Most Important Safety Equipment

[FamilyVan]

I like to have a good sharp ax. Turn it around and its even more useful- a big hammer.

Somebody already mentioned it, but a hacksaw with a few steel cutting blades. I have a selection of pry bars I use rather frequently. Duct tape was mentioned but electrical tape, some wire and liquid gasket.

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[Hobie_ind]

Originally Posted by Sdwcheney

"Spot" It satellites provide signals, sends location for a rescue. Anywhere in the world.

No they don't. Actually quite limited coverage outside of Europe, North America and Australia due to their geo-stationary satellites. There are huge gaps in coverage mid-ocean.

Not a suitable substitute for a properly registered EPIRB.

[Sardean]

Originally Posted by seasick

All good suggestions. I find my wife's brain and ears the ones I too, use the most.

I will add, one of those emergency VHF antennas. When run down by a tanker in the Delaware River, our topmast came down with our VHF antenna. This was a handy item to have.
Can't have a big enough manual bilge pump on deck. We once pumped 24-7, for our lives, for two weeks. Spare pump parts, a must.
We ended up making a triangle 6" to the side, connected at each point with a bridle, towed astern 30' and connected to our pump handle. As the triangle jumped in and out of the water, the pump pulled water from the bilge. A bungee cord pulled the handle back. We now use the same jumping triangle to work an agitator on a five gallon bucket washing machine. This design is from an illustration of an old sailing ship.

What an amazing contraption I love it but hope I never need it and hope if ever I do that I will remember it. Fantastic

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[FamilyVan]

I missed a good one on my list, jumper cables, better yet, a couple of jumper cables.

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[Mirage35]

For when the electronics fail: paper charts, a compass, and knowing how to use them.

[hogHunter]

All great feedback! Thanks everyone!

[jessehunt]

Rule 33 colregs





(a) A vessel of 12 meters or more in length shall be provided with a whistle and a bell


so, yes

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by jessehunt

Rule 33 colregs





(a) A vessel of 12 meters or more in length shall be provided with a whistle and a bell


so, yes

NO

USCG updated sept 19 2015 Return to V-Directorate's Home Page.

*Under a recent change, a vessel 12 meters (39.4 ft) to less than 20 meters (65 ft) is no longer required to carry a bell on board.

The Coast Guard said: "The bottom-line, a bell is no longer required on a vessel less than 20 meters in length. That of course means a bell is not required for those same vessels for successful completion of a VSC."

Changed in order to bring US inland rules in line with the international rules which never required a bell for under 20m.

[YPSILANTI]

one must refer to the safety requirement listings specific to the country of your home berth. The lists are endless. No one has mentioned a life raft, a grab bag, a waterproof container containing hand held flares, rocket flares, a mirror, water, rations, spare VHF radios, a compass, charts, an EPIRB , firts aid kit, sat phone, life rings, MOB Eqt in its numerous forms, harnesses, torches, knife, spare batteries, spare GPS, ships docs , charts, dry clothing, a spear gun, fishing eqt, etc etc etc etc etc.

[YPSILANTI]

An often overlooked item if one abandons ship is the ships and crews documents, pre-copied and certified in a waterproof container, Try washing up in a country off east Africa without any proof of ID or your vessel. You'll be siting in jail very quickly. Its happened. Ships and crew papers thus become integral safety equipment for survival. Papers, and lots of money or lots of time to negotiate, But yes, thats ,more of a grab bag item.

[slowpoker]

1. Keep the water outside and people onboard: Plugs, pumps, bucket, wax seal for toilets, underwater epoxy, etc. Harness with a short line attached to the centerline of the vessel that will never allow you to past the rail. Self inflating life jacket with whistle and light.
2. Good anchoring system: Keep away from rocks, fix problem, rest. Depends on situation and location.
3. Extra water to drink, food to eat: Easy to prepare stuff.
4. Extra fuel for engine and for cooking: Extra, separate containers, flashlights for underwater. Mask and fins.
5. Knowledge and common sense: Read, learn all you can and apply it wisely. Patience, not panic.
6. Coffee to stay awake but take naps when you can.
7. Medical supplies, pain medication, stomach relief, Ambesol for sudden tooth ache, napkins, toilet paper, alcohol, ammonia, first aid book.
8. Simple fishing rigs, knife, sun or cold or wet protection...hat, long sleeves, gloves, rain gear.
9. Solar panel to recharge start battery or power radio/phone charger 12 volt. Hand mirror for signaling.
10. Maintain your vessel safe and well. Learn to fix everything. Keep books on how to fix things and have the tools to do the job. Have a list of where supplies are to find them. Prior preparation for avoidance of emergencies. Use and keep your head and plan every move ahead of doing it.
What can go wrong?

[Jon Eisberg]

The list is neverending, of course... If I had to select one item not yet mentioned, I'd go with a Band-It tool...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nLfRYjlnKU

But as to the "Most Important", that is the realization that you can't buy safety that should inform every consideration surrounding the matter...

You Can’t Buy Safety

Posted by Lin & Larry on May 15, 2012


This chapter, from our book the Capable Cruiser, 3rd edition was originally written in response to a magazine editorial. It was printed in Latitudes and Attitudes several years ago but nothing has changed as far as the heavy marketing of so called Safety equipment. So Larry and I think it is worth sharing it with folks who getting ready to set off cruising.

The list of safety gear you “should” buy is endless; the potential to sink your cruising budget by buying it is definitely real. Some safety gear is essential, some is useful, most of it will never get used so where do you draw the line? It’s a hard call even for experienced sailors. The only way to make wise choices is by getting out sailing and racking up lots of sea time in lots of different weather situations so you can truly evaluate what equipment you need. In the rush to ready your boat and shore life so you can get out cruising, it is hard to gain this experience/sea time.


Here are some thoughts to keep in mind when you consider safety gear:
The first and most important piece of safety gear you have on board is a partner who has the knowledge and skills to handle the boat. There is not one piece of man-overboard gear that is going to help if the person left on the boat does not know how to get the boat back to you.


Your boat is your life raft. That rubber thing in a valise or canister is an abandon-ship raft, a flimsy replacement for the strong boat you are thinking of leaving and only a hopeful last chance. The vast majority of boats abandoned by their owners are later found drifting crew-less and afloat.


The harness you may or may not use on deck is just that, a harness to back up your hands. It does not insure safety, nor is it a substitute for learning to move around on deck using the old fashioned sounding seaman’s adage; one hand for you, one hand for the ship.


The only sure way of avoiding collisions at sea is by having someone stand watch in the cockpit. A watch keeper on deck will be able to spot that violent squall approaching in time to drop sail before it hits. Because he/she will have lots of time to look around the boat the watch keeper might notice a potential gear failure before it causes a serious problem. The more reasons (or excuses) you have for staying below deck, the less safe you become.


Gear that is used only in emergencies may not function properly if you and the crew have not practiced using it. Inflatable items like liferafts may also fail to inflate/deploy/work due to ingress of salt water, exposure to sun and heat or human error when it was originally packed or repacked.


Think prevention instead of cure. I.e. improving the non-skid on your deck and cabin-top could prevent crew from skidding overboard. Improving your boomvang/preventer-tackle-system could prevent an injury-causing accidental gybe.


Over the past few months we have had the pleasure of rendezvous with some highly experienced cruising sailors, folks who have each circumnavigated twice and sailed far beyond the normal routes including Noel and Litara Barrett winners of the Blue Water Medal, Alvah and Diana Simons, Beth Leonard and Evans Starzinger. Interestingly the topic of safety brought the same reactions from each of these master sailors, “it’s far safer at sea than on the freeways. Car’s whizzing past you at 60 miles an hour, only three or four feet to spare. Out at sea you are rarely moving more than 6 or 8 knots.” But we all agreed; with experience comes confidence, with confidence comes the ability to access safety or accept risks. Almost everyone who sets off cruising has far more experience on freeways than at sea. If you had a look at the boats each of these remarkable people sail you’d be surprised at how Spartan their “safety gear” list appears. Each of their boats is highly geared towards efficient sailing, each has very clear deck areas and an extensive system of handholds throughout the cabin, in the cockpit and on deck, and each has all essential systems independent of electricity. Each carries a plethora of back up rigging and sail repair equipment. Each has an abundance of anchors, anchor-rodes and a powerful windlass.


If you are outfitting for your first foray offshore, consider spending some of the funds you put aside for safety equipment on a learn- to- cruise charter. Invite that salty old guy who sailed around the world ten years back to go out sailing with you for a weekend and assess your gear, or lack of it, through his eyes. Hire a professional delivery skipper to join you for a day or two of sea-trails before you invest in any more “safety” gear. You will be buying something far more dependable than a piece of gear that might theoretically save your life in a theoretical situation; you’ll be buying first-hand experience that could prevent that theoretical catastrophe from happening in the first place.


You Can’t Buy Safety | Lin & Larry Pardey: Newsletters & Cruising Tips

[nic26]

Originally Posted by RNW

Couple more ideas. 1) Actually practice man overboard retrieval with just two of you on the boat. 2 ) Quote from Director of the local marine safety organization. "The fatalities in the US aren't wearing life jackets. Our fatalities aren't wearing the jackets properly"

Which says nothing about fatalities despite wearing a life jacket properly.

[Emerald Sea]

World Cruising Club has a comprehensive listing of safety and communication equipment required for ARC participants however it applies to any cruiser undertaking ocean crossings.

http://www.worldcruising.com/CMS/CMS...ns_ENG_Web.pdf



Steve
L450
SV Emerald Sea

[ramblinrod]

OMG, I can't believe some of the posts with equipment so far down the list of importance:

1. Good seamanship skills.
2. Good seamanship skills.
3. Good seamanship skills.

That's what you need.

The next most important safety gear, way down the list, at maybe item 3127, (all prior are "Good seasmanship skills") is properly installed and working communication equipment.

(Of all of the boats we inspect, you wouldn't believe the high percentage of poor quality radio installations.)

Ramblin Rod
www.sheenmarine.com