Son got a ticket for not having the lanyard that attaches to the throttle (semi new law apparently).

We had one in there but a cousin (likely) took it out and didn't replace it.

It's $267!! FFFFFFFFFFFF that!!

Any options? Lady at the JP said it's not a moving violation, so is it something you can ignore and just avoid a ticket for the next 2 years or so?

It's just a f'g outrageous amount.



TIA,
Beach

Rule one on the boat!!

It isn't that new of a law. Watch some videos of people that didn't attach their lanyard and fell off. If he ignores the ticket he will have a warrant out for his arrest. Always attach the lanyard.

It's been a law for 6 years now so they aren't gonna let it slide. Tell him to pay up

been told the only thing worse than that is not have a life jacket on a child.

It took a few trips to form a habit but I have a slip on band that attaches a lanyard to the kill switch and I strap it on my wrist every time I grab the throttle to drive, then hang it back once I put it in neutral again.

It's required when underway though there appears to be some gray area regarding trailering or when making headway only speed. I pretty much just put it on to be sure. Once you're in the habit it becomes second nature.

Isn't there a video out there of a group of rednecks objecting to wearing seat belts in the car or drinking while driving?

Yep do not ignore that one.

Great teaching moment opportunity.....

These are the types of tickets that I absolutely despise and think are garbage.

MouthBQ98 said:

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It took a few trips to form a habit but I have a slip on band that attaches a lanyard to the kill switch and I strap it on my wrist every time I grab the throttle to drive, then hang it back once I put it in neutral again.

It's required when underway though there appears to be some gray area regarding trailering or when making headway only speed. I pretty much just put it on to be sure. Once you're in the habit it becomes second nature.

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right after the law went into effect I saw a warden down in matagorda harbor. Asked him about that. He said the direction he was given was if you're just idling then you're good.

Have him take a boater ed course. And pay the ticket.

why are you mad? Its his ticket. Tell him to pay up or stay off the boat and go to jail.

Don't think this went as OP hoped ...

Most important rule of boating. Akin to making sure a gun is unloaded before handing it.
I've seen a number of folks dead or maimed badly from falling out of a boat and having it run over them in my marine career.
As Grem said use it as a big important learning lesson.
Don't make light of it. It could save his life someday.
They disqualify guys from million dollar tournaments for not wearing them.
For the danger in it the fine should be three times that.

I don't like it around my wrist as it gets caught around things I may be point at or messing with the GPS or whatever.

I clip it to a dog collar with a plastic buckle. Store it around the helm. Then wear it between knee and calf. Every time. There is a spare clip on the key chain should I get thrown out.

Before every trip.....every time....we have a quick safety meeting and I show everyone how to clip in the spare kill switch clip and start the motor.

......then I remind them to turn around and get me before they head in.

I like the idea of a spare one. Will look into it since I tell them to just hold down the button as a fall back.

Edit: OP - Not the wildest about the law, but understand it. Sounds like he is on the hook to pay the ticket.

Call and see if you can talk to the JP. Especially if it's a smaller county. Maybe they would let Jr. take a boating safety online class to dismiss it without having to pay. Maybe

I used to just clip our to the belt loop on my shorts. Gave me a lot more freedom to reach around for stuff than having it on my wrist.

tamc93 said:

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I like the idea of a spare one. Will look into it since I tell them to just hold down the button as a fall back.

Edit: OP - Not the wildest about the law, but understand it. Sounds like he is on the hook to pay the ticket.

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Yes put a spare. On key chain if it is long enough to reach. If not put it on a lil piece of cord or whatever and screw the loose end of the cord to the console near enough for it to be used in an emergency to come back to get you.

I has no value to put a spare in a dry box tucked away where the only person who knows where it is just got ejected.

Make it easy accessible and self explanatory use for unfamiliar guests on your boat. That is when and how it will be needed.

In fact.....

I bet if the OP was to go thru some of these steps WITH their son.....take some pics of your efforts and reduce and ease of use with the dog collar for the JP..... and show some effort to learn this vital step one of boating safety..... I bet that effort gets it dismissed and learns a lot about all of the scenarios why it is so important.

That is my thought.
I have recovered boats and bodies ejected. It is a hard lesson. Good ticket....

Whenever I'm running our boats and going to be up on plane I have a pfd on. Most quality high performance or Mustang type vest have D-rings specifically to hook the safety lanyard into.
So it's double safe to develop a habit of slipping on the pfd when on plane and leave the safety lanyard hooked to it. When you stop to fish slip it off and hang the pfd on the steering wheel.
When I put the boat on the trailer I loop the safety lanyard around the steering wheel and hook it. That keeps it from blowing around and messing up your gel coat or boat finish and it assures you won't forget it.

On a more humorous note I've witnessed lots of guys get up out from behind the console or bass boat seat and pull the safety lanyard and not pay attention they did it.
Then they come back and crank their engines and of course it won't start. So they crank and crank, get up…. pump their engines primer bulb, check fuel…..crank and crank some more till someone yells " Check your kill switch!" Then he realizes and gets the dumb dodo award for the day by all his buddies!

About 20% of qualifiedcaptain's Instagram posting is boats running wild with no one on board.

Seems like an obvious solution that's been written into a requirement.

Gunny456 said:

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Whenever I'm running our boats and going to be up on plane I have a pfd on. Most quality high performance or Mustang type vest have D-rings specifically to hook the safety lanyard into.
So it's double safe to develop a habit of slipping on the pfd when on plane and leave the safety lanyard hooked to it. When you stop to fish slip it off and hang the pfd on the steering wheel.
When I put the boat on the trailer I loop the safety lanyard around the steering wheel and hook it. That keeps it from blowing around and messing up your gel coat or boat finish and it assures you won't forget it.

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Great minds.....I do this EXACTLY to a T
Such an easy habit to build and comfortable too.

Keep mine clipped to shorts on a mini carabiner from the time i have boat in the water. Never bothers me, and never have to remember to put back on wrist. Unless you wear speedos on the boat, you will never know it's there while moving around the boat, fishing, ect. Plug it back in, fire up the motor, and off you go.

dude, this is a cheap lesson

Incase OP doesn't know the background of the law.

https://texasoutdoordigest.com/blog/kalis-law-requiring-kill-switches-on-boats-26-feet-or-less-in-texas-begins-sept-1/

Not that I'm for govt overreach, but 10+ years ago a friend of mine died out fishing alone because he somehow fell out. Great guy. Great outdoorsman that this board would have loved. Very squared away personally and professionally. But one mistake and he left his wife and 2 little kids behind. That one rocked me for a good while and still does. So law or not, wear it

First world problem. Boat ownership, boat rental or having a lifestyle with that proximity to a boat and $267 is the gripe?

I'm thinking this is a serious thread based on the other posts OP has about his son.

Been running my boat for almost 4 years and never knew this, but mine is old and didn't have a kill switch so guess it's grandfathered in

OneMoonGoon92 said:

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why are you mad? Its his ticket. Tell him to pay up or stay off the boat and go to jail.

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Well.....

1. There was no harmed party in not having the lanyard around his wrist. The LEO could have done something along the lines of given an education as to why it is necessary and a warning instead of automatically writing a ticket* instead of flipping out the ticket book and writing a ticket just because.

2. Near $300 for something like this is out of line in terms of fine for the action and show s that it is nothing more than a government money grab. Especially if it is the first time the kid has had any type of run in with the law.

3. Things like this are a great way for LEO's to be either seen as helpful and stewards of the public or flat out dicks. This guy obviously chose the flat out dick path.

*assuming no other issues with the stop. If kiddo was a jackass or something along those lines, he earned the ticket at that point.

Bottom line is that we get preached to every day about how LEO's just want to protect the public and do all of these good things, yada, yada, yada. Then a really chicken sht ticket like this gets written that, assuming the transaction was what the OP conveyed, should have been a friendly discussion and a warning. Which leads many to come to the conclusion that it is just another tax for not following some law somewhere that whatever government agency has decided we all need to follow to keep the king happy and fed.

Gunny456 said:

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Most important rule of boating. Akin to making sure a gun is unloaded before handing it.
I've seen a number of folks dead or maimed badly from falling out of a boat and having it run over them in my marine career.
As Grem said use it as a big important learning lesson.
Don't make light of it. It could save his life someday.
They disqualify guys from million dollar tournaments for not wearing them.
For the danger in it the fine should be three times that.

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No, it shouldn't

The BIA and NMMA required outboard manufacturers to have kill switches on their control boxes and helm controls well over 35 years ago.
Here is a good read on the history of kill switches/safety lanyards. https://www.propellersafety.com/3913/regulations/kill-switch-history/