New coast guard law about lanyards

[Snowking]

Someone posted this on a Great Lakes Facebook site. I have been using a cordless lanyard for a number of years now. I sometimes troll solo. So I want the kicker to shut off when I fall in. I think the best right now. Might be fell Marine’s cordless lanyard. Or Mercury’s smartcraft Nema 2000 wireless system for the main motor.

https://coastguardnews.com/coast-gua...ZUFV1yGUVEVfDU

https://www.1stmate.net/content/firs...s/en/home.html
Main motor setup.

[Dave in Walker]

I never worried about this, but it is a very good practice, I wear a inflatable now, and this year I will hook up the dead man switch, the circle of death could get you or me. So is this a law everywhere, or just on coast guard waters?

[Pokey Fisherman]

I know a guy that tied a rope to himself and the boat so they can pull themselves back in. He fell out one time but was able to grap a down rigger cable.



What about a electric trolling motor? It says any motor with 115 pounds of thrust or more.

[kzoofisher]

Article says only when on plane or operating above displacement speed and not needed in no wake zones or while docking. Unless your 115# tm is on a dinghy you’re probably ok. Also fine at trolling speeds if you’re running a kicker or big motor.

Still a great idea to always use the kill switch of course.

[muskyed]

Have always worn my kill switch, except for my first couple years of boating when I was young and stupid. Also insist that my son wear it when he operates my boat. I was actually surprised at how easily he accepted doing this. Maybe always seeing me do it helped. While I am firmly against to much government over reach, I think this is a great law.

[Eyecatcher23]

Originally Posted by Dave in Walker

I never worried about this, but it is a very good practice, I wear a inflatable now, and this year I will hook up the dead man switch, the circle of death could get you or me. So is this a law everywhere, or just on coast guard waters?

Just federal.

[Pokey Fisherman]

Originally Posted by kzoofisher

Article says only when on plane or operating above displacement speed and not needed in no wake zones or while docking. Unless your 115# tm is on a dinghy you’re probably ok. Also fine at trolling speeds if you’re running a kicker or big motor.

There are two different regulations I'm reading in the article. The Section 503 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018 says nothing about a exclusion about trolling or no wake but the Section 8316 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 says trolling or no wake is excluded. That is what I was questioning it.

[Eyecatcher23]

Originally Posted by Pokey Fisherman

There are two different regulations I'm reading in the article. The Section 503 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018 says nothing about a exclusion about trolling or no wake but the Section 8316 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 says trolling or no wake is excluded. That is what I was questioning it.

The 2018 act, required all boats to have the switch. This (the requirement to use the switch under certain conditions) was slipped in to legislation in 2021.

[Fin Bender]

Originally Posted by Pokey Fisherman

There are two different regulations I'm reading in the article. The Section 503 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018 says nothing about a exclusion about trolling or no wake but the Section 8316 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 says trolling or no wake is excluded. That is what I was questioning it.

If someone could post the actual law that congress passed it'd be great. It's always interesting to see what the interpretation of the law is vs the actual law.

For instance everything i've read says that lanyard devices are NOT required on boats build before Jan. 2020. However, the Coat Guard press release Q&A section says if the boat has one installed it must be used, this that true per law? Those two different statements just seem odd.


https://uscgboating.org/recreational...Switch-FAQ.php

[Huntindave]

Originally Posted by Fin Bender

If someone could post the actual law that congress passed it'd be great. It's always interesting to see what the interpretation of the law is vs the actual law.

Here is the bill AS PASSED by congress HR.6395

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...6hr6395enr.pdf

PS; Apparently safety switches on recreational boats under 26 foot is a matter of national defense (see the title of the bill)
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘William M. (Mac) Thornberry
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021’’.

In case you do not wish to read the entire 1480 pages of this bill;