Grab Bag

[holmek]

What's in yours? For ocean crossings/coastal hopping?

[Healer52]

Abandon ship bag with painter, retroreflective tape
Binocs 6x30 waterproof
Compass, bearing, hand
Copies of documents – vessel, passport, etc.
Cutting board, poly (cut to fit bottom of bag)
Diamond sharpener
First Aid Kit, with anti-seasick tablets
Fishing kit, GI life raft

Flare set miniflare
Flare smoke floating orange 15 min 2
Flares aerial illumination
Flares Day-Night 6
Flares, aerial Red 4
Flares, smoke handheld 4
Flashlight, waterproof, Pelican 2D, lithium batteries

Flashlight, waterproof, Pelican 4AA, lithium batteries

Gloves, neoprene 2 pr (sm, xl)

GPIRB with integral GPS
GPS, HH, with lithium batteries, waterproof case
Laser green with lithium batteries
Lifeboat food 12Kcal
Multi-tool with lanyard
Notebook, waterproof, with pencil and space pen

Radio, HH, Aircraft in waterproof case, lanyard, flexible J-pole antenna

Radio, HH, GMDSS, lanyard
Raft clamps, 2 small, 2 med, 1 lg
Safety knife, lanyard
Satellite telephone waterproof case, lithium batteries with phone numbers programmed, lanyard
Sea anchors for life raft (2) spare
Search and Rescue Transponder
See-Rescue panel 12" wide (2)
Signal kite
Signaling mirror, glass 4x6" 2
Strobe light MS-2000 with lithium batteries
Sunscreen, SPF45, waterproof 2 tubes
Thermal protective Aid bags (4)
Water .5L (20 oz) bottles 8
Watermaker, RO PUR-06
Whistle, Fox-40

[matauwhi]

G'day, mates. When we have crew onboard, we have extra bags with dried food and water. Each person is assigned a specific bag to grab. Cheers.

[daddle]

I'd swap out much of that stuff for more fresh water. Not rely so much on the PUR 06.

[AquatiCat]

Originally Posted by daddle

I'd swap out much of that stuff for more fresh water. Not rely so much on the PUR 06.

Add a solar still if your voyages tend to be tropical: Solar Still US$200

Y2K Products Solar Water Distillers US$150

Cheaper to make your own, but this is at least ready-to-roll.

Also, they make SPF 70 now: I just got some Neutrogena Sport SPF70 for this kind of planning. Not to mention the occasional likely-too-much-sun day.

~Acat

[Healer52]

The raft survival pack already has water in it. The PUR-06 is mil-spec and included in military aircraft survival kits (either the -06 or the bigger hand operated one). We actually have two nearly-identical bags (the second doesn't have the SART, Satphone or aircraft HH).

SPF 45 sunscreen allows 2.2% of the UV through. SPF 70 allows 1.4% through. Not a big difference, especially in a raft (Winslow) with a cover.

The reason I have so much comm gear (waterproof, with lithium batteries) in there is so hopefully we're not in the raft too long.

When I was a pilot in the US Air Force (before medical school) one of my additional duties was as a life-support officer: I've made survival a particular area of scholarship. Fortunately I've never had to test my knowledge.

[rebel heart]

A yoga video so I can be flexible enough to kiss my ass goodbye.

[Healer52]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

A yoga video so I can be flexible enough to kiss my ass goodbye.

I decided to take the advice, and got a 10 liter Dromedary bag that I will lace on the outside of the bags. Much more and the bags won't be at all handy to move. Plus, I should have mentioned that we keep several jugs of water (7 gallon, 2.5 gallon, and 1 gallon) on hand when cruising, as a bit of disaster prep, so we will have water - we can put some or all (depending on time) into the raft if needed.

However, in reading your (humorous) comment, I realized I left the most important item out of my list: The one thing that is absolutely essential.

A positive mental attitude.

With it you can survive most anything. Without it you will not survive anything. After all, Steve Callahan didn't give up....