Safety Gear-What's in your bag?


C

CoolChange

New member
In another post (Electronics-Having trouble with your Raymarine GPS), there was some interesting input regarding what type of extra gear or safety equipment some of us carry.

There hasn't been a post on safety equipment for some time so I thought I would open it up!

If you think about what our boat cost and what we pay to insure it, the money we spend on safety gear is relatively cheap. I have approximately $4,800 invested in safety gear which includes a life raft, EPIRB, hand held GPS, upgraded flares, various signaling devises and other items I have added along the way.

If the type of boating you do doesn't justify an investment like a life raft, there's a lot of little inexpensive things that may make a big difference. For instance I use 25MM flares over the 12GA. They only cost a few bucks more, but have a much greater visual range. I have two parachute flares on board as well. They cost me about $70 a piece and have a 40 second airborne burn time.

So how about it, what type of gear do you carry and why? Any personal experience we all can learn from?




Buy the way, rum can be considered a survival essential,,, for medicinal purposes of coarse! ;D
 
I hadn't noticed this thread, as there's little activity in this section. Important topic though.

Most of our cruising remains within 10 miles of shore (at a max), so we have the typical "coastal" supplies....

-Winslow "Ultra Light-Offshore" 6 man raft. (Always aboard when water is 75 degrees or less, or in big water.)

-Landfall Navigation Ditch Bag. Contents (best of my memory) follow:

Standard Horizon HX850 Floating VHF w/GPS and DSC.
Sunscreen
Drinking Water
Air Horn
Whistle
Signal Mirror
Flares and Flare Gun
Waterproof Flashlight
Sponge
First Aid Kit
Small Blanket

There you have it. Seeking suggestions on any overlooked items though!
 
4 person life raft with following inside
mirror, flag, oar, knife, sunscreen, rope

Ditch bag with following inside
small water proof chart
1 strobe white
1 strobe red
1 flash light
4 mustang hydrostatic life vests
1 GPS EPIRB water activated
5 bottles water (changed every year)
1 knife
1 Sunscreen 50
1 handheld VHF
4 MRE's
 
NEVER REALLY PUT IT TOGETHER THAT YOU OCEAN GOING GUYS HAVE TO STOW ALL THIS STUFF. I GUESS YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE ALL THIS STUFF ON BOARD IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
WHERE DO YOU KEEP THIS STUFF? DOES A LIFE RAFT FIT UNDER THE SEAT?
 
The ditch bag is relatively small, and I keep it in the under seat compartment across from the helm.

The raft is in a soft valise, about 1 foot square, and a little over 2 feet long. It's only about 35 pounds. It goes under the seat behind the helm when aboard. I just got it, and plan on always keeping it aboard during the winter months, and whenever we plan trips which traverse open waters. This one has lights on the inside and strobes outside, so I don't need the strobes that Castines carries in his bag.
 
Geez,, I thought you guys were just ignoring little ol me down here in the south!
I thought it would be a good off season topic. Also, had anybody ever had any close calls which prompted rethinking what safety gear they carry?
 
This is an old topic. But, it is also that time of year when we need to be preparing for the new season. I still have alot to do on mine. I am going to have to create a new ditch bag and everything on the boat is expired. I would like to add a life raft. That will have to wait until we get in the salt though.

Around here I'm afraid the water moccasins would just bite holes in it.
 
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