Lanyard requirements
 

Not looking for this thread to go off topic with debates of the need or use of “lanyards” but simply need clarification of the new law.

As I understand it - the new law ONLY requires the mandatory use of “Lanyards” (engine cut of switch) for powerboats UNDER 26ft.

Is that accurate ?

Effective: August 13, 2024
Requires the operator of any boat less than 26 feet in length, or an outboard engine greater than 3 horsepower, to wear an engine cut-off switch (ECOS) when the traveling greater than headway speed. This only applies to boats and engines that were manufactured with an ECOS. Boats manufactured prior to 2020 that were not equipped with an ECOS or boats equipped with an enclosed cabin as defined below, are exempt from the requirements of this law.
RSA 270:30-d Powerboat Engine Cut-Off Switch

I.(a) “Engine cut-off switch (ECOS)" means a system of lanyards, electronic switches, fobs, or similar devices manufactured specifically for the purpose of disabling propulsion or a vessel engine when the operator is unexpectedly displaced from the vessel's helm.
(b) "Headway speed" means the slowest speed that a boat can be operated and maintain steerage way.
(c) "Enclosed cabin" means a space on board a vessel that is surrounded by bulkheads and covered by a roof.
II. No person shall operate a powerboat less than 26 feet long, or outboard engine with greater than 115 pounds of thrust or 3 horsepower, at greater than headway speed unless the person is wearing an ECOS.
III. Paragraph II shall not apply if:
(a) The main helm of the vessel is installed within an enclosed cabin.
(b) The vessel or outboard engine was manufactured prior to 2020 and was not equipped with an ECOS.

https://www.nhsp.dos.nh.gov/our-serv...rol-laws-rules

Yes with the following exceptions…


(a) The main helm of the vessel is installed within an enclosed cabin.

(b) The vessel or outboard engine was manufactured prior to 2020 and was not equipped with an ECOS.

Dan

Maybe as a motorboater you did not know that stand-up paddle boards also use lanyards. Lanyards on a sup is a 15' coiled line that attaches the board to your ankle and keeps the board close and not blown or swept away after a fall.

Sup lanyards are not legally required but are highly recommended. On Lake Winnipesaukee a whistle is legally required on a sup, as is a pfd.

Motorized sups now exist so could be a lanyard is legally required on it because having a motor as opposed to just a paddle changes the legal requirements.

So- under 26' meaning that if your capacity plate on your boat reads "yacht certified" then you do not need to wear your lanyard at all times. Like most people, if in fact I do see the blue light, it's easy enough to reach down and clip that lanyard to your shorts with nobody noticing if driving a smaller vessel...

Thank you outdoorsman & iShoot !!

What I thought, but wanted to verify.

Don- you can close this thread before it goes sideways.

Although I will find an intrusion, I realize that the lake water is cold early in the season and I am getting older......

We too are getting older, and have just purchased two auto-inflatable vests for use early in the season. Found what looked like a pretty good deal on Onyx A/M 24 vests at $100 each with free shipping through the National Safe Boating Council.

And since we downsized to a 23’ pontoon late last fall, I’ll need to start using the lanyard this year. Hopefully won’t take too many accidental engine kills to get used to it. :liplick:

I have a 1997 boat that did come equipped with the ECOS, in the form of a tiny toggle switch near the bottom of the throttle/gear box. The elastic coil cord to be attached to the operator's person has a loop at the other end, which is placed over the toggle switch and the toggle pushed up for normal operation.

When the new law came into effect, I tried using this as is, but while out for a ride, the engine suddenly stopped. Since the cord was still hanging from the toggle, which was "up" and apparently in place for operation, I tried everything else I could think of to restart the engine. Eventually someone came along and gave me a tow back to my dock. Just by accident, I got the engine restarted. All I did was to remove the elastic cord from the toggle, flip the toggle back up, and turn the key.

Apparently the toggle on the ECOS on my boat is very sensitive, and a slight bit of tension on the cord was enough to pull the toggle down a tiny fraction of an inch to stop the engine, without looking dislodged at all. I can imagine that cruising along with two people riding forward of the windshield and having the engine stop abruptly could cause a serious accident in some conditions. Thus I am more apt to ignore the law in order to avoid such a situation.

So, are there any thoughts out there in Winni land as to how to address this issue? I've thought I could put a piece of tape over the toggle, applying enough upward force to keep the toggle firmly up, yet not so much force that a stronger tug on the cord (like driver overboard) would yank the toggle downward. Another thought would be to bypass the wiring across the switch, to give the appearance of compliance if stopped. Boats made before 2020 without an ECOS are exempt from the law anyway, so I wouldn't have any problem with doing this. Any other ideas?

Sure, you could replace the ECOS with an aftermarket one. (We had one installed on our older bowrider, work done by the marina.) This should be a straightforward wiring, especially if one can easily reach the back side of the existing toggle switch.
Or if the toggle is integrated into a throttle and not replaceable, this could be bypassed (or glued up?) and a newly added ECOS would have the desired functionality.
Just search Google for "boat emergency cut off switch" and I see a bunch of options.

If you have never used your ECOS lanyard and now it is law- just leave it like always has been and if you ever see those blue lights behind you, clip it onto your person before you get up to find your registration for the officer. At least it's hanging from your hip visibly...

I have a center console and almost always drive standing up. I put an elastic wrist strip on the end clip of the lanyard and slip my wrist through it whenever I am at the helm. Easy to remember and do and it's tight enough so it won't slip off but comfortable enough so it's easy to forget about it and step out of the boat with it still attached (yes, I've done it more often than I care t admit!).

Another Example
 

Of the pinheads in Concord making regulations that in no way effect safety on the lake. Most of our representatives have never owned a boat. There is only one incident that I can think of where no one was hurt.

I will not use a lanyard on my 23-foot bowrider. As commenters have mentioned, the switch is too sensitive and using the lanyard would potentially cause more of a safety issue than not using it. I will keep the lanyard connected to the switch and not in the glovebox in the event I'm pulled over, which has happened only once in 40+ years of boating. (I forgot to put my registration on the hull prior to my first run of the season.)

I wish the boating lobby had the same lobbyists that the motorcycle lobby has for the helmet law. We wouldn't have this idiotic law and the more idiotic speed limit law. (There, I said it!)

A 23' bow rider weighs something like 4000 to 4500-lbs. A 12' aluminum jon boat with a 3-hp gas outboard weighs 70-lb boat and 50-lb motor & oars, about 125-lbs total.

Both are same legal motor boats but 4250-lbs vs 125-lbs is a huge difference in terms of EVERYTHING and using a shut-off lanyard on the small row boat is a very smart thing to do.

www.youtube.com/shorts/jTdxsV6EZzg ...... passed out behind the wheel ..... look closely .... how 'bout that!

So you see, this is what happens when you don't wear that lanyard! You end up all smashed up on the rocks! Looking closely at the crash, it looks like the driver fell backwards into the water or onto the rocks and actually stands up?

Motorcycles and cars have spring loaded controls that return to zero speed when the hand or foot is no longer in control. This is not the case with motor boats because the throttle is not spring loaded. A motor boat will keep moving forward and the safety lanyard is designed to stop the boat.

The boating lobbyist is stronger than the motorcycle one.
Just a lot more conservative.

I agree. I wouldn’t use the word “conservative.” I’d say “overly cautious!”


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How does this make sense? you don't need to wear a seatbelt in your car in NH (over 18). Auto deaths ~40K/year.. recreational boating deaths ~550... "Pinheads" is correct

I don't remember the last time that I heard of a driver being thrown from a moving car - seatbelt or not.
Maybe after an accident - but the cause of an accident?

Recreational formats quickly lose steam with any negative outcomes.
So balancing this against some other items might be the cause.

It does seem minor based on the other incidents we have seen.

the point isn't about being thrown out or not - its about overreaching safety rules. But you already knew that but felt compelled to offer some sort of contrary remark...

Is it overreaching?
You made an invalid comparison.

Is a PWC operator that may come detached from his boat required to wear a lanyard?
That would be a valid comparison.

Yes, in N.H. jet ski driver's are required to have their safety stop lanyard attached to themself and to wear a pfd that is solid foam, and not self-inflating.

N.H. legislature should require you to swim a 440-yard, open water, deep water, Lake Winnipesaukee swimming test in order to get a motorboat driving license ...... :laugh: ...... seriously! This is almost impossible to do swimming the overhand crawl, but much more doable swimming the breast stroke and side stroke.

If you cannot swim 440-yards, 1/4 mile ..... :eek: ..... then you cannot drive a motorboat in N.H. ...... I have spoken ..... :cool:!

My point was that the boating representative would have to make an argument around that factor in the public hearing.

It is really hard to do, even with reps that lean toward boating; so all they would do is draw attention to boating.

Right now, the Legislature is looking at revenue.
We are in a bad cycle just like the last time.

The federal government expanded programs and spending after the 2008 crash, and did the same during/after Covid.

Those programs are being looked at as something to be shrunk back to what they were before covid; so that extra money is not available for future budgetary expenditures.

One way to get "revenue" is reduce subsidies. That would be fee increases to cover expenditures that are focused on particular groups.
Their current obsession with taxing non-residents either through property or tolls just isn't going to work.

They will tend to support boating as a primary provider of tourism that pay the R&M taxes - especially rentals, which includes boat rentals. And they will have large concerns with any negative outcomes.

They aren't going to compare it to cars or motorcycles - and we definitely do not want it compared to motorcycles as that negative is something that can't be overcome. The Weirs was once the focus of high society on this side of the lake - think like Wolfeboro. That may never come again.

I just bought an 8' rigid inflatable to use as a tender, will be mounting a small outboard. Also looking forward to scooting around the neighborhood on calm days. This seems like a very sensible rule for my situation--it would be a real bummer to fall over and see my ride running away

World's greatest 11' jon boat!
 

Yes, I have an 11' jon boat with two 6'6" wood oars, and for a small boat like this it is actually very smart to attach the safety lanyard even though it has NO motor. So I have the lanyard attached to an oar and feel much safer with that ...... :D!!

This little 11' jon boat with me seated in the middle at the oars can be rowed through three foot wakes and waves, no kidding!. It was a used $400 Lund row boat and this 11' Lund is incredibly seaworthy in huge Lake Winnipesaukee waves and wakes. It rows really really good! But still I always attach the lanyard just to be extra safe.

So what is the plan? If you fall overboard, take an oar with you because it has the lanyard on it?

It makes me feel connected ....... :D!

Besides, there's always three big motorboats that show up instantly whenever I flip over.

Is always best to wear a pfd with a whistle in a small row boat, and stay with the boat, no matter how painful cold the water temperature.