Revamping the grab-bag

[nonitoo]

It's that time of year again.

Can anyone point me at a site where I can compare my grab-bag contents with a, notionally, ideal set up for Coastal, Estuarial and Cross-Channel use?

The posting about the Southend sinking has prompted me to think about this.

Thanks

Tom

 

[nonitoo]

I found this one http://www.ybw.com/ym/any_questions/20060010112753ymanyqs.html

see Appendix 1

Any others would be useful.

Tom

 

[testmonkey]

ORC special regulations - grab bag recommended contents

4.21.2 Grab Bags to Accompany Liferafts
a) A yacht is recommended to have for each liferaft, a grab bag with
the following minimum contents. A grab bag should have inherent
flotation, at least 0.1 m^2 area of fluorescent orange colour on the
outside, should be marked with the name of the yacht, and should
have a lanyard and clip.
b) Note: it is not intended to duplicate in a grab bag items required by
other OSRs to be on board the yacht - these recommendations
cover only the stowage of those items

4.21.3 Grab Bag Recommended Contents
a) 2 red parachute and 2 red hand flares and cyalume-type chemical
light sticks (red flares compliant with SOLAS)
b) watertight hand-held EPFS (Electronic Position-Fixing System) (eg
GPS) in at least one of the grab bags carried by a yacht
c) SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) in at least one of the grab
bags carried by a yacht
d) a combined 406MHz/121.5MHz or type "E" EPIRB (see OSR
4.19.1) in at least one of the grab bags carried by a yacht
e) water in re-sealable containers or a hand-operated desalinator plus
containers for water
f) a watertight hand-held marine VHF transceiver plus a spare set of
batteries
g) a watertight flashlight with spare batteries and bulb
h) dry suits or thermal protective aids or survival bags
i) second sea anchor for the liferaft (not required if the liferaft has
already a spare sea anchor in its pack) (recommended standard ISO
17339) with swivel and >30m line diameter >9.5 mm
j) two safety tin openers (if appropriate)
k) first-aid kit including at least 2 tubes of sunscreen. All dressings
should be capable of being effectively used in wet conditions. The
first-aid kit should be clearly marked and re-sealable.
l) signalling mirror
m) high-energy food (min 10 000kJ per person recommended for Cat
Zero)
n) nylon string, polythene bags, seasickness tablets (min 6 per person
recommended)
o) watertight hand-held aviation VHF transceiver (if race area
warrants)

 

[stefan_r]

I have thought about this too but am a bit stuck with the ORC recommendations...they are a bit heavy for coastal use...personally thinking that a liferaft, EPIRB, VHF (that takes AA batteries), loads of AA batteries, a little food & water and loads and loads and loads of flares will do me fine.

Change of clothes would be useful...but something like a survival suit binliner thing, not full dressing up and spare chinos and golf sweater!!!!

I am never going to be more than 100 miles from land as I have a safe cruising range of 200 miles on a tank of fuel...how lost can I get, and likely to be passed by another cruiser sooner or later.

I am much more interested in attracting passing ship's/boat's attention or talking to the Coastguard than weathering the high seas for 5 days until I get rescued from the Atlantic.

My job at LIBS this year is to find a decent liferaft for my boat...and a decent bag to fill with these few odd bits.

 

[hlb]

When we were sinking, Debs put a bottle of whiskey and one of brandy in ours, oh and her Ipod and camera.

 

[Brian_B]

You may also want to take your mobile phone, a credit card and some cash.
To buy your rescuer a beer!
We have a torch, VHF and GPS all using AA batteries in the bag.

 

[nonitoo]

A bit late perhaps but thanks to you all anyway for your input.

Tom