food for life raft

[livbysea]

Originally Posted by AJ_n_Audrey

Typically, food is a lower priority than other things, but if you can get the Army MRE Chili Mac (MRE Genuine US Military Surplus Meal Ready to Eat, Chili and Macaroni), I can verify they taste as good as such a meal can, they last a long, long time, and they are jam-packed with calories. Some of the other MRE meals are truly and sincerely terrible (I know from long experience), but Chili Mac is good. I would not take more than one or two per person, depending on how far from land you will be. Also, a fishing kit is not a bad idea. I also have an emergency five gallon jerry can of water in addition to what the life raft contains, and I would attach an extra pfd to that and secure to the life raft tether (along with ditch bag) in case of ditching.

Good point about food vs water. we have line and hooks for fishing - and 1 gallon jugs - which take longer to move to the raft - but are easier to store while underway... .Lots of good suggestions for our consideration! thanks. livbysea

[livbysea]

thanks - good ideas!

[roland stockham]

BVI in Nov? - Sounds like you will be sailing into a disaster zone, how about emergency supplies for the locals, people may still be surviving in shelters with little food water and medical supplies

[livbysea]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

BVI in Nov? - Sounds like you will be sailing into a disaster zone, how about emergency supplies for the locals, people may still be surviving in shelters with little food water and medical supplies

totally agree - We have contacted World Cruising Club (we're joining ARC 1500) and asked how we can help. They are working on that as we speak. Not clear if they will postpone - or cancel - but they believe tourism dollars will be helpful - the big question is when.

Thanks for your important comment! livbysea

[puffcard]

I use to offshore race with a guy who always put rice in the ditch bag. I didn't get it, but it swells up and fills the void. The WATER is the most important thing. Right after you deploy the raft/lifeboat and activate the EPIRB, go cut the spare 5 gal water jug free from the rail and tie to the raft. It will float, and can be dragged along with it or brought on the raft. You can last 3 weeks without food and only a few days without water. We pack a bunch of Nature Valley Protein bars in our DB and after the crossing we eat them. No to chocolate, it melts, has caffeine which can add to dehydration.

[livbysea]

Originally Posted by puffcard

I use to offshore race with a guy who always put rice in the ditch bag. I didn't get it, but it swells up and fills the void. The WATER is the most important thing. Right after you deploy the raft/lifeboat and activate the EPIRB, go cut the spare 5 gal water jug free from the rail and tie to the raft. It will float, and can be dragged along with it or brought on the raft. You can last 3 weeks without food and only a few days without water. We pack a bunch of Nature Valley Protein bars in our DB and after the crossing we eat them. No to chocolate, it melts, has caffeine which can add to dehydration.

THANKS!
we have many one gallon jugs - but they might be harder to move (though easier to store) - will think about that. am leaning toward WATER, peanut butter, crown pilot crackers, protein drinks, and granola bars - pretty compact
and shelf stable. big question is whether the islands will find cruisers a benefit or a burden..... livbysea

[barnakiel]

WATER. You need just WATER.

Neither fats nor proteins. These both require plenty of water to digest.

What you want is WATER at max. You are not going to lift weighs while in the raft so your calories intake is irrelevant. You just need sugars for you brain and heart to go ticking.

If you say have 10 pounds of space in the raft, take 9.5 pounds of water, chuck in some energy gels or power bars and you are fine for a week.

Cheers,
b.

[puffcard]

I know in the Bahamas many cruisers helped the people on Long Island after Hurricane Joaquin and their help was greatly appreciated. If you go down as a vacationing tourist, you'll be in the way. If you go down to help and not require too many resources, you'll be welcomed.

[ejs]

We have a tube of Wasabi to go with the fish we catch, and lots of water.
:-)
Eric

[MV Wanderlust]

We opted for two cases of MREs. The packages include water. Two cases should contain enough meals to last your group for a couple of days, if managed carefully.

John

[Chuck Hawley]

I have a few thoughts:

1. Don't reinvent the wheel. There are, as has previously been mentioned, pretty optimized emergency rations that have the properties you want. I think it tastes like compressed graham crackers. Takes a minimal amount of water for digestion.

2. EPIRBs in particular have reduced the amount of time people spend in rafts. The need for fishing gear, food, sailing rigs, and other survival gear is arguably less now that in the past. (I know I am going to hear from some of you claiming that this is bad seamanship, but you can't take everything in a grab bag, and having an EPIRB or even a PLB makes it far less likely that you'll need much at all.)

3. The second item I would have is a small Katadyn watermaker, or a high probability that I could grab a 5 gallon water jug as I abandoned ship. A lack of water will kill you in 3-7 days (your results may vary), but a lack of food might take 21-30 days, or longer.

4. Make sure you have any prescription medicines that you need to sustain life in your grab bag.

Cheers,

Chuck

[livbysea]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

WATER. You need just WATER.

Neither fats nor proteins. These both require plenty of water to digest.

What you want is WATER at max. You are not going to lift weighs while in the raft so your calories intake is irrelevant. You just need sugars for you brain and heart to go ticking.

If you say have 10 pounds of space in the raft, take 9.5 pounds of water, chuck in some energy gels or power bars and you are fine for a week.

Cheers,
b.

thanks - learning a lot from feedback - much appreciated - livbysea

[livbysea]

Originally Posted by Chuck Hawley

I have a few thoughts:

1. Don't reinvent the wheel. There are, as has previously been mentioned, pretty optimized emergency rations that have the properties you want. I think it tastes like compressed graham crackers. Takes a minimal amount of water for digestion.

2. EPIRBs in particular have reduced the amount of time people spend in rafts. The need for fishing gear, food, sailing rigs, and other survival gear is arguably less now that in the past. (I know I am going to hear from some of you claiming that this is bad seamanship, but you can't take everything in a grab bag, and having an EPIRB or even a PLB makes it far less likely that you'll need much at all.)

3. The second item I would have is a small Katadyn watermaker, or a high probability that I could grab a 5 gallon water jug as I abandoned ship. A lack of water will kill you in 3-7 days (your results may vary), but a lack of food might take 21-30 days, or longer.

4. Make sure you have any prescription medicines that you need to sustain life in your grab bag.

Cheers,

Chuck

thanks - we have an epirb and plbs - prescriptions in ditch already - have seen the small desalinators - will look into that more extensively.

[livbysea]

Originally Posted by JohnEasley

We opted for two cases of MREs. The packages include water. Two cases should contain enough meals to last your group for a couple of days, if managed carefully.

John

thanks!! nice to have food and water together

[Suijin]

Are you sailing TO the BVIs (and from where), or IN the BVIs?

If the former, and from up north, you're going to be out of (easy) range of the USCG, which is essentially 350 miles offshore. It could take awhile for someone to reach you. So it does make sense to fill a bag with food, batteries, and medical supplies, beyond the immediate ditch bag. A few 5 gallon blue jerry cans of water in the lazarette is a good idea as well.

If you're just sailing IN the BVIs...a much smaller kit is adequate.

Either way you want the most compact food you can assemble. Getting stuff into a life raft in emergency conditions is not a sure thing and can be almost impossible in some circumstances.