“ACR’s virtual safety tether for helmsman and crew is the perfect, and safest, answer to the U.S.C.G mandate on kill switches” – George Poveromo, saltwater angler and television host

Fort Lauderdale, FL on March 31, 2021 – As the new U.S. Coast Guard boat engine cut-off switch law takes effect on April 1, safety specialist ACR Electronics is highlighting its new wireless solution offering full regulation compliance as well as improved safety for the whole family on the water.

The ACR OLAS Guardian engine kill switch wirelessly connects up to 15 crew or family members via wearable transmitters and stops the engines within two seconds of a person, or pet, going overboard. With the added benefit of functioning as a man overboard alarm system, it triggers a loud 85db alarm, alerting everyone onboard of the emergency, or, if boating alone, reducing the chances of a serious accident from an unmanned, uncontrolled vessel.

Allowing the skipper and crew to move freely around the boat without the constraint of a physical wired kill cord, the Guardian offers a safe and practical solution to the new U.S.C.G regulation which requires all drivers of recreational boats less than 26ft in length to have an engine cut-off switch (ECOS) with a lanyard or wireless link attached to the operator. Affecting millions of boats, the rule applies to all federally navigable waterways and any vessel that has a functioning engine cut-off device installed at the helm or on an outboard engine or has wireless ECOS, or boats manufactured beginning January 2020. 

George Poveromo, renowned saltwater angler and television host, has the ACR OLAS Guardian system onboard and explains the benefits to other boat owners.

He said: “The ACR OLAS is the perfect, and safest, answer to the new U.S.C.G mandate on kill switches, plus it is one of the best ways to significantly improve overall onboard safety for the whole family or crew. It is a wireless engine kill switch and man overboard alarm system, which, when integrated with ACR’s wearable crew trackers, acts as a virtual safety tether for helmsman and crew. There is no need to worry about forgetting to attach a physical lanyard or feeling restricted in your movement. It is practical and convenient, and everyone onboard is connected, including kids and pets, not just the captain or helmsman. I would recommend this wireless solution to any boat owner, both for regulation compliance and reassurance onboard.”

Exceptions to the ECOS requirement include if the main helm of the vessel is in an enclosed cabin or the vessel is not operating on plane or at displacement speed. Low-speed activities such as trolling or docking do not require use of an ECOS. The vessel operator is also exempt if the boat’s motor produces less than 115 lbs. of static thrust – or about the size of a 2-hp engine. The installation requirement applies to manufacturers, distributors and dealers of the applicable boats, with the owner required to maintain it in working condition for the life of the boat. Boaters can check the U.S. Coast Guard website for additional information on the new use requirement, which has been commended by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) as an important safety improvement.

Used in place of or alongside an existing kill cord switch, the ACR OLAS Guardian is quick and easy to install. ACR Electronics offers the full ACR OLAS (Overboard Location Alert System) product range, including the ACR OLAS Core Base Station man overboard alarm system, ACR OLAS Tag and ACR OLAS Float-On MOB systems.