Back with another "Need Input" question.

So I've worked out how to tell if a skier/tuber is close to the prop and how far they are from it. The question is what to do with the information and what the system should do?

1. Simply warn the driver?

2. Not allow the driver to put it in gear? (With an over ride option)

3. Limit engine RPM?

4. Something else???

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

I'd vote for 1 or 2...since even slow RPM could still take off a couple toes or at least be really painful.

Keeping the drive in neutral seems best to me for safety.

I like the idea, maybe a light on the dash or a kill switch?

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

So I've worked out how to tell if a skier/tuber is close to the prop

Click to expand...

Ayuh,... #5. Kill the motor...

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

Personally, I would NEVER, EVER be boarding (or unboarding for that matter) with the engine running.
This was beat into us when we were kids. My Dad was a stickler for safety.
Its just plain laziness to have that motor running.
Some one is going to get seriously hurt with this thing.
Dont do it.
Shut the damn motor OFF. Its the only way, PERIOD!!!!

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

If you only give a warning (visual, audible) every time someone is close to the stern, it might be like the little boy who cried wolf. People will get used to it, annoyed by it and disregard it.

Here's an idea (I want my cut $$$ ), every time someone gets close to the stern/prop the system starts dropping cylinders on the engine, make it run like carp. I guess the same "boy who cried wolf" can be said for this, but having the engine missing would be more concerning. Combine this with an visual/audible alert and lock it in neutral.

I'm not sure how you are detecting a "swimmer" in the water, but this system would have to be fool proof at detecting a person, or you could get false alarms. IE: fish finders lie. Sure they probably detect fish 80-90% of the time accurately, but they can also see air bubbles, trees, etc as fish and give false readings. It would be bad to have the boat not shift into gear because of a false alarm, too close to a tree, buoy, etc.

Audible alerts might not work well, some people have the stereo blasting while skiing and wouldn't hear an audible alert, unless it was piercing. IE: scare the carp out of you and fill your drawers if the stereo is not on, that kind of loud...

While you are working on the swimmer thingy... Figure out a way to kill the engine of a ski boat if it comes within 1/2 mile of a fisherman... :facepalm:

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

do I want to kill the motor everytime someone gets in or out?

Click to expand...

Ayuh,... I Do.... Every time...

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

hey don't waist your money or time on this little project. i'm 15 and i know not to leave the motor while people are in the water. when your kill some one or injure some one and your in jail because your responsible then you will be saying "DA i shouldn't have did that i can't believe it didn't work" Your better off shutting off the engine.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

Bubba your thread got me thinking....I know strange right? insert I smell something burning joke here..........How long do you figure until we have backup sensors/alarms on boats just like new cars have? Seems to me if you have a setup like that the alarm changes pitch as you get closer or the obstruction gets closer to your vehicle so if range is an issue an audible alarm at first (changing pitch as the skier/tuber/swimmer gets closer) followed by an automatic kill of the motor?

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

Bubba1235 said:

And according to the CG 9.3 people for every 100,000 boats are killed by props each year. To be blunt, people do some very stupid things.

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Yeah, I'll agree with that one... I've seen people with kids on the bow of a bowrider, bouncing through waves, and I'm sure the kids thought it was great fun. Though it's very dangerous and stupid. Out of the 9.3 people who were killed, I wonder how many were run over by the boat and then into the prop, and how many were hurt because they were lingering in the water back by the stern/prop?

Along with everyone else, if someone is getting on/off my boat, the engine is off.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

False alarms would be a concern if you where going to kill the motor. Where I boat there are a lot of "large" things out there. Trees, pieces of plywood, shipping containers, Sea turtles, you name it.

If I was running 27 kts and the motor just shut off you would get thrown the windshield.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

Just shut it off.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

Bubba1235 said:

I am going to add I believe it should also prevent the engine from ever starting if a person is too close. Say someone swims up to the boat or heaven forbid falls in at the dock, etc. (There is an over ride for emergency situations.)

Click to expand...

I agree with you except there should be an over ride switch in case I ever get my ex wife on the boat



Just sayin

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

Bubba1235 said:

It would only be active when the boat is in "tow" mode. My thought was to take it out of the control loop at say 5 MPH. It's about not injuring someone swimming around the boats prop(s).

Click to expand...

The problem I see is that you have yet to identify the cause of the strikes.

Contact with the prop is not a cause, it?s a result. You can?t prevent a result without identifying the cause. Trying to prevent every possible cause of contact will compromise the overall effectiveness of the product. Identify the top three causes of contact and go after them. Putting the system into tow mode at 5 mph isn?t going to do much good if the primary cause of contact is people getting thrown out the front of a bow rider at high speed.

Do the research and then design your product.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

LippCJ7 said:

I agree with you except there should be an over ride switch in case I ever get my ex wife on the boat



Just sayin

Click to expand...

Switch number two: EX OVERRIDE (or OVERRUN?)
Neat idea Bubba. Will be interested to see what comes of it.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

Guess I'll be the lone dissenting voice. I applaud your creativity. Put as many warning lights, bells, whistles, and "Danger, Will Robinson!" alarms as you want in this system of yours.

Maybe it's a lake boater vs. salt water boater thing, but don't EVER interfere with my ability to maintain control of the boat. You're 'solving' a problem that affects 1/100 of 1% of boaters, by potentially creating a brand new one.

Feel free to disagree- I'm merely voicing an opinion.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

I didn't miss it... but you didn't specify whether the override can be invoked before the motor is diabled, or after? It's an important distinction.

If I need to invoke the override in order to re-start the motor after it's been killed, or after I've been locked into neutral, then you can keep it- I don't want it.

I'll say it again. I applaud your creativity, but I think you're creating a solution that could have unintended, negative consequences... for the sake of 10 idiots per 100,000 boaters. You absolutely have a right to develop and market this device if you think there's a market for it.

I don't want any part of it

My .02

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

It seems the system should have a configuration menu that allows the user to select the options they want to enable or disable. For a fishing boat the user could disable this option as they won't have people swimming around the prop. For a ski/family boat the option could be enabled full time, or enabled/disabled,,, the first time the engine is started during that day. The user would have to enable or disable the setting the the first time that day. 3 user settings

- full time disabled
- full time enabled
- enable or disable for a day

The user interface would be just as important as the functionality of the system. I fish most of the time and wouldn't want this option enabled as I'm in gnarly conditions where not having the engine start could be very dangerous. I also go out with the family where it would be nice to have it enabled, in case someone falls overboard or swimming by the stern.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

I see this as another way for people to transfer blame or liability to another party. I had the switch on - Billy swam under water and the boat let me start it. It's not my fault.....

It is your fault. If your the captain and some one gets prop struck it's your fault.

There has never been a person in the water near my motors when I wasn't aware of it and the engines are always off.

Re: Back with another "Need Input" question.

sorry bubba,,,,,,i just saw this.....it seems to me that the problem would be in the dection of objects.....if the system could detect it was a human......than kill the motor.....but if it was a non living thing...like a wave rock or log....the motor needs to be left running to avoid.

it would be a great little add on....if there was an alarm every time something was with in 3 feet of the drive