Time has proven that connecting your boat’s engine cutoff switch link (ECOSL, or ‘lanyard’) to your wrist, leg or life jacket adds another layer of protection between boaters and disaster. The ECOS device has been mandated by all competitive fishing and racing organizations for decades. Listen to these professional Bassmaster Classic contenders tell how this simple device has saved their lives. Stories like theirs are a lot more common than you’d think.
In addition to wearing your ECOSL, consider taking a boating safety course.
The U.S. Coast Guard is asking all boat owners and operators to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage, and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers. Essential steps include: wearing a life jacket at all times and requiring passengers to do the same; never boating under the influence (BUI); successfully completing a boating safety course; and getting a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) annually from local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Power Squadrons®, or your state boating agency’s Vessel Examiners. The U.S. Coast Guard reminds all boaters to “Boat Responsibly!” For more tips on boating safety, visit www.uscgboating.org.
