yea I agree don't ask a boat salesman anything if there mouth is moving it is more likely a lie, I always go to the shop and ask the guys that work on them in the shop,

If you want that kind of safety feature, better to invest in a hot foot. Me, I want my stick to stay where I put it.

I think it is still a safety feature. If u fall over, u want the boat to slow down. U have a heart attack while driving, U want the boat to slow down. Kill switches don't always get worn.

if conditions demand 2 hands. Should u be going wot? I understand the cc concern. Also that feature would not stop the boat. Its been on boats for 20 years now and can be adjusted.

I called Mercury and they said Yes it's a safety feature but is adjustable. I'll try the adjustment assuming I can find it.

Ok, let's use some logic here. If I fall over, I don't want the boat to slow down. I want it to STOP! An engine gradually slowing down as it chops me up ain't gonna help much, right? Boom!, there went that idea.
If you have a heart attack, are you going to let go of the throttle? Maybe. But again, GRADUALLY slowing down is not much of a safety feature. A car that the driver has a heart attack GRADUALLY slows down as it crosses the center of a highway and hits an 18 wheeler head on. Does it help much?
I wear a kill switch and a life jacket. I don't count on the boat running out of gas or a smooth talking salesman as a "safety" feature.
By that logic, an unreliable engine could be sold as a "safety" feature. "Don't worry. If you fall over, it's an evinrude. It won't go far!"

I guess u dont want those things but if im in a boat ur headed toward when u fall down in ur boat. I want those things to happen and possibly help me. A little one sided there. Boom there went ur logic by applying logic.


Your right about the car into head on traffic. But what about other cases. Thats not how most accidents occur. Gotta think bout others cuz the person driving is not the only person effected.

I witnessed an accident on lake Houston, before all boats had the return spring. Took me a few minutes to realize what happened from a distance. The driver somehow lost control got ejected from the boat. The boat remained at WOT in a full turn. By the time we got there this man had drowned he could not be found. No PFD, No Kill switch, not sure how or why he drowned. Can only assume the boat got him at some point. Would it have helped him.. possibly... Would the boat have been a hazard for over an hour.... nope.