I’ll be honest — when I first saw the red kill switch lanyard dangling from my outboard, I thought it was more of a nuisance than anything. But one rough day on the river changed my mind.
I was cruising upstream when I hit a submerged log. The boat jolted hard, and I nearly lost my balance. Thankfully, I was clipped in with the kill switch lanyard. The motor instantly shut off, and I stayed in control. If I hadn’t been clipped in, the boat could’ve kept going without me at the tiller — a dangerous situation.
Now I wear that lanyard every single time I run the motor. It’s second nature. I clip it to my life jacket or belt loop as soon as I sit down. It might seem like a hassle, but in a worst-case scenario, it could be the difference between a close call and a serious accident.