ditch bag/backup GPS

I got a new GPS (Garmin 76CS) Which have come way down in price. They have both automotive and marine data base, and take the micro SD cards of both topo, streets and marine features--plus they use AA batteries.

New VHF--Standard Horizon 270 S (rechargable and Alkaline battery tray, plus submersable)--

Same personal locator beacon---updated hand held flares...updated first aid kit etc.

Same bag--it seems better than the newer ones....

Small air horn..

How about adding an I pod!
 
I've taken the stuff that is for emergency only and sealed it with one of those vacuum packing machines that they sell for the kitchen. Not only is it fairly cheap, but it is a tougher plastic then Ziploc bags and completely waterproof. Also, everything is held securely in place until I break the seal, instead of getting jumbled around and banged against each other like in a regular bag.

It's also a good to write the expiration dates of things like batteries or medicines on the outside of the bag, or on a tag that you can see from the outside and put 'check expiration date of ditch bag' on your annual maintenance checklist so you don't find yourself with a dozen dead batteries.
 
Some of these ditch bags are going to be suitcase sized! Be prepared is a good motto.

But no one has asked about how you are going to stay warm. Wa water is around the same as our water but survival time without protective gear on is probably only a couple of hours. What you going to put on to deal with the cold water?

Survival suits might help but really they are not cold water gear so that puts us into wetsuit or drysuit territory. Have you ever put one of theses suits on? They need to fit and you almost need a helper. I don't keep cold water gear on board but might consider it on a long voyage as part of the ditch bag.

I guess the other option is to launch the dingy.

Part of my ditch bag is low tech. MIrror and a batteryless flashlight that you shake to charge, flares, smoke signals. Part of it is high tech also. I trust the low tech stuff more than the high tech stuff.
 
Hello,
If I where going some place remote like up the inside passage to Alaska I would also carry a satellite phone. One with prepaid minutes or with a regular plan. I guess in a dry bag so you or your wife could find fast inside the ditch bag.
D.D.
 
I've worn wet suits, dry suits, Mustang work suits, and examined the Mustang survival suits.

I'd certainly have one of the above on board in Alaskan waters for myself and each passenger.

The Mustang Work suit is quite comfortable and confidence inspiring in tough weather conditions. (Worn with good lace up semi-watertight boots and warm
socks.) Don't forget a good wool or neoprene cap or similar.

The USCG wears them on surfboats with an overlay life vest with seven pieces of survival gear, although I'm not sure I can remember them all:

Things like a non-pointed cutting knife for ropes, not for a Wallas Stove Malfunction Self-Sacrifice- If you remember that remark by Sneaks), a reflecting signal mirror, a hand held flare, a hand launched rocket flare, a whistle, dye marker, a flashlight/strobe, etc.

Add a waterproof VHF, an EPIRB, a Satellite phone, medical supplies, and a bottle of Grand Mariner, and you'd be happy and home in no time.

Joe. :lol:
 
Mustang survival suit is a good suit but its not rated for 50 degree water. Cold water gear is a drysuit with maybe a bunny suit underneath.

They both take time to put on and the mustang survival is good in cold air but the dry suit is good in cold water. Both are a pita to wear while underway. The drysuit is really bad to wear because it does not breath. I have had to wear both types of suits when underway. Not at the same time but when the water temperature dropped below 50 the dry suits were required.

A ditch bag isn't going to do much good if your shivering.
 
For me the two single most useful survival tools, next to knowing your limits, are a waterproof VHS radio and a personal EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon).

Where we boat (Prince William Sound)there’s almost always another boat within radio range, and the Coastguard monitors the area through a network of repeater stations.

If you don’t put yourself in a situation that dictates the necessary to have every piece of survival equipment known to mankind, the ditch bag can be down sized.
For one thing, there's only so much room on these little vessels, using your head and staying out of harms why is the single most important survival tool you have!

In Alaska, the only suit that is proven to save your life in the event your boat sinks and your alone in the water is a Survival Suit.

Back when I commercial fished we put ourselves in harms way to make a buck, and being able to put on a survival suit in under 60 seconds was part of taking that risk.

I personally don’t think it necessary to carry survival suits for everyone on board my little CD, nor do I believe it’s practical.
 
We have never carried survival suits or life rafts (even on crossings of the North Atlantic/North Sea. But what we do carry almost every time, we go out is an inflatable dinghy. These can be small--even the new Hobie inflatable Kayak (39 lbs) would qualify. When we had the larger boats, we either had RIB's or large inflatables (13 feet)--and CO2 bottles to inflate the boat, as well as a canopy for the inflatable. As I get older, and if I were still crossing oceans, I would buy either a surival pod (these are fiberglass) or a good quality life raft. We have various levels of abandon ship bags--and again with the larger boats we always had a bag with warm clothing (fleece).

As for the sunblock--the idea would be to be rescued before you needed an item such as this... thus the EPIRB /radios etc.

Our standard ditch bag has been the same size for over 30 years--and it is about 12" long and 6" in diameter--a size which can be easily carried in the dinghy, and kept near the helm. I probably should put some photos up--will do this after the Gulf coast gathering.
 
marvin4239":4oytb5y8 said:
I haven't heard anyone mention sunblock. Seems that might be a good addition to a ditch bag.
Click to expand...

Marvin, sunblock is an essential in your home state of Florida, however since "sun" is an unknown entity in Washington state we don't need it in our ditch bags. The space taken up by your sunblock is replaced with a bottle of brandy.... :mrgreen: (That is our secret to happiness...... :wink ).
 
The Standard Horizon HX850S has the internal GPS and DSC. I have chosen a separate GPS (Garmin 76 CX is our primary hand held, although we have several others)--because these are small chart plotters, which can be used for dinghy navigation, as well as position finding for distress. We also have several hand held VHF's--one for each person, so if one malfunctions, we have a back up.

The other issue, is that DSC does not seem to be complete. I have yet to hear a DSC distress call, and I have a VHF radio on a good deal of the time. Down the line when we have a good functioning DSC system, or there is necessity for compactness in the ditch bag, there is certainly a case for the combined GPS and radio.
 
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