Tiller Safety/Firsthand experience

As a guy that nearly lives in the boat; I received a not so gentle reminder I am NOT “Superman” the otherday. As my buddy and I headed across the lake in a 17 foot tiller we hit a SMALL stick that scared the **** out of us. This seemingly small piece of wood threw our boat from 30mph to a tight spin NEARLY launching both of us out into the cold water. I was tossed out of my seat and my buddy running the tiller was thrown to the corner of the boat. Thankfully as we were in a full speed spin cycle he was able to throttle down and keep us from a sure disaster.

We DID NOT have a kill switch attached which frankly I have to admit I rarely do. This is PRIME example of how accidents happen. As many of us will be running in coldwater please let this serve as a reminder to take the extra precaution this season. As a pretty accomplished swimmer I promise you I wouldn’t have been able to “SWIM” to shore in that ice water.

Both of us are a little sore yet have learned a valuable lesson only nursing some bumps and bruises. I will have my kill switch cord attached this year on my big boat I assure you……..Scouts Honor.

Take it for what it’s worth as we all captain our own ship.

it’s hard to be careful enuf. Glad you dodged this one.

Chris,

Great reminder, it can happen so fast and easy. We think it will never happen to me but it can and does every year to people. You need to always follow safety precautions so we can make it back home to our loved ones.

Thanks for sharing this scary story Chris! I run a tiller boat and have thought about it a few times being it has saved my life/snowmobile in the winter having a kill cord hooked to my jacket.

This is a no brainer for me now with this post. I think mine may be put on today even…. I consider myself to be a great swimmer as well but who wants to risk it? May be fun to try sometime tho and really see how cold the water is…

Hope you feel better soon Chris and as always stay safe on the water!

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As a pretty accomplished swimmer I promise you I wouldn’t have been able to “SWIM” to shore in that ice water.

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I’m glad you posted this Chris. I WAS an accomplished swimmer, 30 years ago. lol!

Many folks have drown with the surviving family saying “he was such a good swimmer too”.

I replaced my kill switch tether last year because I actually wore it out. Not bragging, not saying it would/will save me if disaster happens…but it’s one more “out” if crap hits the fan.

Though I assure you our pride also took a bruise my hopes are this experience might serve as a reminder that sometimes “Accidents” are remain a part of something we accept in our pursuit of fish. Safety precautions might seem silly 99.9% of the time, but when that .0001 knocks at your door be ready. A simple clip of the kill switch to your lifejacket may indeed save your life.

We frankly were very lucky. Please consider our experience the next time you jump in the boat. You can truly think you know the area like the back of your hand, but sunken logs and such can send your day…….In a “SPIN” LITERALLY!!

I shutter thinking about what would have happened if either one of us would have not stayed in the boat while we were in the death spin.

THAT QUICK FELLAS!! THAT QUICK. 30 MPH….Taking it all in and BANG…..

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As a pretty accomplished swimmer I promise you I wouldn’t have been able to “SWIM” to shore in that ice water.

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I’m glad you posted this Chris. I WAS an accomplished swimmer, 30 years ago. lol!

Many folks have drown with the surviving family saying “he was such a good swimmer too”.

I replaced my kill switch tether last year because I actually wore it out. Not bragging, not saying it would/will save me if disaster happens…but it’s one more “out” if crap hits the fan.

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My first thought BK was all you river boys! Frankly floating wood is not that common here on the lake. I was amazed how literally a 6 foot small diameter STICK launched us. We both thought we hammered a big boulder.

Glad your both Ok. Does anybody know on say 80’s model tiller if they have a kill switch? Or is their a modification a personn can do? With Tuck lookin for his own boat we have been setting some ground rules. 1 is PDF or else, but after that story I need to think about the kill switch for sure also.

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Glad your both Ok. Does anybody know on say 80’s model tiller if they have a kill switch? Or is their a modification a personn can do? With Tuck lookin for his own boat we have been setting some ground rules. 1 is PDF or else, but after that story I need to think about the kill switch for sure also.

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Thats a good question Andy. Frankly for so many years as a kid I ran tillers. I shaved down lots of steel. I NEVER had a kill switch attachement. Never even would have thought about it at that time. Lifejackets can save your life and in this case so can the a Tether to your kill switch. Though a kill switch doesn’t eliminate your concerns when hitting something it certainly lessens the chance of a Prop/Flesh encounter.

Last year we had a terrible accident here on the lake where in hindsight a Tether would have been invaluable. A very knowledgeable local angler lost his life in this case. Not trying to scare….Simply reminding us all that to spend the time to follow your own safety precautions.

Someday you might be happy you did.

Great Advice Chris,

For all us Olympic Swimmers, I was really humbled a few years ago trying to get back on a Sunfish sailboat a few summers ago after dumping it on Mille Lacs. Nothing more than a glorified surfboard and I had a life jacket on. Getting into a boat is a heck of a lot harder.

No way in God’s green earth are you going to make it to shore this time of year. Kill switch and wearing a life vest makes a lot of sense, especially this time of year.

Also, after watching a huge ball of roots come out of the depths next to my boat on Ol’ Man River, I’ve gained a healthy respect for moving water as well.

Be safe.

Pete

Glad you guys are all right. It think that kill cord is almost more important to wear than a life jacket. It very easy to slip on a wrist to. The only time i regret wearing mine was Saturday night trying to load my boat at Vidas by myself with 30 boat behind me trying to load up. Boat kept rolling back off the trailer and then in the middle of this I forget the kill cord is still on my wrist and it gets pulled. Think the only thing saving me from getting yelled at was the drunk on the other ramp trying to back his trailer into the dock.

Glad all turned out all right for you.

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Glad your both Ok. Does anybody know on say 80’s model tiller if they have a kill switch? Or is their a modification a personn can do? With Tuck lookin for his own boat we have been setting some ground rules. 1 is PDF or else, but after that story I need to think about the kill switch for sure also.

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I had a 1981 Lund with a 1978 Evinrude on the back and I added a kill switch to it. All the kill switch is is a normally open switch with a c-clip and lanyard holding the switch closed. You just insert it between the power and the switch or the switch and the starter solenoid. Check an electrical schematic from a late model with a kill switch to be certain where it is inserted. Drill a hole for the switch, hook it up, install c-clip and lanyard, attach lanyard to self and off you go.

Getting older we change some. I just got 2 self inflating life jackets and fixed my kill switch yesterday that was unhooked all last year. Yup makes ya think doesn’t it?

Chris,
Just curious, but do you think there was any chance that 6′ long stick was still attached to a submerged tree before you guys hit it?

I always wear my tether, you never know when you’re gonna run into dry ground…

OK, I gotta be the guy to ask. Did both of you have your life jackets on?

Glad you are OK.

I might actually start using my kill switch tether after reading this…

“We don’t need no stinking life jackets!”

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Chris,
Just curious, but do you think there was any chance that 6′ long stick was still attached to a submerged tree before you guys hit it?

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Crazy enough just a stick. I know…I know…. Still that stick positioned in front of your lower unit can do crazy things. We were in 15 feet of water. YOu could see where we made contact in the middle of that darn stick!!

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OK, I gotta be the guy to ask. Did both of you have your life jackets on?

Glad you are OK.

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NOPE.

If you fish enough-especially river boys- you WILL hit something. There are logs and boards that get soaked enough to hang just under the surface. I plowed a submerged board a couple years ago from an old dock or rotten transom or something that it lodged (stuck) to my motor. Threw the boat sideways a couple feet and the board plowed water back up into the boat and everywhere. Could have been much worse. Same thing can happen with ice and trees. I wear the switch every time on plane now.

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Getting older we change some. I just got 2 self inflating life jackets and fixed my kill switch yesterday that was unhooked all last year. Yup makes ya think doesn’t it?

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Must admit I hate the cumbersome life jacket. The self inflating jacket has me intrigued.

The self inflaters are great. You forget they are even on. Mine is a cabelas. For some reason it seems to look small on me. Figure if it ever goes off it will look like my head got stuck in a donut.

The ones BK is pimping look pretty nice.

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The self inflaters are great. You forget they are even on. Mine is a cabelas. For some reason it seems to look small on me. Figure if it ever goes off it will look like my head got stuck in a donut.

The ones BK is pimping look pretty nice.

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I like it.

Just outta curiosity……….if you would have had a life jacket on do you think the foam would have saved your ribs from getting knocked around?

Just teasing, I’m guessing it was one of those “lesson learned” events we all go through.

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Just outta curiosity……….if you would have had a life jacket on do you think the foam would have saved your ribs from getting knocked around?

Just teasing, I’m guessing it was one of those “lesson learned” events we all go through.

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I deserve that bud!! Probably helped my rips, but not the whiplash or leg. Either way a nice safety first reminder.

Glad you guys are ok. Unfortunately for most of us it takes a near miss, or more, for us to realize bad things can happen to anybody at any time. I’m just as guilty for having not worn my PFD or tether. Now that I have kids I always wear the PFD when the boat is under power. I need to be better about the tether though. I always use it on my snowmobile though. I just got used to it when I raced. It’s real easy to get hurt in a boat when you hit something too, let alone tossed out. Just try swimming with a broken bone or when knocked out. At least with a PFD you’ll float.

Chris, try out an inflatable PDF. Like others have said they are pretty comfortable, even in hot weather.

Andy, most outboards have a tether either on the tiller handle, Evinrude/Johnson, or on the front of the motor, Mercury/Mariner.

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Glad you guys are ok. Unfortunately for most of us it takes a near miss, or more, for us to realize bad things can happen to anybody at any time. I’m just as guilty for having not worn my PFD or tether. Now that I have kids I always wear the PFD when the boat is under power. I need to be better about the tether though. I always use it on my snowmobile though. I just got used to it when I raced. It’s real easy to get hurt in a boat when you hit something too, let alone tossed out. Just try swimming with a broken bone or when knocked out. At least with a PFD you’ll float.

Chris, try out an inflatable PDF. Like others have said they are pretty comfortable, even in hot weather.

Andy, most outboards have a tether either on the tiller handle, Evinrude/Johnson, or on the front of the motor, Mercury/Mariner.

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A comfortable PFD or inflatable PFD is on the “TO GET” list sitting beside me right now!!

FWIW –

I hate wearing a normal lifejacket – so I decided a few yrs ago to get a jacket that I don’t hate wearing. I bought a Mustang bomber style float coat. Very comfortable and warm – and I wear it religiously when the water is cold. I need to get an inflatable for warmer conditions…..

T

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FWIW –

I hate wearing a normal lifejacket – so I decided a few yrs ago to get a jacket that I don’t hate wearing. I bought a Mustang bomber style float coat. Very comfortable and warm – and I wear it religiously when the water is cold. I need to get an inflatable for warmer conditions…..

T

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Thanks Timmy