Tow Bee Boating Safety Tip: Using an Engine Cut Off Switch

An engine cut-off switch does just that – it turns off the engine automatically. It is often called a Kill Switch because it kills the power to the motor.

An engine cut-off switch is important if the boat operator or a passenger unexpectedly falls overboard when the boat is moving. This can happen when hitting a wave, the wake from another boat, taking a sharp turn, running into a submerged object, or from steering failure. The danger comes in worrying about running over the person in the water with the moving propellers which power the engine underwater and can cause injury or death in seconds. An unmanned powerboat that is still running will end up turning in a circle, often known as the Circle of Death, until it runs out of gas or hits something. And an operator that has been thrown overboard and is attempting to swim to reboard the boat could easily be hit as the boat continues to maneuver in an arc.

The engine cut-off switch is now a requirement for all recreational boats measuring 26 feet or less as of 2018. A copy of this law can be found here.
Engine cut-off switches can be as simple as the lanyard that comes standard with most boats and fits onto the wrist of the operator. Other models allow for wireless options that can be worn by the operator and the passengers of the boat and are activated when the fob-like device that they wear is no longer inside of the boat.

Cody from Waypoint TV talks about the importance of having and using an engine cut-off switch in this video.