I hit a large floater on Travis of all places a few years ago in about 40 feet of water coming back to the ramp from a weigh in. I saw it at the last second and turned just enough to only graze it. Bent my prop shaft enough that I had to have it straightened but did no damage to the prop.

I went ahead and ordered a leash. Sketchy water or not you never know. This is the second really bad accident I am aware of where the outboard came back into the boat. I remember a similar incident on Kentucky Lake where they hit a stump. The guy driving was a Kentucky Lake expert and just cut a corner he shouldn't have. He was severely injured but survived.

Just found this.

I have not read it yet, but looks like lots of info.

https://www.propellersafety.com/propeller/outboard-flipped/

My bet is that bolt would have sheared too if a leash was attached

I doubt the bolt would have sheared. It looks like the casting was weak on the mounting surface of the front part of the trim. My money is in the casting simply breaking from around the bolt hole. Leaving the bolt intact and the motor free to fly. The leash also doesn’t have to stop the motor from flying to be effective. It only needs to reinforce the weaker motor casting parts enough to prevent the castings from breaking.

Who knows for sure. I’ve been in the auto restoration and collision business for 35 years. I see [censored] break from impacts. I’m kinda trying to visualize this as it would pertain to a car part. I will admit I am not an outboard motor expert by any stretch of the imagination. I am betting the leash would have helped a lot, if it didn’t totally prevent the motor from reaching the drivers seat.

Chilling details from the accident that occurred to former professional bass angler Rex Chambers in May 2014.

The were running in the 50’s (mph) headed toward the main channel, headed to Mallard Creek, when they hit a partially submerged log. They saw it, but without time to react, the outboard motor (a Mercury Marine 250 horsepower outboard) struck the log, broke loose from the transom, and flipped / flew into the boat still running with the prop rotating.

Rex Chambers reports hearing the loud over-revving motor and feeling it hit his back and crush him against the steering wheel and console. His partner was struck in the head by the skeg which then broke off. Rex reports the motor was moving toward and over him. The propeller hit the glove box, Rex’s left leg, and his left shoulder. Seconds later, they both recognized they were not doing well and both began to use their phones to call for help.

Rex reports he and his fishing partner both previously worked in law enforcement and credits those experiences with helping keep them calm and minimizing the effects of shock. Authorities (Marine Police) quickly arrived and took them to a boat ramp. They were taken by ambulance to Decatur General Hospital.

This is the material used by the makers of The Leash. Very similar to Kevlar. Found it on the inner-web thingy

Vectran fibers are used as reinforcing (matrix) fibers for ropes, electrical cables, sailcloth, and advanced composite materials, professional bike tires, and in electronics applications. It is used as one of the layers in the softgoods structure of NASA's Extravehicular Mobility Unit (spacesuit) designed and manufactured by ILC Dover and was the fabric used for all of the airbag landings on Mars: Mars Pathfinder in 1997[3] and on the twin Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity missions in 2004, also designed and manufactured by ILC Dover .[4] The material was used again on NASA's 2011 Mars Science Laboratory in the bridle cables.[5]

Vectran is a key component of a line of inflatable spacecraft developed by Bigelow Aerospace,[6] not only on two stations which are in orbit[7][8] but also the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module which NASA is testing for its radiation shielding and thermal control capabilities.[9]

The United States Department of Homeland Security is sponsoring development of an inflatable plug made of Vectran to prevent flooding in New York City Subway tunnels and for other tunnels in New York City, as it is strong but relatively inexpensive, and not edible for rats.[10] Vectran fiber is also used in manufacturing badminton strings such as Yonex BG-85 and BG-80. Vectran is also used in the manufacturing of Carlton Vapour Trail badminton rackets.[11]

everyone is missing the fact that it is adding thick brackets on both sides to the motor plus your going from four bolts holding the motor on to six bolts at the very worst the motor will be in the lake but most likely it will be still hanging on the transom from the rigging and leash and NOT in the boat

They’re missing the forest from the trees.

yes sir

I get all the knee jerk, yep I'm ordering one right after I hit "Post Reply" on this reply... But I'm gonna continue to play the odds that it'll never happen to me... If only boat manufacturers would incorporate a roll cage similar to a convertible top on a car. Start the engine and it activates the roll cage top to protect us, shut off the engine and it retracts out of the way of back deck fisherman... Again, it's unfortunate. But I refuse to live in a protective bubble... Here's praying all make a full recovery... Dan

No the TFF knows all and is way more knowledgeable than any expert or engineer in an area.

Has the company that makes the leash done any testing? Do they claim it will keep the engine from coming into the boat?
Or are ya'll all just hypothesizing it should work? I'm all for it if there is proof it works.

I see the theory of it, but what's keeping it from sheering the mounting bolts in a high speed collision?
Maybe I just haven't come across the right website yet that shows the testing?

Would the leash mounts been intact after this incident?

Nobody is twisting your arm to buy the product. Quit looking for a hundred destroyed Phoenix Boat/Mercury ProXS videos

The leash is <$300. It would be irresponsible to think a company could spend $5m testing a part that retails for $279….so a handful of internet tire kickers would have less to bitch about. If it were tested, and proven %100 effective on every level, the same folks would still say they ain’t gonna buy it. So why bother?