Personaly I've always avoided the Lanyaed/Vest topics but this one rattled my cage a bit.
I think about how many times I go to Claudios and have no vest on nor do my passengers and this thread made me think hard about ending up in the drink with no vests,
as far as a Lanyard is concerned my boat doesnt have one but after reading this its coming!
Bottom line there is always the chance that these two men might still have been killed by the accident but a vest and lanyard would drop them odds considerably.
My buddy is putting the engine back in my boat this week and I'm having him install a lanyard also period!
As Chris hinted to, my daughter and family dont deserve to stand over my casket and grieve for a mistake that could have been prevented.

My condolences go out to all involved with this and or any accident.

All Accidents can be prevented. Just stay home and hide in the basement. But that isn't much fun. Alot of the thrill comes from taking the risk. It then comes to be a calculation of how much fun vs. how much risk. This sport isn't for everyone and neither is motorcycling or car racing. There are those of us who believe we have the skills and knowledge to get away with it. And sometimes we are abruptly reminded how fragile or close to the edge we are.
It is a continual evolution with forward and backward steps. Nascar is much safer now then it was in the 50's & 60's.

Guess my point is, accidents happen and we need to learn what we can from them and then teach others how to increase their odds of survival. And that for the most part DOES happen on this site. A year ago there was another lanyard thread, and reading those posts have influenced me to always put it on. I also tell everyone I know who doesn't visit this site to use it. Just to let some of you know that there is positve reactions to these discussions.
So let me say this process does work. However on this site I think there is a little preaching to the Choir going on as there is rarely any argument.

Next how do we get to the people who don't visit to use them?

Very good point made there.

How do we get more people to - fit lanyards to boats that don´t have them - and - get people to use them who forget to - or just think it is uncool, or irritating to be tied to their dash with fiddly little clasp on a messy piece coiled up plastic rope ?

C´mon Livorsi, Eddiemarine, Rex and the rest of you suppliers of cool jewelry for powerboat junkies - make a good quality, race style, functional lanyard. Use a coily line that doesn´t tangle so easily.
This has got to be a good product idea.

Actually the one supplied with my Mercury Racing installation kit is really good (made of some sore of fabric coated plastic)...but, what wasn´t so good was the little plastic clasp on the end of it. I found a really nice 2 1/2" billet aluminum clasp (carabiner?) that was sold as a key ring novelty in a camping store. It is much easier to use, hooks in and out real smooth. Fitted an eye on the dash where it rests when not in use, and if I should forget to hook the lanyard on, I hear the irritating sound of the aluminum against the dash to remind me.

Looping a lanyard around your arm is pretty inconvenient, and probably even dangerous...and hooking into you shorts isn´t too clever either. Another good reason to wear a lifevest, PFD or whatever will hold your head above water should you become unconsciuos (which is pretty likely if you hit anything on the boat on your way out, or hitting the water, with your head, which usely is up front, when you fly!).

I have a stainless loop fitted on all six automatic lifevests on my boat (any one can end up at the wheel, and it should be easy and obvious where to hook into).

Finally, this year I hung a SPARE lanyard onto the bolster leg nearest to the switch.....in case the other one is in the water attached to the driver!

Lanyards make pretty useless theft deterents, anyway!

Preaching done!

Good points wildcard but one of the reasons for looping to the wrist is so the you become aware of it. This point was brought up by Brad S with Tres' driving school. I have always worn mine on my wrist and it becomes much like a seatbelt in the fact that you are aware of when you are not wearing it. When i get in any of my boats the first thing i put on is the lanyard and is almost a subconscious action any more. It amazes me how many people still dont use them though.

If you have ever had an immediate family member die in a crash, believe me, none of you would ever go without a lanyard and PFD. It leaves a permanent mental scar for life.

Michael

Very sad news indeed