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  1. #1
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    To Leash or Not to Leash

    I have done a lot of reading and research on the subject of outboards flipping up and into the boat. Sometimes these events have lead to either injuries or death. Now I haven't seen it as a regular event I would even call it rare. However that doesn't mean it has a lessor possibility if you actually hit a submerged object.

    So I think we can all agree it can happen.

    Now comes the question will the leash prevent or at least improve the odds that this does not happen. What there is a lack of is any information on real world results. What I don't doubt is that the product is well made and on the surface makes sense. I'm not going to argue or comment about the price.

    What I want to know does it really improve my odds at surviving an impact that would result in the outboard flipping into the boat.

    The bottom line I will install the leash on my boat. But I really would like to see some real world results on how effective this product is.

    So my question is has anyone that has the leash hit an object where the leash has prevented the outboard from entering the boat?

    My second question who has had an outboard either enter the boat or have it come up high enough to do some damage to the boat or motor.

    In 30 years I have been lucky that I only hit one log and that was as I started to come on plane. The result was a slight lift of the motor and the sound of hitting something. Since I was not yet on plane I cut my power and there was no damage. However I still had that sick feeling in my stomach.

  2. Member
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    #2
    I readily admit I don't follow every TX trail across the country so I might have missed something however I don't see a need for this device. How many "events" occured in say the last 5 years where this would have prevented an injury or death? Less than .5 % of boats in operation? If this were a true concern we would hear more about it and event organizers would start looking at them as a potential safety equipment requirement. Your boat do what you want with it.
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  3. Member
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    #3
    I hit submerged log running about 35mph and boat came to sudden halt. The motor kicked up enough to rip out of the large trim cylinder and continued up into the splashwell, causing fiberglass damage and busting cowl and oil tank. Had I been going faster I'm certain it would have broken motor mount and came in on me. I now run the Leash. I feel it will slow down intertia enough to keep motor out of the cockpit.

  4. mikesxpress
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    #4
    I couldn't get any independent 3rd party test results on this device when I checked into it over a year ago.
    If you can't prove it will do what is implied, it's a mesh condom.

  5. Member haus9393's Avatar
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    #5
    Realistically it probably happens a few times a year across the country. You have probably seen me post a few times on this subject Over the past year. I have a leash on my boat and I did hit a floating log with the leash installed. However it did not impact it hard enough to do any damage to my lower unit. I just felt the thud and that was it. I have no idea if my engine popped up high enough to catch the leash or not. I’m guessing not because I had 0 issues with the engine after the impact.

    2017 my cousin hit a submerged tree in a river delta that was stuck in the sand. His engine snapped loose and hit the back deck of his Phoenix and recoiled back down into the water. The cowling was smashed and the deck lids were dented in. He had no leash installed and the boat/ motor was totaled. This event is what really made me pull the trigger on getting one.

    2017 my friend hit an under water jetty and ripped his entire mid section off his mercury but the engine did not flip into the boat.

    I definetly feel a lot better having it. I’ve had it for a full year now and everytime I run sketchy water I think about it happening and pray to god that leash will actually hold. Also I have seen a photo where someone hit bottom and ripped off their lower unit and the leash was on their motor but I don’t know if the engine flipped up. Most of the accidents where the engine flips in the boat is result of the lower unit NOT snapping off first. Seems like if the lower unit stays attached the trim or mounts will break sending the motor in the boat. If the lower unit shears off on impact the motor usually stays down in the water.

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  6. Member 06 SB's Avatar
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    #6
    I have hit a sand bar doing 68 and the motor stayed attached. I have also hit logs in the 50s with only LU damage. I do not own the leash.

    USN Retired
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  7. Member
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    #7
    If you hit something while running on plane you're much better off having one than not. I friend of mine hit a stump in Lake Marion years ago and his motor came to rest just behind the passenger seat. He piled everything he had on the bow of the boat just to keep it afloat. The transom had a big hole in it where the motor used to be. It may not be a common occurrence thank goodness, but it certainly happens.
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  8. Member LTZ25's Avatar
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    #8
    Maybe just slow down and stay below 50 mph . Bass boats are the only motorized vehicles that are driven as fast as they can go .

  9. iNCORRECT pOLITICALLY
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    #9
    I normally don't go much above idle speeds if I'm not 100% sure about what's ahead of me. Yes I piss off a lot of people in a stump field I fish but I've been told the quickest way to tear up your boat is to run the marked boat trails on plane and have hit stumps in the marked trails at idle speeds. Worried more about shallow water than stumps on a long run? Go as slow as possible on plane and have your thumb on the up button for the power trim and be ready to chop throttle quick. Saved me a couple weeks ago. On my "home" lake floaters are my main concern but tend to drive sensibly and watch out for those. Just because your boat will do 70+ doesn't mean you have to air it out all the time if you're in unfamiliar water. I know, I'll probably get strung up for these comments but that's OK.
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  10. Banned
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by mikesxpress View Post
    I couldn't get any independent 3rd party test results on this device when I checked into it over a year ago.
    If you can't prove it will do what is implied, it's a mesh condom.
    You gonna get in a $60,000 bass boat, run 70 mph down the lake, and hit a stump flush destroying everything. Oh and hope you make it. Lol.

    Seriously though how could one possibly not think it would at least help a little. It’s a friggin heavy duty cable strapped around it. It has to at least slow it down some, which may be just enough to save your life.

  11. Member
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    #11
    Mercury had an issue with their brackets (never admitted to) in the mid 2000's that caused a ton of motors to break off and many of the pictures you have seen of motors on the back deck of boats came from that stretch. The reason it was more dangerous than now is that the brackets would break without lower unit damage and the motors were still running. If the operator throttled back or a kill switched engaged it wasn't usually dangerous (although still scary) but if not obviously the motor could potentially run right up onto the boat (depending on what happened with the cables).

    The bracket issues seems to be gone but obviously there is still risk with impact damage. I have no knowledge on if the Leash works but as the post above suggests, not sure it if hurts either.

  12. Banned Danible70's Avatar
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by LTZ25 View Post
    Maybe just slow down and stay below 50 mph . Bass boats are the only motorized vehicles that are driven as fast as they can go .
    I know there is a reason I come on here. Some funny stuff right there. The "ONLY"....ya right.

  13. Member
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    #13
    I tore my Merc completely off after hitting a floating log at about 45 mph,it’s still in Kerr Lake. The brass nuts on the transom bolts stripped out and the engine did not enter the boat. I know I am extremely lucky.

  14. Member
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    #14
    The scenario that it takes to propel the engine into the boat causing injury is like hitting the lottery log in my opinion. Engine weight, speed , force of impact, object size , weight etc etc. One thing to consider especially for those with a high performance boat is do you really want something additional tethering your motor to your hull? I had one pretty bad strike on the Ohio but nothing like my good friend had. He struck a large submersed log on the Ohio and it ripped the 250 off his skeeter. Only thing still attached were cables. Strengthen the immediate attachment to the boat and he may have lost the transom. I’ll take my chances w/o and hope I never have to deal with any scenario that causes my engine to break free.

  15. Banned
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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by 5 BASS ASSASIN View Post
    The scenario that it takes to propel the engine into the boat causing injury is like hitting the lottery log in my opinion. Engine weight, speed , force of impact, object size , weight etc etc. One thing to consider especially for those with a high performance boat is do you really want something additional tethering your motor to your hull? I had one pretty bad strike on the Ohio but nothing like my good friend had. He struck a large submersed log on the Ohio and it ripped the 250 off his skeeter. Only thing still attached were cables. Strengthen the immediate attachment to the boat and he may have lost the transom. I’ll take my chances w/o and hope I never have to deal with any scenario that causes my engine to break free.
    I’ll take my chances on a lost transom vs being dead any day of the week. Are you saying you wouldn’t have one, because it might damage your transom if you hit log that hard??

  16. Member
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    #16
    A guy in my brother's club bled out on the Hudson River after the boat he was in hit a log and the the motor flipped into his boat and the prop cut his femoral artery. The driver could just sit there and watch his buddy bleed to death. It's rare but it happens.
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  17. Member LTZ25's Avatar
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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Danible70 View Post
    I know there is a reason I come on here. Some funny stuff right there. The "ONLY"....ya right.
    Name another one .

  18. Member 06 SB's Avatar
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    #18
    I understand it is rare to happen but to me the bigger and more obvious question is whether the leash would have kept the motor from getting to the passengers?

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  19. Member 06 SB's Avatar
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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by LTZ25 View Post
    Name another one .
    Go carts, ATV, Dirt bikes

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  20. Member LTZ25's Avatar
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by 06 SB View Post
    Go carts, ATV, Dirt bikes
    Another one !!

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