Epirb and dry suit v life-raft

[aslabend]

How about towing an inflatable dinghy? You'll not be doing the crossing in anything but perfectly suitable weather so you could, in the worst case scenario (katie-l decides to go from under you - or worse catches fire around you), don dry suit and jump in the dinghy (or the other way around) remembering you HH vhf/plb/barrel of burning tar.

 

[cryan]

I am sure you are correct

but it is good to have plan B - even if plan B is not a very good one

D

It was a bit of tongue in cheek Seafarer humour.

In all seriousness go fown the route of a raft and further have it fitted with Hammar hydrostats. Also get yourself on a basic sea survival course where you can practice getting into a raft from a swimming pool in safe conditions. You won't survive in a suit for the ammount of time required to call out the lifeboat crew, launch and find you. The nearest helicopters are at Stonoway or Lossiemouth which are quite a bit away. The biggest reason for a raft is that it will be seen from the air a whole lot easier than a man in a suit. Take epirbs and flares and a handheld VHF in a grab bag.
For good measure I would also stop whistling, don't speak of pigs, drop some coins over the side and DON't let an ordained minister anywhere near your boat!

 

[Neil_Y]

Some of these comments must be thinking winter temperatures? I've sailed offshore in early spring sea temp 10C or under in an open cat for 5-6 hours on the water, sometimes swimming certainly wet and with wind speeds of 30knts, so plenty of wind chill and no hood. We wore dry suits, buoyancy aid and spray top, carried epirb, vhf and flares. Helm was cold at the end of one trip but not dead.

 

[Daydream believer]

Some of these comments must be thinking winter temperatures? I've sailed offshore in early spring sea temp 10C or under in an open cat for 5-6 hours on the water, sometimes swimming certainly wet and with wind speeds of 30knts, so plenty of wind chill and no hood. We wore dry suits, buoyancy aid and spray top, carried epirb, vhf and flares. Helm was cold at the end of one trip but not dead.

Active dinghy sailing is a lot different to being inactive & imersed in cold water all the time
I have done lots pf polar series in dinghies but once i had capsized i was usually freezing unless i got back on board fairly quickly
I would also suggest age has a lot to do with it. The shock of sudden imersion is quite dehabilitating
We have lots of cadets who sail all winter but for the last couple of years i have only managed rescue boat duties, certainly not dinghy & sailboards as i used to

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Agree whole-heartedly. As any experienced technical diver will tell you - all the hi tech thermal layers in the world + a Drysuit will not keep you warm. The numbing of hands & feet while you wait out your deco can be excruciating. On the surface, the heat loss from the head will have your body in shock in ten minutes.

The reason they wear the survival type suits in boatyards is they don't expect to be in the water for long before they are picked up. There is also a reason why 'a lot' of trawler men, crabbers etc can't swim - and it is not a pleasant one.

Di

So how come I (and others) can dive in Scottish East Coast waters in springtime for about 45 minutes without becoming debilitated when wearing a drysuit and layered insulation underneath?

 

[WestWittering]

So how come I (and others) can dive in Scottish East Coast waters in springtime for about 45 minutes without becoming debilitated when wearing a drysuit and layered insulation underneath?

Because I am assuming your drysuit has air in it? Which is an additional layer protecting you from 'direct' contact with the water? I used to run my suit tight and I assume that the OP will not be wearing a cylinder with a suit feed attached - or maybe he should consider adding this to his idea too? Try emptying all the gas from your suit on the surface and see how toasty it is then.

Di

* I am assuming he will also not be wearing a 7mm or 5mm hood, gloves etc.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Because I am assuming your drysuit has air in it? ........ Try emptying all the gas from your suit on the surface and see how toasty it is then..... I am assuming he will also not be wearing a 7mm or 5mm hood, gloves etc.

A drysuit on surface doesn't get all the air compressed out of it and the OP should add a hood and gloves as part of a drysuit only solution in addition to a lifejacket with hood. While I don't disagree that the short survival time compared to a liferaft is very real, it is clearly understood that survival times have much to do with mental factors as well. There are extreme, exceptional examples of fishermen and shipwrecked personnel surviving in cold waters with minimum protection for hours (MS Estonia sinking 1994 is one example of ill equipped persons surviving in open ring type liferafts and being soaked through). In my opinion Dylan could equip himself with a drysuit package that would give him the ability to survive in the event of a sinking for the conditions he intends to sail in. The additional utility of such a solution is that the drysuit is available to use on normal sailing days.

I would work a solution around: drysuit, gloves and hood; 275N lifejacket with hood and light; DSCVHF and PLB, Flares.

Colleagues and friends also windsurf all year round in Scotland off Aberdeen and they don't appear to die in 15 minutes either, despite being on the water for 2 to 3 hours; nutters but they have resolve by the bucket loads. Hence, I don't think it's an unreasonable emergency solution for a small boat, budget conscious sailor, who has decided to have some survival aids. He is likely never to use a liferaft but could use a drysuit as part of his clothing inventory.

 

[Koeketiene]

Based on some of what's been said on this thread, I got me one of these: http://www.guycotten.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=353

Had been on the lookout for something like this with a view of taking part in the 2015 AZAB, then an eBay search later I got one (new & never used) for the bargain basement price of £140.

Only took me 5 minutes to get into it. Once it's on, it's surprisingly comfortable but after 10 minutes at room temperature it does get HOT in there.
Looking forward to testing it at some point this year.

 

[chinita]

Positive buoyancy is the answer.

Simply connect a 2 metre length of 38mm hose to your USB cable with Gaffer Tape, plug in to your laptop and connect to The Lounge.

There should be enough hot air coming out to keep you afloat for a couple of weeks.

 

[A1Sailor]

I do

that is why I am frightened about sailing to the Orkneys

we are talking at least two years from now of course

D

You mention your "journey around the UK". By the time you finish it might be the British Isles!

 

[bbg]

Based on some of what's been said on this thread, I got me one of these: http://www.guycotten.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=353

Had been on the lookout for something like this with a view of taking part in the 2015 AZAB, then an eBay search later I got one (new & never used) for the bargain basement price of £140.

Only took me 5 minutes to get into it. Once it's on, it's surprisingly comfortable but after 10 minutes at room temperature it does get HOT in there.
Looking forward to testing it at some point this year.

I don't mean to be repetitively morbid, but see my earlier posts on this thread.

I've had one of those and you are right about the warmth. But J-M Allaire drowned while wearing one of those. My personal opinion is that if you are int kinds of conditions that you think one of tjose is necessary, you will also need a sprayhood, which means wearing a lifejacket.