Safety clip that shuts engine down

[whynot]

Had an incident today .I have a 50 Yamaha on my boat and a 4 merc get home kicker . Went to run the 4 today and pulled and pulled and it wouldn't start . Found out that the little clip on the safety button with the plastic lanyard that clips to you was missing . I then took the one off the 50 and clipped it on the 4 and it still wouldn't start . I thought that the switch was bad and used vicegrips to try it with the button pulled out farther . With the button pulled all the way out the motor started in one pull . To make this short the bottom line is that these clips are not always interchangeable . They must be different thicknesses . I called Riverside Marine and they told me that the clips can be different on different brand motors and that they can also be different on different models of Mercs . To get a replacement I had to give them the model serial number . Would you believe $12

So if you ever lose the clip, don't think you can replace it with any clip or you might be taking your motor into the shop because it doesn't start when the problem is you have the wrong clip .

I put this on because I talked to 4 other boaters and nobody had any idea that the clips were different . They sure look the same .

Tony

[rj]

We found out the same way that you did-had a motor without a clip & grabbed one off a different brand--pulled many times--no start

they sell a "kit" at wallmart that is supposed to be universal, it has many different sized clips in it, to fit all brands,, about $8

we used a cable tie that we later replaced with the right clip

[POLECAT]

Several years ago the kill switch key on my boat broke and I aquired a "Universal" kill switch key kit that came with at least 5 different shaped keys. I keep them on my boat just in case I run into someone with a different kind of motor that is in need of one.

The universal kit is usually less expensive than a factory replacement.

[Capt. Dale]

Here is another story from my Book titled “Another Dumb Thing I’ve Done In MY Life”.
I can still remember it as if it was yesterday.
I was fishing in a Bass Tournament on Lake Gaston Virginia in the spring back in 73.
As the rules back then & now you were required to ware your life jacket while the gas engine was in operation. We would attach the Kill Switch cord to the Life Jacket.
I had motored into a cove and began fishing the banks and boat docks after about 2 hours I determined it was time to go else where. Put my life jacket on, got back in the drivers seat and tried to start the 65 HP Mercury but she would not start just kept turning over. I figured I was out of gas as the gas gauge was near empty. I electric motored over to a boat dock went up to the house A fellow came to the door and I explained to him I was out of gas .He offered to take me to the gas station and even got the lawnmower gas can. So off we go to get a gallon of fuel. I return to the boat pour in the gas and look at the life jacket with the kill switch attached. With the home owner watching I reattach the kill switch which I had neglected to do 3 hours ago and of course the motor started right up.
Not wanting to embarrass myself in his presence and tell him really why the boat wouldn’t start. I simple said something to the fact like “Yep that’s all she needed was some gas”!!
Needless to say I didn’t do very well in the Tournament that day.

[whynot]

RJ .Thanks for the walmart tip . I also used a cable tie .

[crabby and son]

Dale, Easy thing to do but a great recovery

[V.B. wells & irrigation]

BOAT= Break Out Another Ten.

[Burchbeer]

Good into Tony! Thanks.
Honda has a clip that stays on the remote control assembly in case owners lose or misplace the one they give you on the lanyard with the key.

Better we share this stuff to save others heartache IMHO.

Rule of thumb for me is to have two of everything. I try to live be my rule, but I am a hypocrite. I mean well.

[whynot]

btt