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SAFETY & SAFE PRACTICES
SERVICE
Neglected
inspection
and maintenance
service of
your outboard
or attempting
to perform
mainte-
nance or repair on your outboard
if you are not fa-
miliar with the correct
service
and safety proce-
dures
could
cause
personal
injury, death
or
product failure.
Using a replacement
part that is inferior to the
original part could result in personal
injury, death
or product failure.
Using Lanyard
Stop Switch
THE PURPOSE OF THE LANYARD STOP SWITCH
IS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE IGNITION WHEN-
EVER THE OPERATOR (WHEN AI"FACHED TOTHE
LANYARD)
MOVES FAR ENOUGH
AWAY FROM
THE OPERATOR'S
POSITION TO ACTIVATE THE
SWITCH.
The lanyard is a cord usually between 4 and 5feet
in length when stretched out with an element on
one end made to be inserted into the switch and
a clip on the other end for attaching to the opera-
tor. It is coiled to make its at-rest condition as
short as possible so as to minimize the likelihood
of the lanyard entanglement with nearby objects.
It is made as long as it is in itsstretched condition
to minimize the likelihood of accidental activation
should the operator choose to move around in an
area close to the normal operator's position,iffor
any reason ,it is desired to have a shorter func-
tional lanyard, this may be accomplished by using
up length in the way the lanyard and clip are at-
tached to the operator (such as wrapping the lan-
yard around the operator's wrist or leg) orby tying
a simple knot in the lanyard.
The following
advantages
and disadvantages
of a lanyard
stop switch should be considered
before
electing
to use, or not to use such a
switch.
ADVANTAGES:
THE PURPOSE
OF A LANYARD
STOP SWITCH IS TO STOP THE ENGINE IGNI-
TION WHENEVER
THE OPERATOR
(WHEN
ATTACHED
TO THE LANYARD)
MOVES FAR
ENOUGH
AWAY
FROM
THE
OPERATOR'S
POSITION TO ACTIVATE THE SWITCH. THIS
WOULD OCCUR IF THE OPERATOR FALLS OR
MOVES WITHIN THE BOAT A SUFFICIENT DIS-
TANCE FROM THE OPERATOR'S
POSITION.
THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT IS MOST LIKELY IN
CERTAIN TYPES OF BOATS SUCH AS LOW
SIDED BASS BOATS, HIGH PERFORMANCE
BOATS AND
LIGHT, SENSITIVE-HANDLING
FISHING BOATS OPERATED BY HAND TIL-
LER.
IT IS ALSO LIKELY AS A RESULT OF
POOR OPERATING PRACTICES SUCH AS SIT-
"riNG ON THE BACK OF THE SEAT AT PLAN-
ING
SPEEDS,
STANDING
AT
PLANING
SPEEDS, OPERATING
AT HIGH SPEEDS IN
SHALLOW
OR
OBSTACLE-INFESTED
WA-
TERS, RELEASING YOUR GRIP ON A STEER-
ING WHEEL THAT IS PULLING IN ONE DIREC-
TION, DRINKING AND DRIVING OR DARING,
HIGH-SPEED BOAT MANEUVERS.
DISADVANTAGES:
INADVERTENT
ACTIVATION
OF THE SWITCH IS A POSSIBILITY.
THIS
COULD CAUSE ANY OR ALL OF THE FOL-
LOWING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS
SITUA-
TIONS:
.
LOSS OF BALANCE AND FALLING FOR-
WARD
OF
UNSTABLE
BOAT
PAS-
SENGERS - A PARTICULAR CONCERN
IN BOW RIDER TYPE BOATS.
2.
LOSS OF POWER AND DIRECTIONAL
CONTROL
IN HEAVY SEAS, STRONG
CURRENT OR HIGH WINDS.
3.
LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN DOCKING.
In addition, there are limitations
to what the lan-
yard stop switch can do. The boat can continue
to coast for a considerable distance depending on
the velocity at shutdown and the degree of any
turn.
However, the boat will not complete a full
circle while the boat is coasting. It can cause inju-
ry to anyone in the boat's path as seriously as the
boat would when under power.
As we cannot possibly know of and advise the
boating public of all conceivable boat/motor types
and/or poor operating practices, the final decision
of whether to use a lanyard stop switch rests with
you, the owner/driver.
We strongly recommend that other occupants be
instructed on proper starting and operating proce-
dures should they be required to operate the out-
board and boat in an emergency.
-3-
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