MBY's definitive guide to all those essential tasks you need to know how to do but were too afraid to ask. This month we're talking about you kill cord
Few people involved in powerboating will ever forget the tragic accident that occurred in Padstow two years ago when an entire family were thrown from a RIB that then circled unchecked at high speed, killing the father and eight-year-old daughter and severely injuring two other members of the family.
It’s easy to think that it won’t happen to us but having experienced myself how easy it is to forget to attach a kill cord after leaving the helm and how quickly a boat can ‘hook’ (where the bow digs in during a turn, causing the boat to spin violently), I assure you it can. Fortunately I stayed in the boat but it so easily could have been worse. Until someone comes up with a better idea, the only answer is to wear a kill-cord all the time, know how to use it and check it regularly – whether you’re helmsperson or passenger.
How to: Clean your teak decks
In the first of our 12-part maintenance series, Nick Burnham guides you through the best techniques to clean your teak
VIDEO: How to change an impeller
In the second part of our practical videos series, Jon Mendez explains how to change an impeller
