A new law requiring recreational boaters to use an engine cut-off switch, or ECOS, and associated ECOS link is now being enforced by the Coast Guard for all recreational boats less than 26 feet in length with over three horsepower, that were built in January 2020 or later.
The law went into effect on April 1, but the Coast Guard is now actively reminding the public that the law is active for smaller recreational boats.
An ECOS is an emergency ignition cut-off device that shuts down the engine if the operator is ejected from the vessel or falls overboard. The ECOS is used with an ECOS link, which is usually a lanyard clipped to the operator’s person or lifejacket. The ECOSL is required for operators while navigating their vessel.
Cmdr. Byron Hayes, Sector Juneau response department head, said that in the last two months there have been two known incidents involving runaway vessels in Alaskan waters, one of which resulted in a death.
“When the operator is ejected from the boat, the vessel can begin circling the person in the water,” said Michael Folkerts, Coast Guard 17th District boating safety specialist. “They are then in immediate danger of being struck by the boat or the propeller.”
Learn more about Engine Cut-Off Switches at cdv.tiny.us/cutoff.
