Mercury Outboard Kill Switch: Why?

Question

I have an '86 Mariner outboard on my Starcraft v-hull. On the control box, the key is attached to a curly-Q cord that hooks to a kill switch ONE INCH AWAY from the ignition. What's the point of that? In an emergency, I can either turn the key, or snatch the kill switch cord, right? Does the same thing. I understand the kill switch is sometimes mandatory, but seems a stupid location. Explain, please.

Answer 1

The kill switch you speak of is an emergency shut off switch. In the event you are thrown off the seat or overboard the switch will kill the engine so the boat doesnt leave you, or worse still, run over you!! It should be attached to your wrist. Heres another tip...Never wear any type of rubber boots while in a boat. I had a friend fall overboard, the boots filled with water and took him to the bottom. We found him the next day standing on the bottom of the lake., boots still on!!

Answer 2

Everyone is right about what it's for and how it's used.

It really seems like a stupid idea, but I've been boating for over 30 years and just a couple years ago, I was driving the boat while pulling someone on a tube. I was sitting on the side of the boat making it easier to watch what was going on behind me. The tube flipped upside down and filled with water. That brought the boat to a sudden stop and almost threw me in the water. I'm a believer in emergency kill switches.

Answer 3

you are suppose to wear the end of the curly cord around your wrist incase you  fall off the boat  and get knocked out the engine turns off, also so you do nto get run over,  or hit by the prop and, or so you can swim back to the boat

Answer 4

In Minnesota, we call it the circle of death. Many captains have fallen out at high speed, and their boat continues. The boat is still at high throttle and is now turning in circles around the captain and/or passengers that have fallen out. Many time that boat will continue in that circle, after coming back and killing the captain, until it runs out of gas. If the captain would have had the cord attached to his jeans or life jacket the kill switch would have shut down the engine.

Here's just one website that explains it: http://www.plamerican.com/node/3481