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Archive for tether

Preventing Outboards Flipping in Boats: Supplement 1

We previously published, Approaches to Prevent Outboard Motors From Flipping Into Boats After Striking Floating or Submerged Objects, and twice updated this extensive list of approaches. Our last update was published in 2018. This time we published a separate 2020 supplement to the 2018 third edition of the report. Many new methods have come on […]

Suzuki patents outboard tether in Japan in 1992

In January 2016 The Leash was released as a means of preventing bass boat outboard motors striking submerged objects from breaking off and flipping into boats. Previous to The Leash we saw examples of individuals and one state government agency creating their own tethers. We found the Coast Guard recommending home built tethers on bass […]

Mercury patented outboard motor tether in 1969

With all the chatter about The Leash we thought we would point out the first commercially available outboard tether for larger outboards was invented and sold by Mercury Marine. Mercury’s efforts preceded The Leash by nearly 50 years. This post is best viewed on a laptop or desktop computer. This post in no way belittles […]

Rex Chambers speaks on The Leash: video

Rex Chambers, well known professional bass angler and his fishing partner were injured 3 May 2014 on Wheeler Lake in Alabama when they struck a submerged log, the 250 horsepower Mercury outboard motor broke off, and flipped into the boat still under power. His fishing buddy was struck in the head by the skeg. Rex […]

The Leash patent application was published by USPTO

The Leash, a tether for large outboard motors, entered the market in early 2016. They especially focus on preventing bass boat outboard motors from entering the boat after striking a floating, submerged, or fixed object. Their patent application was filed 22 December 2015 and published 18 months later on 22 June 2017 by the U.S. […]

Outboard Motor Log Strike Mode by Speed and Resistance to Impact Chart

When outboard motors strike submerged objects they can break off and flip into the boat as seen in our lists of outboard motors breaking off and flipping into boats and large outboard motors breaking off and flipping into bass boats. We previously posted information on several existing and proposed solutions, including The Leash, a vectran […]