switches—with a little help from the law—could have a similar effect on the water. And that will save lives.

The U.S. Coast Guard is asking all boat owners and operators to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage, and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers. Essential steps include: wearing a life jacket at all times and requiring passengers to do the same; never boating under the influence (BUI); successfully completing a boating safety course; and getting a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) annually from local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Power Squadrons®, or your state boating agency’s Vessel Examiners. The U.S. Coast Guard reminds all boaters to “Boat Responsibly!” For more tips on boating safety, visit www.uscgboating.org.

When it comes to boats big or small, there are lots of buttons and switches you need to understand how to operate.  Each has a purpose and sometimes, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what everything does.

No matter what type of boat you own or rent, these components will vary based on the brand and the type of boat.  Most controls will be on or near the helm and are typically labeled with their function.  There’s one constant that you will find on nearly any recreational vessel, however.

Have you ever been on a boat and wondered what the red lanyard near the ignition is for?  That item has a few different names which include emergency cut-off switch, safety lanyard, engine cut-off switch, and kill switch, just to name a few.

This is one of the top safety features on any boat and oftentimes doubles as the ignition on a personal watercraft.  In short, I'm going to call it the kill switch in this article and rundown all the reasons you should be aware of the importance of this component if you plan to operate watercraft of any type.  

What is the Kill Switch?

The kill switch, or engine cut-off switch, is in place to stop the engine during emergencies.  Its sole purpose is to keep the motor from running which stops the propeller from turning.  

The kill switch is located in the vicinity of the ignition in most recreational boats and typically has an engine cutoff link attached to it.  When the switch is in the on position, the boat will start and run.  If it’s in the off position, the engine will not run or start at all.  

The engine cutoff link is typically a red coiled lanyard that’s attached to the kill switch intended to flip the switch off in emergency situations.  This happens only if the driver of the boat or PWC wears the lanyard as they’re supposed to.

As of April 1, 2021, a new federal law was imposed that requires the operator of a motorized recreational vessel with three or more horsepower that is less than 26 feet to attach the kill switch lanyard to their person while underway.  As the driver, you are supposed to attach the lanyard by clipping it to your lifejacket or clothing.

Why Should You Wear the Lanyard?

As I mentioned, the lanyard that’s attached to the switch will flip the switch if it’s pulled hard enough.  The reason for this is, that if the driver is wearing the lanyard while underway and is thrown from the helm, the lanyard will pull the switch, turning it off and killing the engine.

According to the USCG website, a typical three-blade propeller running at 3,200 rpm can inflict 160 impacts in one second.  That’s why, being able to kill the engine in this type of emergency can save lives and at the very least, can save your boat from extensive damage.

If the lanyard is not worn and the driver is thrown from the wheel, the boat would still be underway without a driver.  This type of situation could lead to the boat going rogue, hitting nearby boats, or worse.  

As I mentioned above, it can double as the ignition for PWCs.  What I mean by that is, if you’re driving a WaveRunner or jet ski, most of the time the key will be attached to a lanyard.  The driver is intended to attach the lanyard to their person, this way if they’re thrown off of the WaveRunner, the key will come out of the ignition and kill the engine.

I’ve been in this situation many times as we had WaveRunners growing up on the lake.  Falling off is quite common especially if you are on a choppy body of water.  The key acting as a kill switch will save you a long swim once you fall off because the engine will shut down immediately slowing the PWC to a stop.  

This can also keep you and nearby boaters safe as the PWC will not be cruising across the water without a driver.  The safety lanyard on any recreational watercraft is intended to be worn and depending on the size of your boat, it is the law.  

So when is it ok to take the lanyard off of your person?  If the boat is idling or you’re docking the boat, you’re not required by law to have the safety lanyard attached.  If the boat is underway fast enough to be on plane and beyond, you must have the safety lanyard attached.  

To be safe, if you’re on a vessel that has a kill switch, I recommend attaching it once you’re in the captain’s chair before you pull away from the dock.  This way it’s on before you accelerate and get the boat on plane.

Things to Consider

Manufacturers were required by law to include a kill switch on any motorized boat that is under 26 feet and puts out three or more horsepower starting on Jan 1, 2020.  That said, not all recreational boats that meet those requirements and were built before that date have the switch included.

If your boat falls into that category and was built before January 2020, you are not required to add the kill switch to the boat.  If your boat was built on or after that date and doesn’t have one, the owner of the boat is required to install and maintain the switch themselves.

From my many years on the water, I have been on all different types of watercraft.  Even the boats and PWCs I have been on that were built before 2020 always had a kill switch with a lanyard included.  It’s more typical than not that boat builders were adding this feature to the boats long before it was required by law.  

There are only two exemptions when it comes to having a kill switch on board a recreational vessel.  If your main helm is in an enclosed cabin, the law doesn’t require a kill switch.  The other exemption is for those recreational boats over 26 feet that are not required to have one.

That said, my current boat is just over 26 feet and it has one installed from the manufacturer.  As I mentioned, most will have this feature on board no matter what.  That being said, you should be aware that although the main purpose of this switch is for safety, it can make or break your day on the water.

I mentioned before that if the switch is in the off position, the boat will not start or run.  Because of that, there’s a good chance you could think there is something wrong with your boat.  There’s a large percentage of service calls that dealers get each boat season because someone’s switch got bumped into the off position.

I always recommend checking the switch first thing if your engine is not turning over.  Having the switch flipped off even slightly will kill the motor and keep it from starting.  Keep this in mind if you’re underway and have the lanyard attached to your person.

If you move too far from the helm or say your captain’s chair swivels and the lanyard is pulled hard, the switch is likely to be turned off.  Always check the kill switch first if your boat seems to be having issues like turning off abruptly or not starting.

Safety First

Safety should always be a priority when it comes to boating on any body of water and on any type of vessel.  The kill switch on a boat is in place to keep the boat from running without a captain in the driver’s seat.  From personal experience, this is a really big deal.

A handful of years ago, a neighbor was boating through the channel when their throttle glitched and the boat took off full speed leaving the captain unable to reach the kill switch.  The boat ran up on shore because the driver wasn’t wearing the safety lanyard and the kill switch was never engaged.

Luckily they lived and no one else was harmed, but had he been wearing the lanyard, the boat would have never jumped the seawall and made it up on land.  This is just one example of how critical a kill switch is.  

Being able to stop the engine in a dangerous situation also stops the propulsion of the propeller.  That’s hugely important if you or your passengers are thrown from the boat or there are swimmers nearby.  

If your boat has a kill switch and safety lanyard, you should consider attaching it before taking off.  Depending on your boat, it could be the law, but no matter what, it’s always common sense.  If you need to stop the boat abruptly and you’re not wearing the lanyard, make yourself familiar with how to access and engage the kill switch itself.   

For a visual on how to properly secure the safety lanyard to yourself and keep the switch in the on position while underway, check out this video by Mercury Marine.