Saftey Equipment

[josevern]

Hello, We are getting ready to set sail. The plan is to buy our boat in Guatermala and stay there to do some repairs etc, then set off to belize, costa rica, panama canal, galapagos and across to south Pacific. This will be my first ocean crossing and i'm starting to panic.
I have loads of questions but i'll start with a few. I am planning to do RYA sea survival course, has anyone done this and did they find it useful. Is it an essential thing to do? Is it good enough to do just a RYA first aid course or should i be looking for more intensive first aid training?
I plan to buy a satalite phone second hand - just for peace of mind, I'm also looking out for an epirb and is a second hand one ok?
Going to the pacific do i need an immersion suit? I was thinking about taking just a thermal protective aid - which seems to look like a waterproof bag and is alot cheeper.
Obviously good to have a water maker, but again they are expensive, are they essential?
Medical referrence - thinking of getting The Ships Captains medical guide, anyones knowlege on good medical books, bird/ wildlife and star gazing books appreciated.
This will be a low budget trip for one year, I would love to here from anyone with advice on what not to forget or not to miss when were out there. Thanks

 

[KellysEye]

>RYA sea survival course

It's not essential but definitely worthwhile. The key part to us was inflating and practising with a liferaft. Make sure you wear your wet weathr gear and use your own lifejacket.

>RYA first aid course

Definitely worthwhile. If you have the time and money the Ship's Captain's course is even better.

> satalite phone second hand

We carry one in the grab bag. Airtime is expensive so if you want to keep the cost down don't buy airtime, you can still use the emergency number.

> epirb and is a second hand one ok?

Fine, just make sure you have re-registered it to your boat and the battery is in date for the time of your cruising.

> immersion suit?

Not really needed the waters are warm but do take a TPA.

> water maker, but again they are expensive, are they essential?

Not essential but depends on a number of factors. How big your tanks are; how good you are at rationing water; what sort of quality of life you want. Bear in mind the trip from Galapagos to Marquesas is the longest passage on the world circuit, you could be out there a month.

> The Ships Captains medical guide

Yes it's very good.

One thing you haven't mentioned is SSB. I'd strongly recommend it, there are cruiser nets operating in the Pacific and it could be your most important safety aid.

 

[josevern]

Thanks for your help. What does SSB stand for?

 

[KellysEye]

Single Side Band radio operating on MF/HF. VHF has 25 mile range, MF/HF has (effectively) unlimited range. You can also pick up weather info. One bonus of it is that it can be lonely out there and being able to talk to other boats is a big morale booster, particularly if you have a problem.

On the water front, don't forget that your tanks could fail or become contaminated. Always carry enough bottled water to survive on tight rations - and if the rig came down and you were under jury rig how long might you be out there? Another good reason for SSB.

 

[josevern]

Thanks I know theres already a VHF on board but not sure on SSB. I notice that your in Venezuela. We don't have a life raft on boat at present and as we will be flying out to boat taking a 4 man life raft out will take up one whole bag. Do you know if you can buy life raft - ideally second hand with saftey check in Venezuela, guatemala or belize?

 

[KellysEye]

I honestly don't know if you can buy second hand in the S/W Caribbean. I suspect it would be difficult because no cruiser would want to sell their liferaft for obvious reasons. I suppose some may 'upgrade'. Maybe it would be worth talking to (say) Avon in the UK and ask if any of their sales/service agents out here might have one.

 

[Swagman]

Hi Josephine,
Good luck and I'd second almost all Kellys Eye has said - except IMHO buying a secondhand EBIRB is questionable best value.
When batteries on older unit do fail I've found a replacement battery is close if not more than a complete new alternate unit.
Suspect re life raft you'll also find carrying via plane brings issues - ie air tank?
Enjoy
JOHN

 

[Talbot]

Recommend that you download the Ship's Captains Medical Guide from here

 

[Abigail]

Hi - not done pacific but some additional comments:

sea survival course - excellent value and helps you think through kit
Epirb - completely agree that batteries bugger up the economics of buying second hand
liferaft - you will NOT be able to fly out with it, so there must be a way of getting one there, or rigging up inflatable/hard dinghy with appropriate gear. If you do this, get a SART as well as an EPIRB.
SSB can be v useful but in many countries you need a further operators licence and it's a horrid course. But if you have the time, it's really worth having
VHF - if you have ahandhold, it would be useful to get a waterrproof case (eg from aquapac)
Charging - we carry in our grab bag a very small folding solar panel with connectors for our portable GPS and VHF also in there. So far this has only served to charge the ipod in a friends unelectrified house, but it worked v well at that and gives confidence in the longevity of those bits of kit.
Watermaker - if you're worried you can get little hand operated water makers which would keep you alive if everything contaminated or in lifeboat
First aid - yes. The Ships Captain course requires you to take a prelim four day course which my partner did and found not v useful for shorthanded sailors already in possession of a first aid cert. However, she is planning to do the captain's course next year
Cpatain's medical guide - primarily useful because medical personnel on big ships you might contact for advice will have it. Therefore they can say 'turn to p19' and you are both looking at the same thing. It's not the best emergency book on the market however. We haven't chosen one yet (but have several) and it's like cookbooks - a v personal thing!

Hope this helps and enjoy!

 

[josevern]

Thanks for all your replies and info.
Here goes for some more questions. I kinda thought that if I had a satellite phone and an epirb, i could do without an SART?
Did phone the airline that I'm travelling with United Airlines, and they told me i could take liferaft and lifejackets with gas cylinders in my hold baggage - had anyone experienced problems with the airlines doing this? Also i've got my eye on a 150 newton life Jacket as decided it would be easier to move about in, in water or if it went off accidently at a bad time, any views on what to look for in the perfect life jacket - I was thinking thigh straps, flashing light - strobe, 150N with intergrated harness. Any recommendations?
How do you find out what licences you need for what when travelling?
Any good makes to look out for in the way of small hand held watermakers? Thanks!!

 

[TigaWave]

Talk to your doctor and get him to advise on anti biotics you should carry to cover infections when you may not be able to get help for a week or two. We just carried an EPIRB (a second hand refurb) and liferaft.

 

[gfbalduc]

[ QUOTE ]
I kinda thought that if I had a satellite phone and an epirb, i could do without an SART?

[/ QUOTE ]
They really serve two different purposes: epirb or satphone are meant to call for help, while a SART would show up on a search vessel's radar screen when it is a few miles away, so it's meant to help the search party to locate the casualty.
This may be very useful expecially in bad weather conditions.

Useful, but definitely third or fourth priority, after epirb, handheld VHF and satphone.

[ QUOTE ]
How do you find out what licences you need for what when travelling?

[/ QUOTE ]
Basically, you need the licenses that are requested by your country of registration, i.e.
- ship's registration papers
- skipper's licence if requested by the country of registration
- radio station's licence if VHF/SSB are equipped
- radio operator's licence suitable for the type of radio (SRC for VHF, LRC for SSB)

- many countries require also a third-party insurance (sometimes translated in the local language: some companies issue multi-lingual certificates for this purpose)

- a CEVNI certificate is needed for European internal waters, but that does not concern your planned trip.

some caveats:
- many countries insit the documents must be in original, photocopies are not accepted!
- some countries where a skipper's qualification is required for local yachts insist on it also for foreign yachts: that's highly questionable, but showing off an ICC would go a long way in keeping them happy.

[ QUOTE ]
Any good makes to look out for in the way of small hand held watermakers?

[/ QUOTE ]
The only ones I know of are those made by Katadyn (formerly PUR); I considered them for a while, but they are both quite expensive, and the quantity of water they produce is very limited, compared to the physical work required:
- a small one, priced around 500 GBP, produces less than one liter per hour of pumping at 30 strokes per minute (you will likely sweat more liquid than what you produce!)
- a larger one, priced around 1000 GBP, which can produce a few liters per hour but is quite bulky and can hardly fit in a grab bag.

Better to have a couple of water canisters ready for deployment and tied to the liferaft, in my view!

 

[scej]

I have a 6 man avon for sale at the mo. it is in england tho and needs a service. was on owners old boat about 3/4 years old. don't need it as have two 8 man on here. sent Pm

Anybody interested PM me I will be in England 25th Oct to 29th Oct only there to do YM instuctor update 1 day.

Also thinking about opening RYA school in Caribbean as there are none here.

 

[KellysEye]

>opening RYA school in Caribbean as there are none here.

Sunsail in Antigua? Don't know if they are RYA but their european places used to be.

 

[Roach1948]

[ QUOTE ]
"Any good makes to look out for in the way of small hand held watermakers? "

[/ QUOTE ]

Use a solar still. Many advantages over hand-held watermaker including size and cost!

 

[gfbalduc]

Do they really work?

I used to have some (ex-RAF surplus stuff) and when I tried one out of curiosity, it never went beyond forming some mist on the inside, but not a drop went in the collection bag.

 

[Roach1948]

Maybe not in the UK but in the tropics they do and I am pretty sure there have been a few long term survival stories attributed to using them (combined with a fishing kit).

 

[scej]

I was approached here in Trinidad after my boss told a friend that i was an instructor as they wanted to do yacht master after speaking with training dept at RYA found there are no schools in the caribbean also checked their website.

 

[Sea Devil]

I think you should start looking a West Marine, web site - the USA chandlers. Almost every boat in the Caribbean has one of their catalogues on board. They will ship efficiently and economically anywhere in the world. There is another US company called Defenders who are possibly slightly cheaper... All US chandlers are around 1/3rd off UK prices for most things... VAT-state tax...

After being robbed by pirates I went into Djoubuti - not the centre of the universe - and West Marine shipped me a SSB, VHF, Binoculars, various other items within 7 days...Tried a few UK chandlers who were useless for overseas shipping and far too expensive..

I think you are looking at Blue Water Cruising like an outward bound course.. Really it is not...

The trouble with courses on subjects you are not going to use on a daily basis is you forget... Better to have an excellent medical reference book The Ships Captains Medical Book... and a good stock of sutures, painkillers, antibiotics, wound dressings etc all of which can be obtained either in the Caribbean or from the USA (Medicines are normally available without prescription - just need to know what to ask for.

A SSB is the most important communication device in a cruising boat.. It is used like VHF in UK waters.. Not saying you cannot do without it but it will improve the quality of your cruising and enable you to stay in touch with other boats and distant weather facilities..

Michael

 

[KellysEye]

Katadyn hand watermakers are hard work to make small amounts. However the military version has handle extensions that makes pumping significantly easier and quicker. For reasons I've never been able to establish they won't sell the military version to non-military folk. Solution is simple, make you own handle extensions - make them detatchable and to the maximum length that will fit your grab bag.