Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

you have people in the water or just keep it in neutral. What is the accepted way? Thanks

If your picking up tubers or skiers , just kick it out of gear, but if you have people swimming around it. turn it off

I guess it also depends on who or what is also on board, children, dogs, monkeys, idiots. I shut it off but I've noticed while tubing most people just go neutral.

Agree with post 2 and 3 as everyone's case must be dealt with as seen fit to the situation....

I have been boating with outboards, inboards and I/O's for over 40 yrs and I have one golden rule..........when people, kids or adults are in the water the motor is OFF.
Pontoon, IMO are more dangerous that any other boat with the motor running...........most do NOT have a safety interlock to prevent accidently engaging the gears if someone, adult or kid, bumps into the gearshift!!!!!
It's everyone's choice, but I don't want to take time off the water taking someone to the Hospital if I or someone else makes a mistake!

This would be mostly when switching out tubers on the side of the toon. I have no rear ladder. I always stay at the helm and the gearshift is pretty protected from someone falling on it. Point takin on safety first. Just hate turning off a hot motor after just pulling the tube and it's hard on the starter,,,, but not worth hurting anyone if it's not a good practice,,,, thanks for the comments,,,,

Shut it off when theres a possibly of the propeller making contact. Make sure theres enough rope and its far away from the propeller. The propeller doesn't care

grouser wrote:This would be mostly when switching out tubers on the side of the toon. I have no rear ladder. I always stay at the helm and the gearshift is pretty protected from someone falling on it. Point takin on safety first. Just hate turning off a hot motor after just pulling the tube and it's hard on the starter,,,, but not worth hurting anyone if it's not a good practice,,,, thanks for the comments,,,,

The biggest SAFETY is the one between your ears.... Keep that safety engaged at all times and go from there....

When I was a teen,, guy driving the boat ran over skier. 600+ stitches long hospital stay. we were sure he was dead. actually drifted into him. remember like it was yesterday.

TURN IT OFF!!!! There are time that I think its in neutral and its still in gauge. Me rule is some one in water boat is off and safety chain is pulled.

Another vote for OFF. It's too easy to knock into gear and hurt someone. Maybe not you but a guest could bump the shift as others have stated.

greghvac wrote:TURN IT OFF!!!! There are time that I think its in neutral and its still in gauge. Me rule is some one in water boat is off and safety chain is pulled.

Rear ladder on mine! it gets shut off everytime we stop even if it is the women squatting on the ladder to wiz.

Scenerio:

they slip fall in water screaming.... I spin around so fast I hit throttle ....... Never gonna happen!

any living thing near the spinning blade of death = off. even just a "squat" off the ladder as mentioned above. if i'm just passing a downed rider or tuber and they are getting back on the rope 60ft away, i'l glide by them in neutral.

Nobody ever was crushed with grief and regret for stopping the motor. I bet you can't say that about just going to neutral.

As motor in neutral might not kill you
A stopped motor can not kill you.

Tim

My ladder off the front center deck, I agree with all with rear ladders, you have no choice,turn it off.

I have 20 feet in between them and the motor, it depends on age too, with the little ones in the water, it's off till they are in the boat and seated.