Ditch Bag Contents

[Caribsailors]

Hello all,

I have just been reviewing the contents of my ditch bag as I do occasionally, and was wondering what others place in there own.

I did a search here on ditch bag, and nothing was returned, so I figured it would make a good thread for all.

Cheers

[Therapy]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ents-5216.html

[AnchorageGuy]

Can't recall everything without going into it but we carry a couple of bottles of water, a 406 epirb, Hand held flares and smoke flares, a mirror, a small horn, our passports and wallets, a small fender to make it float, power bars sealed in watertight container, a knife, fish hooks and line, seasick pills, needed prescriptions, whistle for each crew member, strobe light, hand held VHF, first aid kit and I know there is more.

[Maren]

From a while back on a friends boat. We never needed any of this (except the first aid kit once) but I went through the kit once when changing out the water bottles.

Signal
flares, chemlights, mirror, with any luck the hand-held VHF would have come too. (come to think of it, solar battery charger might not be so useful now since most VHS don't use AAs).

Safety
First aid kit (this was the one with the boat but it was stored in the ditch bag), 2 emergency blankets (orange/aluminized mylar), EPRIB, 2 bars Castile soap, 1 hand towel.

Food & Water
Fishing kit & filet knife in otter box (holes are bad), Cutting board (slices are bad too), 4-1 liter, wide mouth, Nalgeen bottles (2 filled, 2 empty -- changed every week if we remembered), first need water purifier, a box of sports bars, And the one that really threw me: Mint extract in an eye dropper bottle.

Info
Write in the Rain notebooks, a couple of pencils, Armed Forces Survival Guide - this was more for entertainment and mindset.

Other
Solar battery charger, gorilla tape, 2 patch kits, a large mess of parachute cord, leatherman, 1 tire intertube, 8" bike pump, wide brimmed hats, a few pairs socks, 2 pairs gloves, a couple of long sleeved t shirts (but inexplicably no extra underwear or bras), a large section of clear plastic (the purifier wouldn't work on salt water)

What I would have added.
Maybe a survival radio in a waterproof box, tooth brushes and floss, purifier that would work with salt water, a mask, a sealed LED flashlight you shake to charge, and I think I would ditch the shirts for a couple sets of diveskins.

[MarkJ]

DVD's
DVD player (Shock proof)
Popcorn
Microwave (for popcorn)

[Maren]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

DVD's
DVD player (Shock proof)
Popcorn
Microwave (for popcorn)

That's the right attitude!

[bobfnbw]

Haven't made ours up yet, but am in the process of putting together a really extensive medical kit. It is in a large Pelican case that will float and give a fair amount of positive boyency.

For our ditch bag, I would think, that insurance papers, ships docs, some tools, fishing gear, hand watermaker, still, fresh water, food (as much as possilbe) EPIRB, VHF radio, Cell phone, Cash, Passport, dry cloths, sun screen, hat, sunglasses, batteries, solar charger, gps, raft repair kit, DVD backup of computer, some parashute cord, mask and snorkle.

Some would reside in the bag, while others would be thrown in at the last moment.
All is at the foot of the companionway ladder so its a quick throw up and then out.
But my raft is pretty heavy and I don't look foreward to throwing it up the ladder.

[Stillraining]

One for flotation on each corner of my raft...if not found befor there empty my liver will have killed me anyway...

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

One for flotation on each corner of my raft...if not found befor there empty my liver will have killed me anyway...

Robinson Cruiso did the same thing and was drunk for 16 years. You be carefull out there. The Coast Guard may breathalize your liferaft!!!!!!!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by bobfnbw

... DVD backup of computer ...

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't an SD Memory Stick be a better backup?

[Maren]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't an SD Memory Stick be a better backup?

Nah, the SD card is too small and the DVD also doubles as signal mirror.

[bobfnbw]

Originally Posted by Maren

Nah, the SD card is too small and the DVD also doubles as signal mirror.

lol.

Guess either would do, but the dvd might survive immersion in salt water better then a electronic memory stick would, but of course you could put it in a small pelican case that is water proof along with your passport and ships papers....

[captain465]

I just reviewed this thread, and found that many had an Epirb listed as part of the contents...........I wonder, is this over and beyond an Epirb mounted in the cockpit, or is it the only Epirb used aboard?????

[Maren]

Originally Posted by captain465

I just reviewed this thread, and found that many had an Epirb listed as part of the contents...........I wonder, is this over and beyond an Epirb mounted in the cockpit, or is it the only Epirb used aboard?????

Only one and it's physical inclusion was notional unless there was an accident. This may not be the best example but it's similar to a cooler you might take on a long car ride for drinks. Most of the time its in the garage.

Of course if you forget the cooler the consequences are not usually described as severe.

[Waterborn]

Don't forget a deck of cards; for solitaire. When stranded alone, just start playing, and in a matter of seconds someone will be standing over your shoulder telling you to put the ace up top.