Bassmaster November 2024 cover. Includes a feature article on The Leash.

Increased speeds of modern bass boats, the popularity of tournament fishing, along with heavier outboard motors, and ever present debris in the water has created a situation in which outboard motors strike floating logs, debris, dredge pipes, or submerged objects, break off, and some flip into the boat while still running with the propeller turning a few thousand RPM.

“The Leash” marketed by Precision Sonar targets this problem and provides a level of protection to bass anglers.

The Bassmaster article focuses on two recent accidents in which The Leash protected and possibly saved the lives of those on board.

The first page of Bassmaster’s article is shown below

Wes Logan was fishing in the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite event on Lake Champlain in August 2024. His boat struck what was later identified as a floating dock that had broken away in over 100 feet of water. His Yamaha outboard remained tied on by steering cables and The Leash. See PropellerSafety coverage of this accident at The Leash Saves Wes Logan.

Early in the 2024 season, Sam Maxwell was fishing a co-ed tournament with his pregnant wife on Laken Lemon in Indiana. In the early morning, he struck an unmarked dredge pipe. The hydraulic cylinder on the motor broke, the motor crashed forward into the rear deck. The Leash stopped the motor from rotating on into the boat. See PropellerSafety coverage of this accident at The Leash Saves a Family.

The Future

The future for The Leash and other tethers is bright.

Years ago, some outboard manufacturers turned marine drives off when they flipped up out of the water. With that practice no longer followed, outboards are even more dangerous when they enter the boat.

Less than ten years ago, one major outboard manufacturer denied they knew outboards could flip into boats. The events of the last decade, along with several lawsuits have since removed that obstacle.

Hopefully, the current Bassmaster article with finally cause one or more boat or outboard manufacturers to step over the line and begin to protect its customers from these accidents.

Many actions can be taken to “harden” outboards making them less likely to flip into boats as seen in out Preventing Outboard Motors from Flipping Into Boats paper linked below,

What Can Happen

The Bassmaster article provides the image below for shock value of what can happen:

Bassmaster article outboard motor flipped in onto rear deck

We have seen several outboards jump the rear pedestal seat. Some land with the propeller on top of the passenger seat headrest. Those photos are not for the faint of heart.

Some of Our Work Concerning Outboard Motors Flipping Into Boats

• Why Outboards Used in Bass Tournaments Disproportionately Break Off & Flip into Boats Compared to Other Outboard Motors paper
• Design Chart to Prevent Outboard Motors from Flipping Into Boats
• Preventing Outboard Motors From Flipping Into Boats paper
• Preventing Outboard Motors From Flipping Into Boats: Supplement 1
• Mercury Patented an Outboard Motor Tether in 1969
• Outboard Motor Log Strike Mode Chart
• List of Large Outboard Motors Flipping Into Boats
• Warnings for Outboard Motor Can Flip Into Boat