Coastal safety equipment

[mbird]

Ok, now we are starting to look forward to the new season, it's about time we started accruing the necessary safety equipment. I'm not talking about the latest electronic gizmos, just basic common-sense stuff. My preliminary list is as follows, but I'd be grateful if anyone could add anything they see as essential too.

1. Working VHF (already have)

2. Handheld backup VHF (already have)

3. Lifejackets (have three, need to purchase one more for moi)

4. Lifebelt (already have)

5. Coastal flare pack (not yet bought)

6. GPS (already have)

7. Charts (already have)

8. First aid kit (not yet assembled)

9. Spare fuel filters (not yet bought)

10. Spare drive belts (not yet bought)

Anything I've missed?

[Guest]

Blimey when do you stop?

... Hand bearing compass, main and auxiliary anchors, drogue, danbouy, EPIRB

[Antares_9]

Spare oil ( leg, engine and hydraulics), spare oil filters, spare impellers, tie wraps, gaffer tape, hose clips, hoses, selection of electrical cable and terminals, fuses for all onboard systems, tool kit.

Throw line, 20m of 12mm string above usual warps, Wooden or rubber tapered bungs tied to each seacock, harness for anybody going up front (vital on a sports cruiser with no decks) inflatable tender carried inflated.

Obviously the BSS will arready have taken care of fire related equipment but a bucket and lanyard is always a good suplement.

[Guest]

Most important of all ... knowledge and kit to navigate without electronic aids.

[senator]

self amalgmating tape is always a good thing to have. If anything springs a leak it will probably get you home. You should also have spare hoses in case it doesnt.

The good thing is while close inshore in our neck of the woods you have two things going for you.

Firstly you have a spare engine so other than contaminated fuel you should have one to get you back and secondly, the coast is mostley soft sand so you can always aim it at the beach and run it aground.

Ian

[Julz]

Some good waterproof clothing to protect you and anything you may have in your pockets from wind, spray and unexpected waves over the bow, I lost a new mobile phone that was in my pocket due to a drenching i got coming back into Bridlington harbour last year, it killed it off dead and it was unrepairable, so went out and bought some overtrousers as well as the jacket

Im quite a fan of Regatta branded stuff myself, but theres probably more better stuff out there if you do a search of the chandlers.

Julz

[Guest]

what about those waterproof self seal bag things for keys wallet mobile phones ect just incase the worst happens

Jonny

[C.Ricko]

Self inflating life raft?

[Antares_9]

Bit of overkill Clive an inflatable should cover coastal needs, a timely reminder though, our liferaft will need it's first service this year, more bloody money spent on stuff I hope to never use.

Jonny's post reminded me, a grab bag to put all the stuff you need for a ditching.

[Guest]

Jonny's post reminded me, a grab bag to put all the stuff you need for a ditching.

what about those waterproof self seal bag things for keys wallet mobile phones ect just incase the worst happens

wasn't that what i described David

Jonny

[Happy Jax 3]

Don't forget the Beer Mark, just incase you lose your fresh water supply.

[C.Ricko]

Bit of overkill Clive an inflatable should cover coastal needs, a timely reminder though, our liferaft will need it's first service this year, more bloody money spent on stuff I hope to never use.

Jonny's post reminded me, a grab bag to put all the stuff you need for a ditching.

I have one on which the service is out of date, I dont know wether to sell it or hang on to it incase I manage to get a boat (I can use at sea) a bit chicken and egg but the first boat I bought for 'Clives grand adventure' is not really the right thing

[Guest]

RUM!!!!

:

[Guest]

mark,

joking apart, on Jupes I knocked up a laminated card with specific instructions on how to make a DSC distress call and the procedure to follow to contact the coastguard.

Reason being...although I have taken the VHF radio course, it may be me thats fallen overboard..leaving suzanne, lydia and any guests who wouldnt have a clue how to steer the vessel, let alone call for help.

Its always left it in a prominent position in the helm and if ever we were going coastal would explain what it was and what to do with it to all on board.

The exact wording that the coastguard would want to hear, in the order they need it and it even included the radios mmsi number which they can use to access my personal and vessel details registered with the MCA.

Going on the VHF course also gave me a better understanding of how the distress system/VHF and the coastgaurd all work together. £125 well spent in my opinion especially given our inexperience at sea.

If you pm me your mail address I can send an example of the card we had on Jupes.

I have yet to register the VHF on the "bling" but just seeing your post has escalated it to the top of my to do list, and I certainly would not exit port to sea without the prewritten distress procedure on board!!!

adam... : : :

[donnygeoff]

There are a lot of goods points on this thread, but I think the most important one was in the opening post

just basic common-sense

A lot of accidents and dramas can be avoided by that.

IMHO it should be taught at school.

[senator]

Sorry Rod but surely clothing should not be encouraged for deck totty

Ian

[Antares_9]

There are a lot of goods points on this thread, but I think the most important one was in the opening post

A lot of accidents and dramas can be avoided by that.

IMHO it should be taught at school.

Though important I agree Geoff, it is far from THE most important, most folks on here who ask questions have a high degree of "common" but without the knowlege and training it is difficult to apply said common sense or even to understand what would be common sense in a given situation. Thing is there should be no need even to apply common sense as the planning and preperation should take care of most eventualities.

[Guest]

Sorry Rod but surely clothing should not be encouraged for deck totty

Ian

Agree totally. Even in the rain

[senator]

Talking of Totty, I have nice tubular radar reflector, I believe that you need one by law. well not a big, long one but Heather picked that, even think that the joined up bits of metal are better and if you really want to be seen a SeeMe or other active reflector.

Ian

[goodall_m1]

Bit of overkill Clive an inflatable should cover coastal needs, a timely reminder though, our liferaft will need it's first service this year, more bloody money spent on stuff I hope to never use.

Jonny's post reminded me, a grab bag to put all the stuff you need for a ditching.

I agree that a life-raft could be an overkill if you always sling the inflatable on the stern (as I think you do) but a deflated inflatable is not an option if you need a rapid launch.

(and I see you have a raft as well anyway)

It would also be dependent on the sort of conditions that you are going to be out in, but then coastal motoring makes it a bit easier to read the weather than when doing a long offshore passage in a sailing yacht.

Being able to go above 8 knots means that in time terms you are usually a lot closer to shelter as well.

In my case, (if I ever get around to buying my own boat) I would certainly take note of a hint I got from my survival instructor and get a few extras ,

like a spare pair of glasses included inside my life-raft when I got it serviced.

Other people may have other essentials that they need to have in the event that they can't get to their grab bag.

My only other suggestions would be to ensure that your life-jacket have crotch straps,

preferable have a spray hood available (makes it far easier to breath when swimming in rough seas),

and automatic lights if there is any chance of you ever doing a night passage.

Also make sure that your jackets are comfortable to wear and get into the habit of wearing them

While thinking of night passages, a powerful torch or spotlight can be useful in attracting the attention of vessels that are not keeping a good lookout.

White parachute flares can also be useful but a couple of million candlepower spot lighting up the bridge usually gets their attention.

A one day sea-survival course could be useful to hammer home the way to use some of the survival equipment,

you may not have time to read the instructions when you have to use the equipment.

(N.B. if doing it in swimming pool use the schools waterproofs our an old useless set, I ruined a perfectly good Gill jacket on mine,

they aren't very good at resisting chlorine).

As Antares says "more expense on thing I hope never to have to use", but when you do need to use them its too late to buy them.

Martin

[mbird]

mark,

joking apart, on Jupes I knocked up a laminated card with specific instructions on how to make a DSC distress call and the procedure to follow to contact the coastguard.

Reason being...although I have taken the VHF radio course, it may be me thats fallen overboard..leaving suzanne, lydia and any guests who wouldnt have a clue how to steer the vessel, let alone call for help.

Its always left it in a prominent position in the helm and if ever we were going coastal would explain what it was and what to do with it to all on board.

The exact wording that the coastguard would want to hear, in the order they need it and it even included the radios mmsi number which they can use to access my personal and vessel details registered with the MCA.

Going on the VHF course also gave me a better understanding of how the distress system/VHF and the coastgaurd all work together. £125 well spent in my opinion especially given our inexperience at sea.

If you pm me your mail address I can send an example of the card we had on Jupes.

I have yet to register the VHF on the "bling" but just seeing your post has escalated it to the top of my to do list, and I certainly would not exit port to sea without the prewritten distress procedure on board!!!

adam... : : :

That's exactly what I was going to do too Adam, so I'll PM you my email address if you've already done the hard work for me I also intned to instruct SWMBO and number 1 son in very basic how to read a chart and find your position on it position. It could be me that tips over the side (looking for the totty's scarf/rum/beer no doubt) and they need to know how to call for help, but also how to get back to shore.

We don't currently have a tender/dinghie. Would you guys class that as an essential item then, as I hadn't really thought about that

WRT radar reflectors, Ian, that is something we definately haven't got. I don't think it is actually law yet that you need one, but the RNLI take the stance that if one can be fitted to a RIB, then they can be fitted to anything. Some of them are bloody expensive though, so what would you recommend?

[Antares_9]

I reckon you really need (or rather hope you don't need) to carry an inflated tender ready for easy deployment Mark, it's one of the few safety items that you can actually get some enjoyment out of as it serves two purposes. Radar reflectors, except that to say active transponders are a good but expensive option I will hold my piece.

[senator]

Hi Mark, as far as I am aware it is compulsory for any vessel to carry a radar reflector if practicable as it is compulsory to show a black ball when at Anchor during the day and show a single all round white light while at anchor at night. so a black ball would also be a worth while piece of kit.

I bought a Seago M2 tube type radar reflector for about £25 but if you read up on these things you will find that the cheapest are almost as good as the best for passive, that is the aluminium ones with lots of bits sticking off at about £15, they just don't look pretty. If you want to make sure you can be seen though get a SeaMe at about £450. I couldn't justify the SeaMe for the amount of time and the depth of water we run in but as with everything else, when that ship suddenly appears 20' off you port side then £450 seems very good value.

Ian

[seaboater]

Even if a radar reflector worked (and many tests have shown that they are of doubtful value), there's no guarantee that any ship would actually notice you. The key is always to ensure you are not in their way, and not to go out there if there's any risk of fog.

Having said that, I've been caught out in suddenly descending fog once or twice and it's not nice. I have radar and can head inshore to get out of the way of most bigger boats, nevertheless it's a highly disorientating and unpleasant sensation and one to be avoided. If in doubt, turn back has to be the maxim.

[Loops]

Scaring the bejesus out of me