Our friends at Discover Boating remind us that while boating is an inherently safe activity with a remarkably low incidence of accidents, in small boats and particularly at high speeds, there’s always the chance that a large wave or impact could eject the captain from his or her seat, or even off the boat.
“If this happens and the boat continues running, obviously, the situation can become very dangerous. Having an ECOS in place and using it properly means that the boat will shut down immediately following any such incident, reducing the potential for any additional danger.”
While using an ECOS has always been the smart move, in April of 2021 it became the law.
