# Custom Tiller Lanyard Killswitches



## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

Paracord is pretty strong. If it gets wrapped on something while you fall out of the boat your boat could drag you to death. I know it's a long shot, and hopefully the motor shuts off and it doesn't get wrapped, but I think about that kinda stuff. On my old skiff I just bought one of those coiled plastic lanyards. It worked though it wasn't real pretty.


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## MMessana (Sep 28, 2015)

jimsmicro said:


> Paracord is pretty strong. If it gets wrapped on something while you fall out of the boat your boat could drag you to death. I know it's a long shot, and hopefully the motor shuts off and it doesn't get wrapped, but I think about that kinda stuff. On my old skiff I just bought one of those coiled plastic lanyards. It worked though it wasn't real pretty.


I was thinking about still attaching it to the original lanyard.


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

jimsmicro said:


> Paracord is pretty strong. If it gets wrapped on something while you fall out of the boat your boat could drag you to death. I know it's a long shot, and hopefully the motor shuts off and it doesn't get wrapped, but I think about that kinda stuff. On my old skiff I just bought one of those coiled plastic lanyards. It worked though it wasn't real pretty.


Interesting that you mention this. I have a paracord killswitch lanyard connected to a paracord bracelet on my skiff. Before I got my carbon marine extension, I had a demo extension made from PVC and attached with metal pipe clamps to the tiller. Well I hit a big wave and got knocked out of the skiff while running about 20MPH, and when I fell the paracord got caught on the pipe camp's screw. I hit the water and looked at my wrist to see if the lanyard came off, and saw that the paracord had broken. Turns out that before it broke, the plastic piece pulled out and killed the engine luckily.

I still run a paracord lanyard and bracelet, but now I am conscious to check periodically to be sure it isn't tangled on anything. But long story short, from my experience the paracord WILL break in that situation and not drag you to death. Your mileage may vary. LOL.

I'll post pics of my setup this evening. To the OP, yes the paracord mod will make wearing your killswitch cooler, and yes it is lame to wrap the factory red bungee around your wrist.


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

Yeah the good part about the cheesy red stretch cord is that if it's the correct length it will pick up the slack when you move. That way there's less chance that the slack will get coiled around something in the boat, like the clamp, tiller, or whatever. It's good to hear the paracord broke. I can't think of a worse situation than your cord getting wrapped and dragging you, or worse wrapping around your prop and pulling you into it. OP if you do add an extension to the one you have make sure it isn't *too* long.


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## AgAngler2370 (May 5, 2017)

I’m in a similar situation as the OP. I bought one of those coiled lanyards with bracelet for jet skis and it works great. Velcro bracelet on left arm that controls tiller and let her rip. When I’m stopped and getting on platform I just hang the bracelet on the F-N-R lever.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Stick with the OE plastic coil. Do not attach paracord to your body will operating a boat. Buy a longer piece if you need it. Both Yamaha F60 and 2S70 tillers I have used had perfect length spring lanyards for standing or sitting. The Tohatsu did not but I found a longer coil lanyard. Idea: buy the Yamaha lanyard and put the Tohatsu clip on it.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Most after market lanyards I ve seen come with multiple clips


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## MMessana (Sep 28, 2015)

Well for this weekend I’m gonna run paracord with two loop knots cause it’s better then not wearing it at all. Then I’ll figure something else out I guess.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

the lanyard that came with my tohatsu 50 works good with my 36" CM tiller extens


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## Gervais (Nov 28, 2016)

I’ve been running with this for a while and it works well. It’s easy to get on and off since it’s stiff. I don’t see the paracord catching anything and the lanyard section should break.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

You can buy that plastic cording in a roll and make one as long as you want. It's really cheap.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

yobata said:


> Most after market lanyards I ve seen come with multiple clips


Yep that's what i have had to take it apart choose the right one the put it back together


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## WillW (Dec 6, 2012)

There’s is a outfit that make the pigtail cord but has a parcord exterior. Have one for my pliers. Might check all the boxes for you


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

I've been running a paracord "rope braid" lanyard for a while now, the factory zuke lanyard just doesn't work well with the long rear deck on the Cayo in my experience. Now that I'm reading about all these final destination scenarios I'm gonna figure out how to incorporate a fuse with a 100lbish limit into the system.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

Caleb.Esparza said:


> I've been running a paracord "rope braid" lanyard for a while now, the factory zuke lanyard just doesn't work well with the long rear deck on the Cayo in my experience. Now that I'm reading about all these final destination scenarios I'm gonna figure out how to incorporate a fuse with a 100lbish limit into the system.


Either use a paracord bracelet with the plastic clips, or attach your wrist loop to the lanyard with a medium sized zip tie. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/SecureLi...WNBNqLpEBcyrEiZ3k62xQ7d4J4hsDOfBoCBjcQAvD_BwE


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

Here’s my setup, I’m happy with it. I keep the paracord just long enough but not too much extra.


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## MMessana (Sep 28, 2015)

Thanks for the ideas guys!


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)




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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Caleb.Esparza said:


> View attachment 43466


That is a long cord, perfect for the prop to wind up as the operator flies out of the skiff. Good idea on the circuit breaker just put the breaker close to the hand/foot loop. Of course that is why the coil kill switch lanyard was designed/specified by some engineer. What do they know?


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## POCtied (Oct 19, 2016)

Ya'll crazy running with paracord on your wrist, no thank you I like my left arm just fine the way it is.


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## KurtActual (Sep 25, 2017)

No joke. @ZaneD is super lucky. Paracord with the guts intact has a minimum of 550# break strength. 
I'd run a zip tie fuse between the paracord and the kill switch at a minimum.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

There isn't much for paracord to get caught on but I see the point. Stranger things have happened. Proof.


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