What do you keep in your bugout bags

[Dave_S]

We were on the boat yesterday figuring out what needs to change when we convert from weekenders to long term. We figure we will have two or even three bags.

One main bag for the boat and two for the tender. We will go to some remote areas where help might not be close by and wondered what happens if for whatever reason we are ashore and we can't get back in the tender. We will need to camp the night, so one bag, probably a back pack filled with the usual hiker / camper gear. Then one standard bag for the tender and one for the mother ship or do you just have one for all and what do you keep in them. Then what if one stays on the boat and one goes ashore.

What are your ideas and how do you do it.

[mat jam]

Not sure why you are asking this. You should assume you will always make it back to the boat. It is against the law to not spend the night on your boat in some countries for good reason - anything can happen. I never use my dinghy or outboard but an ocean going kayak. Even if I lose it I will swim back to my boat even in rough weather. If you plan to spend much time sailing I suggest spending a lot of time in the water building up your stamina and practicing the swimming technique for rip currents which is my main swimming style - works great in rough seas and with practice you will be able to make it back to your boat no matter how far out or how rough the seas are.

[Pelagic]

Raid!

[Breaking Waves]

You might get more answers if you asked about what to put in an ditch bag, or an abandon ship bag as they are more commonly used yachting/sailing terms.

"Bugout bag" has some 'zombie apocalypse' loony connotations which may taint how people view your question.

I might comment - we experienced very little theft in our cruising, but nice stuff in the dinghy is the easiest and first to get taken.

[Boatguy30]

$$$$ and intellect

[JPA Cate]

Dave,

If you're planning to go to the Kimberley, don't plan to sleep ashore. Manage the tides so you can get back to the boat, and this may mean having a big round fender to stick under the dinghy, so you can haul it along, dinghy length by dinghy length, if the tide has gone out. There is some merit up there, to having a tinny rather than an inflatable dinghy, too, for toothy reasons, crocodile roll and all. Remember croc eyes are vulnerable.

The poster who wrote in to swim back to the mother boat is -- I suppose-- not aware of all the swimming hazards one faces in the Kimberley.

Ann

[Dave_S]

Thanks Ann

We were thinking of the Kimberley and all across the top of Australia, its not hard to imagine being caught out with the tides. I'm not planning to camp out but just in case we get stuck.

We are swapping out the RIB for a tinny, bought a nice one second hand and fitted a boat collar to it, I just have to change the lift and the cradle on the back of my boat to hold it nicely before swapping them out. I've put fold up wheels on the tinny but they are small and probably next to useless, I think your fender idea will work much better, thanks for the tip.

[tarian]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

We were on the boat yesterday figuring out what needs to change when we convert from weekenders to long term. We figure we will have two or even three bags.

One main bag for the boat and two for the tender. We will go to some remote areas where help might not be close by and wondered what happens if for whatever reason we are ashore and we can't get back in the tender. We will need to camp the night, so one bag, probably a back pack filled with the usual hiker / camper gear. Then one standard bag for the tender and one for the mother ship or do you just have one for all and what do you keep in them. Then what if one stays on the boat and one goes ashore.

What are your ideas and how do you do it.

Ok im either going mad or I just read this correclty
In all my time sailing, living I ve never heard this been discussed before
Get a survival book , do a first aid course and learn to Swim !!!! so you can get back to your mothership.
Im off to take my blood pressure meds

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by tarian

Ok im either going mad or I just read this correclty
In all my time sailing, living I ve never heard this been discussed before
Get a survival book , do a first aid course and learn to Swim !!!! so you can get back to your mothership.
Im off to take my blood pressure meds

Maybe if you try slowing down, reading the entire thread, and not jumping to odd conclusions.........Surely you'll help your blood pressure a little bit.

I understand that saltwater crocodiles don't occupy Scotland, but then the entire world isn't Scotland either. Open your mind to a less geocentric view of the world.

[kas_1611]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Maybe if you try slowing down, reading the entire thread, and not jumping to odd conclusions.........Surely you'll help your blood pressure a little bit.

I understand that saltwater crocodiles don't occupy Scotland, but then the entire world isn't Scotland either. Open your mind to a less geocentric view of the world.

Shrew, in Tarian's defence I had to read the original post a couple of times followed by most of the rest of the thread to understand this post was more about Australian sailing than anywhere else in the world. The OP says nothing about where or what the hazards are unless you happen to know where Brisbane is and read that under the original poster's name.

And in our defence we might not have Salties in Scotland but we do have the Midge, a vicious bloodsucking beastie that rivals the Salty for its general nastiness although perhaps not the leg chumping, human eating capacity.

[Ivansgarage]

Funny thread BugOut Bag first thing that came to my mind was a Case of beer per person and a quart of bourbon, drink the beer first if things get real bad drink the bourbon, then you won't give a s*it ....

[tarian]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Maybe if you try slowing down, reading the entire thread, and not jumping to odd conclusions.........Surely you'll help your blood pressure a little bit.

I understand that saltwater crocodiles don't occupy Scotland, but then the entire world isn't Scotland either. Open your mind to a less geocentric view of the world.

A little bit of Dark humour goes a long way , Im sure my Australian Cousins get the Irony , A little leg pulling and fun go along way in the world and Sorry I never assume that someones location is somesones place of sailing but thats just me
Im sure also that a good Sat phone will be the best course of any Robinson Cruise
No offence to the OP just my Dry houmor
Ok with you Shrew Boy

[Bill Youmans]

DEET and head net!

[Mike Banks]

Sleeping ashore is fine in any safe area as long as someone stays aboard, but in North Queensland or the Kimberley area, and the Northern Territory where there is a lot of flat land surrounding some of the inlets, I would not be sleeping ashore.

Occasionally empty tents and strewn equipment are found where the unwary have camped. Some of the biggest crocodiles in the world live in these areas--and having been protected for so long, have zero fear of people..

To an estuarine crocodile, a human being is just a movable feast.

The biggest one I ever saw was in the Johnstone River at Innisfail, and in the last seven years. It would have been over twenty feet in length, and probably well fed and very old, and it was a male. That one was big enough to take someone from the deck of a sailing boat or from a dinghy. As far as I know it is still there.

One just has to recognise they are there, it is the one that no one knows about or sees that kills one. Take great care when fishing, crabbing, or getting into or out of tenders.

Having said all that--being careful will usually see you safe.

[JPA Cate]

If the northern cousins are interested, they can Google on box jelly fish and irukanji jelly fish, for further input relative to the hazards of swimming in tropical Australia.

@Dave, whose thread sort of blew up.

Pelagic wasn't joking about the "Raid". The basic concept is bug juice and sunscreen, spare specs if you need them, and shades, and a hiking type first aid kit with something in it for a sprained ankle (elastic bandage, or triangle of cloth you can use to wrap and support the ankle...cloth should be big enough also to support a broken arm. And fresh water, and maybe water sterilization tablets. ?Space blanket for each of you? Granola bars.)

Ann