01/01/2025
Happy new year to all!
Just thought I'd share this for the upcoming season. Its now an obligation in French law to wear a kill cord on small craft rather than just a recommendation. The full text is below. Also details of the obligation to wear 2mm neoprene on a jet ski.
An order of October 1, 2023 amending the order of November 23, 1987 relating to the safety of ships (division 240) presents two new obligations for users: the obligation to wear a circuit breaker on board vessels with outboard propulsion motors with helm or remote control, as well as on motorized watercraft (VNM - jetski) and the obligation to wear neoprene equipment with a minimum thickness of 2 mm for users - driver and passenger(s) - of motorized watercraft.
The use of a kill switch is mandatory for the driver on board outboard motor boats with helm or remote controls, or on motorized watercraft. It functions as a switch that cuts off the electrical power to the engine in an emergency.
Conditions of use:
• The kill switch must be attached to the driver's wrist, leg or flotation device when the engine is running.
• The kill switch cannot be modified (extended or moved) to facilitate movement.
• Before the driver moves on the boat, the engine must be turned off or placed in neutral to ensure that the propeller cannot turn.
• These instructions also apply to vessels equipped with electronic kill switches. In this case, since the driver can move away without being held by a wire, a passenger must remain at the helm to avoid any manipulation of the throttle lever.
A second kill switch must be easily accessible on board and its location must be known to all passengers. It allows the engine to be restarted if necessary, for example: to recover the pilot from the sea, if he falls.
Article 3 of the decree of 11/10/2024
Obligations concerning neoprene equipment
Regulatory reference: article 240-2.12. Conditions of use of motorized watercraft:
Motorized watercraft are used exclusively during the day.
The navigation of motorized watercraft designed to carry a maximum of one person is limited to 2 miles from a shelter.
The navigation of motorized watercraft designed to carry more than one person is limited to 6 miles from a shelter.
Regardless of their distance from a shelter, including less than 300 m from it, their users must wear at all times:
Personal buoyancy equipment. The performances presented by this PFD are:
50 N up to 2 miles from a shelter;
100 N from 2 miles to 6 miles from a shelter.
Neoprene equipment (shorts, shorty or full wetsuit) with a minimum thickness of 2 mm, aimed at preventing the risk of injuries that could be caused by the jet of the turbine in the event of a fall at the rear of the motorized watercraft.
Outside French territorial waters, the national flag must be flown.
