Cool product

[Seaplane Pilot]

Has anyone tried one of these out?

http://www.autotether.com/?gclid=CP2bqsCXhpUCFQOuFQodDwijqQ

[Winnipesaukee]

Ehh.. For $300 I can just buy some common sense instead...:rolleye1:

-You never leave the helm when you're operating a vessel. Period.
-You always wear the kill switch lanyard above headway speed.

And the batteries only last 100 hours? What if they run out and you fall OB?

It seems unnecessary. Kind of like life jackets under the seats in airplanes...:rolleye2:

[kchace]

Has anyone tried one of these out?

http://www.autotether.com/?gclid=CP2bqsCXhpUCFQOuFQodDwijqQ

They're a lot more popular with the salt water fishing folks. Especially those who travel far from shore and may meet with questionable conditions.

I've read notes from a few folks who have tried them and like them.

Ken

[Kamper]

I would think they'd be good on a larger boat where a single-hander may need to be more than 6 feet from the helm sometimes. If you use rechargabel batteries and swap them out each trip, that hundred hour limit should not be a problem. New batteries every trip would also not be an issue for for most of the big boat owners.

[Lakesrider]

Yeah and like an idiot I didn't patent my idea years ago. I had actually made this exact same thing using a baby monitor that I got from Rite Aid. They use these to warn mothers if their kids venture more than a certain number of feet away. I hooked the buzzer to a grounding relay on the boat ignition circut. Wa-La same deal for $20.00 Of course this would only work for one person. But then I had a center console Grady White and usually it was just me out fishing in the Ocean. I also figured other uses for it like farmers on tractors, and Aircraft refueling trucks. I worked in aviation for several years at an airport. If the guys walked away while the fuel truck was hooked up and the engine was running it would shut the truck off. etc, etc.......Stupid me.:rolleye2:

[GUD 2 GO!]

Great product with multiple uses other than just on the boat. Almost bought one this winter at a local boat show. However they have yet to make the thing compatible on MercCruiser kill switches. So no go on all the Alpha’s and Bravo’s.

[Lakegeezer]

How many Winni boaters tie the kill switch line to anything but itself? Its not something I've ever done and don't think I'm alone.

[GUD 2 GO!]

I was interested in the product because the kill switch on my boat is located in such a position that the line gets hung up on the throttle or even on the seat corner. It’s also so low that sometimes it would just kill the engine just because the loop on the line would rotate and push the switch down.

You can have additional fobs for passengers. This is nice to give the driver extra warning when they fall off the boat during operation or even at anchor. Also great for young kids if they stray too far from the boat on the docks or fall off when the parents might be distracted.

My wife liked that a passenger fob could have a panic button to kill the engine should the driver pass out and get hung up on the wheel such that they are unable to get to the throttle in time. I am a big guy so it would be easier for her to just hit the button.

This product certainly doesn’t make good old fashion boating safety practices obsolete but it does give one other options to enhance their safety on the water.

[JaneT13]

I bought the autotether (http://www.autotether.com) to use when my kids are on board. And thankfully we have never had to use it but it is easy enough to install and since it is wireless there are no annoying cords. I would definitely recommend it.

[Hottrucks]

here's something I learned the hard way......

there should ALWAYS be a spare teather on board when you have more than one person in the boat.....what happens is if the driver Needs to go over board to do something..Ie save a life...what happens is that on windy days he/she can Not get cought back up to the boat by swimming and no matter how acomplished the other person is at driving a boat if they cann't start it they can't come around to fetch you out..........

Trust me this is first hand................now you have two people in the water and a boat that is drifting away........