Lets build the perfect safety bag.

[januarysails]

7 people have lost their lives from my home town in the past 8 weeks. Two of them were frinds of mine.

I want to put together the perfect safety bag for my boat.

What would you put in your bag?

God bless those lost at sea......

 

[doug glass]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

sorry for your loss--start with waterproof bag and install extra handheld radio--signal mirror--whistle/horn--first aid--we never know whats gonna happen but always act safe and look out for others

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

There is a list of what everyone should carry from the USCG..... the secret is how to carry it. Most safety stuf is buried in some compartment..... most people do not wear a PFD...... That would halp many problems just to wear the pfd.

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

Once you're in trouble:

PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). These are handheld devices and come with a GPS locator option (recommended). These are credited with saving thousands of lives. I carry two aboard at all times. I carry a lot of other stuff too (first aid, water, GPS, etc.), wear my PFD at ALL times (no exceptions) and dress appropriately.


Staying out of trouble:

One of the most important "safety" items you can have is good maintenance - both for the hull and the engine. I really can't stress the importance of this enough. Trouble avoidance is still the best course of action.

 

[David Greer]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

lights lights lights. A search copter can see a AA mag light from 10 miles. So a quality waterproof light, and check the batteries monthly. Some kind of lanyard so you don't drop it swimming, even just a loop of string through the hole.
I also carry some of those "glow sticks" for camping--they float and no batteries to die on you.
Then double redundancy: 2 lights and some batteries in a zip lock.
A few years ago 2 people died b/c their Hobie cat was blown out into the Chesapeake Bay by a squall; it got dark and they were many miles from the shore where they were supposed to be. The weatehr was not all that cold. An anchor and/or a small flashlight would have saved them.
And as for "bags" if you are by yourself have that flashlight in your pocket (pfd pocket preferably) in case you fall out and the boat leaves you.

 

[marquette]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

i don't think that there is a perfect safety bag. what a off shore blue water fisherman needs is differant than a inland fisherman. and even though on the surface it seems that there would me more people lost at sea the inland lakes and rivers seem to claim their fair share. i agree the 2 most universal safety items are a PFD and a flashlight. but surviving on a half frozen river in canada vs a snake and alligator in fested bayou vs 30 miles offshore in the gulf are all going to require differant survival gear and skill sets.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

I boat only on in land lakes,first and formost is a PFD then in my bag is a minimag lite they are water tite, hand held vhf,hand held gps, several different ways to make fire (I even have a can of sterno fuel) a good knife (schrade) and a leatherman multi tool (allways on my person), a signal mirror, odds and ends string and a roll
of duck tape,and a couple large trash bags.
a few granola bars and a few boxes of raisens,and water pure tablets,and a small first aid kit,roll of t paper extra batteries for every thing.and even some fishing gear (line,hooks,bobbers)

woosterken the survival guy LOL

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

i don't think that there is a perfect safety bag. what a off shore blue water fisherman needs is differant than a inland fisherman. and even though on the surface it seems that there would me more people lost at sea the inland lakes and rivers seem to claim their fair share. i agree the 2 most universal safety items are a PFD and a flashlight. but surviving on a half frozen river in canada vs a snake and alligator in fested bayou vs 30 miles offshore in the gulf are all going to require differant survival gear and skill sets.

While that is certainly true, there must be a minimal set of common items needed by anyone on the water, regardless of type or location.

Perhaps we could approach the topic from that point of view?

 

[Nandy]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

the good (or maybe the bad) thing is that I boat small inland lakes that are very populated and south enough that I dont have to worry about hypothermia at night. My biggest asset is not in a bag, is on me, my pfd. Everyone in my boat wears one while underway. If you are not a swimmer you wear one all the time, if you are a swimmer you have to have a floating device if swimming off the boat. I also tell someone where we going and our plans.

However, I think everyone should have a flashlight with extra batteries. 2 flashlights are better and even much better if they are attach to your pfd. A telecommunication device appropriate for the area (vhf, cellphone, personal locator device). A knife will also be handy.

Make sure the bag is waterproof and it will be better if it will float once is loaded. Choose brilliant colors and make sure it is not in a compartment. Leave it somewhere it is easy to grab and always keep it there so everyone that boats with you know where it is and can grab it quick.

 

[Chiliando]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

OK Here is what I carry:

1. Strearns Offshore vests each with strobe lights
2. McMurdo Fastfind G PLB with built-in GPS
3. Standard Horizon HX850S floating Handheld VHF with GPS and DSC
4. 3 Waterproof flashlights/strobe combos with extra batteries
5. 3 mirrors
6. Floating polypropylene line to keep group together and or attached to boat
7. Knife
8. Water
9. Nutrion bars
10. Solas parachute flares
11. Light sticks
12. Small first aid kit
13. Distress SOS floating spotlight/exrta batteries

All but the vests are in an ACR Rapid Ditchbag easliy gotten to.

I dont have the boat at home so I may have forgten items.

I always check the marine forecast in the morning before I go out. Hopefully I will never use the ditch bag but as we all know Sh_t happens.

 

[januarysails]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. I'm here in the Gulf but my buds actually drowned on a lake in Utah. 30 yrs here in St. Pete Fl and and lake gets them.... The 2 survivors said they were able to grab the PDFs and by the time they were in the water the saw the other four go under.

I have some life vests, a blow up raft, flares whistle and flag in mine. My wife is making me get an EPIRB but I never thought of a flash light or a hand held VHF. Great ideas.

I was hoping this thread would give us all ideas for a grab bag that would prevent us from drowning. If things go bad I have instructed my wife to go for the bag.

Thank you every one. and please keep the ideas comming.

Kev

 

[Nandy]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

I was hoping this thread would give us all ideas for a grab bag that would prevent us from drowning. If things go bad I have instructed my wife to go for the bag.

Thank you every one. and please keep the ideas comming.

Kev

I think your putting your faith in the wrong device to keep you from drowning. That is your pfd job. Not only have one on board for every passenger but wear it all he time the vessel is underway. That is a must regardless of what the law says. You cannot swim while you are impaired by whatever reasons you might be. Even if you are not impaired it is very hard to put a pfd on while in the water. If someone can't swim then it needs to wear a pfd all the time.
The grab bag should have the essentials to help you survive and assist in your rescue. Of course if it floats and you don't have a pfd grab anything that floats!!!
Good luck, sorry about your friends.

 

[sunrunner190]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

From my experience as a Ski Patroller in Mn. I am concerned with bone fractures and severe bleeding. I always have a pack with me filled with sterile gauze and dressings, and I have a SAM splint that can be used to splint a variety injuries. SAM splints are about $13.00 and can be found online. They are very easy to use. It is comforting to me to have a pack in my boat, as well as my car and truck.
Tim

 

[David Greer]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

consider your hazards. For me, needing to survive in the woods for a week is not likely. But here's something: I might get stuck overnight in a boat that is not sinking (I duck hunt tidal marshes). So a space blanket is important; think about gear you need on a disabled boat. Think about your likely disaster: floating 20 miles off shore or stuck on a lake bank. Also think short-term and long-time survival, with short term first: drowning and hypothermia. You won't need to desalinize water for drinking if you die in 40 minutes. Finally, consider whether you are in a populated area or deserted, including whether you go out on weekdays or weekends.

 

[RickV1955]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

A lot of great information for us "newbies".....

The biggies I thought were (of course) the PFD's....a first aid kit.....and one of the new electronic satelite beacons (I would think that off-shore in the Gulf - locating you in an emergency might be a first priority?)

Flashlights seem like a good addition.

My boat has a mounted GPS - would there be any need for a "hand held GPS" in addition?

 

[David Greer]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

your mounted GPS will remain so after you sink. In that case your handheld has to be submersible or in watertight seal. But all it does is tell you where you are. You need something to relay that info or it does you no good.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Lets build the perfect safety bag.

A lot of great information for us "newbies".....

My boat has a mounted GPS - would there be any need for a "hand held GPS" in addition?

I dont see how a hand help gps is going to help you. However, that distress beacon that you have with you will, depending on which type you have, either send your updated coordinates or just a distress signal that can be triangulated. Either one will get you help fast to your actual location.

Another thing to mention, even thought you cant fit this in a bag is, STAY with your boat!!!! You will have a better chance to be found with that big'ol white hull in the water which is way larger than your head. You could even be able to climb on in to fend yourself from hypothermia and other dangers in the water.
When I took my classes I did as an invitation of a customer that happened to be the president of the local Power Squadron. He gave us a very clear picture of how hard is to find a person in the water. He asked us to pick an old coconut from the beach before we sailed and throw it over board when we were out in open seas and not look back in 5 or 6 minutes. Then turn around and see if you can see it... If you didnt see it then try to go back and find it. All this without using a gps to watch our old tracks... We never saw that coconut again...