Protecting the Key!

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EdWard3

EdWard3

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Nov 10, 2012
62
Catalina 36 mkII Havre de Grace, Maryland
:eek: Yes, the last time I was out on the river (South River heading towards the Chesapeake) in my 1980 H-30 the unthinkable happened. The Admiral moved towards the aft end of the cockpit shearing off the key in the ignition switch. Fortunately it did not cause any major problems returning to the marina.

I've decided to put a hole new key switch in the panel, but how do I prevent this from happening again? Has anyone come up with an ingenious way of protecting the key? And don't say keep my wife out of the boat!
 

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Chef2sail

Chef2sail

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Feb 12, 2013
97
C&C 35 MKIII k/c Rock Creek, Chesapeake
Ours is actually set further in the combing than yours is. I made a lexan plate on hinges to put over it. On our Yanmar you can take the key out once you turn the ignition to the on position too. If yours works that way make sure you pace it back in when turning off before you pull out the kill switch.

Dave
 
onecoolair

onecoolair

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Jun 25, 2012
942
hunter 356 Kemah,the Republic of Texas
EdWard3 said:
:eek: Yes, the last time I was out on the river (South River heading towards the Chesapeake) in my 1980 H-30 the unthinkable happened. The Admiral moved towards the aft end of the cockpit shearing off the key in the ignition switch. Fortunately it did not cause any major problems returning to the marina.

I've decided to put a hole new key switch in the panel, but how do I prevent this from happening again? Has anyone come up with an ingenious way of protecting the key? And don't say keep my wife out of the boat!
Click to expand
Before you remove or replace that cheaply made yanmar key switch .... Try sticking a short stubby flat blade screw driver in it and see what happens. That's what a friend used as a key on his 82 hunter 30.
 
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wufibugs

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Aug 16, 2009
1,000
Hunter 1986 H31 California Yacht Marina, Chula Vista, CA
Yes to all of the above. After the entire ignition switch finally fell apart I decided to move the ignition switch to the panel below decks and fit a small battery type on/off switch in the cockpit. My cockpit "dashboard" was pretty well toast from years of kill switching, so I had to make a more robust starboard panel anyway.
 
S

sail_4_me

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Mar 30, 2009
63
Hunter Cherubini 37-cutter Bayfield, Lake Huron
key protection ( Hunter 37C )

This is an old picture, I have since replaced the front face of my Yanmar panel, but you can clearly see the plexiglass cover installed over it. It provides a cutout for the key and switch. This provides water protection as well.
 

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anchorclanker

anchorclanker

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May 27, 2012
1,152
Oday 222 Beaver Lake, Arkansas
A key wont stop a thief that wants it bad enough. You could put a master start/run switch down in the engine room and just have run and start switches/buttons up the console and do away with the key switch all together.
 
H33CRich

H33CRich

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Sep 26, 2011
228
Hunter 33_77-83 Cedar Creek Sailing Center, NJ
EdWard3 said:
:eek: Yes, the last time I was out on the river (South River heading towards the Chesapeake) in my 1980 H-30 the unthinkable happened. The Admiral moved towards the aft end of the cockpit shearing off the key in the ignition switch. Fortunately it did not cause any major problems returning to the marina.

I've decided to put a hole new key switch in the panel, but how do I prevent this from happening again? Has anyone come up with an ingenious way of protecting the key? And don't say keep my wife out of the boat!
Click to expand
I had the starboard jibsheet break the collar holding the switch (key was fine, but provided the handle for the sheet to pull on) so I had to replace the switch. I used something like the MaxPower universal small engine switch ($10) from Autozone. Works fine with the existing hole and came with 4 keys. I have not thought on what to do about protecting it, but have thought of cutting the head of the key off and inserting it into a smooth nob that is unlikely to get caught on something like a sheet or the admiral's sandals or body parts. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103791 or http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...02829&filterName=Brand&filterValue=RadioShack

I did this for my motorcycle gas filler access hatch (keyed). This always stays in place (not worried about people stealing my gas) and doesn't get caught on clothing or gear.
 
EdWard3

EdWard3

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Nov 10, 2012
62
Catalina 36 mkII Havre de Grace, Maryland
Protected Ignition Switch

After doing some research on various ignition switches I found this one for $20 online at ElecDirect.com. Not sure it's worth the connection effort, but I'll order it and give it a try.

Thanks for everyone's feedback!
 

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DianaOfBurlington

DianaOfBurlington

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Jun 5, 2010
1,123
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
I like the idea of the plexiglas cover over the panel for a number of reasons. If you have a put-together 'panel' like I have, you can add a protector just for the key. A piece of 2" PVC should do it. Glue this to the panel with the switch inside it. It doesn't necessarily have to be concentric, just so long as you can get two fingers in to turn the key.

Yes, it could probably be broken free of the panel when someone steps on it or kicks it; but it could easily be replaced and that would be warning enough for the skipper to read the riot act to that individual.

The sanest solution, of course, is to not have the keyswitch there at all. Fit a heavy-duty pushbutton switch like the Cole-Hersee M-626, with rubber boot, and leave the battery shut-off switch down below as your security. So long as the boat is kept locked (and the fuel and battery shut off) you're secure. (This is what I have on Diana.)

What? --you don't have a separate starting bank and separate shut-off switch for it? Tsk-tsk! :p
 
H33CRich

H33CRich

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Sep 26, 2011
228
Hunter 33_77-83 Cedar Creek Sailing Center, NJ
H33CRich said:
I had the starboard jibsheet break the collar holding the switch (key was fine, but provided the handle for the sheet to pull on) so I had to replace the switch. I used something like the MaxPower universal small engine switch ($10) from Autozone. Works fine with the existing hole and came with 4 keys. I have not thought on what to do about protecting it, but have thought of cutting the head of the key off and inserting it into a smooth nob that is unlikely to get caught on something like a sheet or the admiral's sandals or body parts. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103791 or http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...02829&filterName=Brand&filterValue=RadioShack

I did this for my motorcycle gas filler access hatch (keyed). This always stays in place (not worried about people stealing my gas) and doesn't get caught on clothing or gear.
Click to expand
Finally got a picture or 3 of the key mod. See attached.
 

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