Trolling with new kill switch law

I see lots of tickets coming. I am all about safety but this will be tuff.

I didn’t think about that! Impossible to do while trolling.

How long till they make us wear life jackets? “Click it or ticket”

That would require someone to actually patrol the lakes

(b) A motorboat operator may not operate a motorboat less
than 26 feet in length and equipped by the manufacturer with an
engine cutoff switch while the motorboat is under way and moving at
greater than headway speed without first verifying that the switch
is operational and fully functional and properly attaching the
lanyard or wireless attachment, as appropriate for the specific
motorboat, to the operator's body or to the clothing or personal
flotation device being worn by the operator.

Look at the new law and the definition of "Headway Speed". I don't think it will be an issue for trolling. Also, a 24 to 26 ft enforcement boat is much easier to spot at a distance than in reverse to see if a lanyard is attached to your britches. IMO, its to target the idiots on jet fleas and wake boats.

It's a non issue for trolling and also a non issue when loading and unloading at the ramp.

Good to know! I hadn’t read through it closely but that sounds like a much better and more reasonable law then I initially thought.

I need to find a lanyard that will fasten to shorts or sweat pants that do not have belt loops.

I keep it fastened to my PFD, I take off the PFD when I stop and leave it in the drivers seat still attached to the lanyard....

They are now selling wireless safety tethers. It kills the motor if MOB occurs. The question is that if this was a guide boat would everyone onboard have to have one. Isn’t the goal to stop random people falling out of boats getting killed by the propeller?

I looked this up on the Texas Parks and Wildlife web. It states "A personal watercraft (PWC) is defined as a type of motorboat which is specifically designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, or kneeling ON the vessel rather than INSIDE the vessel. The term PWC includes jet skies, wet bikes, etc." It goes on to say that anyone operating a PWC MUST wear the kill switch lanyard. So as I understand by reading this it does not apply to boats, if I am wrong in this by all means let me know as I don't want a ticket.

Enjoying retirement,

It includes all vessels under the length of 26', boats included. But if your boat was not factory equipped with one then you are ok.

My pontoon. Oat was not factory equipped so I should be legal. Guess I will see what they say the first time I get pulled over. If the GW gets onto too bad then Indio go ahead and install 1.

§ 55.302. Definitions
The following words and terms, when used in this undesignated head, shall have
the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Department—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
(2) Governing board—The governing board of an incorporated city
or town, a commissioners court of a county, or the governing board of a political
subdivision of the state created pursuant to the Texas Constitution, Article XVI, §59,
as identified in the Parks and Wildlife Code, §31.092(c).
[b](3) Headway speed—Slow, idle speed, or speed only fast enough to
maintain steerage on course.[/b]
(4) Regulated area—Any area on public water designated and posted
“Slow, No Wake” area by the governing board.
(5) Slow, no wake—Headway speed without creating a swell or wake.

Read headway speed. It states 1) slow or 2) idle speed or 3) speed only fast enough to maintain steerage. If your in a some wind and need to speed up a bit to maintain steerage then 3 applies.

Look at walking speeds on land. Walking pace can from 3.0 mph to 4.5 mph. Our boat easing around the lake at 2000 rpm is 4.2 on GPS. That's a walking pace meaning slow. I think if your up on plane, you'll need your lanyard attached. Putt putting around, should be ok.

Does not apply at idle speeds.

I went into the GW office yesterday and asked about this new law I speciffically asked about trolling at the speed of 2 miles or less. I was told that if I use my trolling motor then I do not need to have the kill switch connected to my body BUT if I use my gas motor then I MUST have it hooked to me! He told me that if the gas engine is on then I have to have the kill switch hooked to me this also means that when I launch or load my boat on to my trailer I have to have the kill switch attached.

There is some amount of this regulation that is left for interpretation. A stray boat idling thru the water at 2 mph is still dangerous to a swimmer, especially a young kid.

The way I see it, there are three ways to avoid a ticket-
1- Wear the switch
2- run a boat that is 26' or longer
3- Don't Troll

BS law IMO. Just another excuse to get into your business. I will wear and comply but still think it’s just another avenue for them to write tickets

My 1982 Merc 9.8 (made in Canada) wasn't equipped with a MOB kill switch. The TPWD law I read said no retroactive refit is required. The original kill switch was horrible, and put in a very hard-to-reach location. I put a tiller extension on it, and have a momentary kill button on the handle grip, far better than the factory switch. I think any GW would OK my set-up. IslandJim

I don't think the GWs at that office can read or think. I just read my email from TP&W and that is not what it states.

^^^This^^^

Sounds like that GW isn't too educated on the new law

I agree! I probably won’t comply and if I see a gw I’ll slap it in my wrist lol

yep, same here.... What's ironic is the law would have not saved the little girls life. That tragic accident had nothing to do with a kill switch

http://www.propellersafety.com/14860/regulations/texas-media-misleads-boaters-kalis-law/

half of the idiots in Austin have probably never operated a boat

And into your wallet. That's really what it's all about. The geniuses that came up with this and those who voted for it need to be voted out of office at the next election.

I have always worn mine. Had a friend got thrown out of his boat back in the mid 90's while trying to catch his hat and let go of the steering wheel. Boat hit him twice. Second time wrapped him in the motor and killed it. 150hp at wide open throttle. He servived but it was a terrible experience. Took my old bass boat and had a kill switch put on it the next week. I hate it's a law because it is just common sense when you need it and when you don't.

Passengers aren’t going to be saved by this, bottom line

No, it's for the operator of the boat should they come out of the boat. At planeing speed and motor off, that prop is still turning. The forward motion of the boat keeps it spinning.

Another useless law. I can easily see the scenario of the kill switch accidently becoming unengaged while on plane and throwing another boater out. When pad boats fall off plane suddenly, they can react violently. Depending on how it was balanced at the loss of power, they can hook right or left. Boats don't have brakes and don't slow down real fast, even with the motor shut off.

If its your day, no amount of safety equipment is going to help, and its decided by someone with a lot more power than us.

For years and even now folks complain about seat belts, even today people weigh the risk and do or do not wear thire seat belts...
Texting and driving is illegal but I still see texting. This switch thing is the same thing, so you can either do it , or consider the risk, and not
do it...thats the choice we all have. I will follow the law, like it or not, I did it anyway out of common sense.
I remember all the hub-bub about motorcycle helmets, wear em...dont wear em, its my right to not wear em,...yadda yadda....so now
you dont have to wear a helmet, but it looks to me like most riders wear a helmet. Safety should always be the first concern.

Not kill switch related but I had a friend run over from behind by a buddy following him in his wake. Prop ran up the the length of his leg and stopped just short of the family jewels. Nasty scar and forever will walk with limp.

+1000

Same as a seat belt. We're going to fine you for not protecting yourself.. Haha... yeah

Of course they'll leave this up for interpretation by the GW. "Headway speed" will be whatever the GW says it is.

What office was this? Name of the city or location?

Tyler, I do need to clairfy somethimng the game warden did state that I needed to have the landyard attached when I was engaged the engine. It will just be easier to have it hooked up every time I turn the engine on just to easy to forget.

I found my jet ski kill switch worked fine on my pontoon boat. Both Yamaha motors. The neoprene wrist strap is good option

Every single time I have attempted to wear the lanyard I have turned my body and killed the engine at full throttle. A couple of times it darn near threw me out of the boat. The last time it happened I had a friend on board who was 70 years old. When I turned and killed the engine he lost his balance and hit his head on my t-top bar. If I had not reached out and grabbed him he would have gone overboard. I stopped wearing my lanyard after that. Lanyards are very dangerous if you have a center console boat and drive standing up. If safety is their concern, and not just a new revenue vehicle, then they would pass a law that required wireless proximity switches instead of lanyards. This new law is going to cause a lot of unnecessary accidents and loss of life, but the state will earn a hefty profit from tickets; so it is justified.

I agree that they can be dangerous in certain types of boats, and it is a new revenue generator for sure.

Not saying this didn't happen, but you must have the shortest lanyard that has ever been made. Most I have ever seen allowed for quite a bit of movement. I have to stand up to make mine disconnect.

Well than can be beat in court. I believe headway is 6 knots or less

I think not wearing your kill switch lanyard is about as dumb as texting and driving. If it's not long enough get one that is. I have a friend that was thrown out of hit boat and did not have it hooked up. I promise you him and his fishing buddy both wished he had hooked it up. It didn't kill him but it was terrible. My old bass boat didn't have one. I took it to a shop and had one installed. That was 25 years ago. I Will not plane off without it. Didn't want to kill me,my kids or someone else. Just use common sense. I know the law will be abused by some gamewarde but it is enforced because of the idiots, just like texting and driving.