I have a 25hp electric start on the duck boat. Was just getting home from the river the other day and when I shut my truck off, I heard the outboard on the boat running WHILE OUT OF WATER!!!. I ran back and shut it down and realized that my load of duck stuff which I had not secured very well had shifted and and had punched the started button and the motor had fired up on its own. A new water pump was installed and I feel fortunate that this was the only damage.

What are the odds of this happening?

Gotta make sure that the motor is in gear or the kill switch lanyard is pulled or that someone secures the load a bit better.