what's in your grab bag???????

[mandlmaunder]

what\'s in your grab bag???????

Just read a post that reminds me,, when deciding what to put in your offshore grab bag, we now include a collapsible kite and CD (to tie to it's tail).
Can be seen from much further and will give you something to do whilst awaiting rescue or drifting with current and some pull from your kite

 

[ccscott49]

Re: what\'s in your grab bag???????

Another bottle of rum!

 

[mandlmaunder]

Re: what\'s in your grab bag???????

To save space wrap the kite around the rum

 

[TigaWave]

Re: what\'s in your grab bag???????

I've actually got one of these but without the radio.
http://www.thekitesociety.org.uk/Gibson%20Girl.PDF

 

[charles_reed]

Nostalgia rules

But why carry a kite and transmitter when the much smaller bulk of a 406 EPIRB will do the job far better and be heard by the rest of the world?

 

[Hoolie]

Re: Nostalgia rules

Because the rescue services will be able to home on a transmission on 121.5MHz from an antenna at 200ft at least 100 miles away.

 

[charles_reed]

Re: Nostalgia rules

Well nearly all 406 EPIRBs also transmit on 121.5Mhz, for final location for those ill-equipped rescue services who still have to use that frequency.

Can't imagine many contributors to this forum are ever 100nm offshore - still it's nice to be able to boast that yours is bigger, longer, stronger etc. than anyone elses'.

 

[HoratioHB]

Re: Nostalgia rules

Er - my Epirb has GPS and transmits a lat and long so the resue service will not need to home on my position - except maybe for the last few miles in bad weather.

So going back to the original question my grab bag is going to have my Iridium phone as a priority so I can chat to the kids while waiting rescue.

 

[mandlmaunder]

Re: Nostalgia rules

Our trip around the world often takes us off shore . 406 epirb is a standard item as well , along with passports and $.
The other freqs for Epirb are soon to be ignored in the Caribbean and some other areas due to the high No of false alarms. 406mhz with GPS location should not even be considered too expensive as it does work. Anything that can help in the location of a distressed sailor. read 'Adrift' cant remember the author but it is the harrowing story of survival and the will to live(was a leaving prezzy from friends as we set off across the Atlantic)

 

[charles_reed]

Re: Nostalgia rules

Of course it does - however you will be interested to know that it probably also transmits on 121.5Mhz.

That is included because the COSPAS-SARSAT system is:-

1. Insufficiently accurate to pinpoint a liferaft, for a rescuing vessel - even in good weather.
2. Because the majority of SAR organisations do not have the equipment to home onto a 406Mhz signal, but all have the original 121.5Mhz homing equipment.

Iridium is an idea, but not as good as a handheld VHF for communication with any rescuers on the final run-in.

Perhaps it would be an idea for you to be in touch with your local RNLI cox'n to guide you in your choice of grab-bag perquisites?

 

[CPD]

Re: Nostalgia rules

I suppose flying a kite would give you something to do to overcome the boredom !

 

[mocruising]

Re: what\'s in your grab bag???????

If you have ever been involved in SAR especially in rough weather you realise that money should be no object when it comes down to SAR equipment. What price do you put on your life. We have two epirbs one with and one without GPS plus all the other stuff flares para and hand and smoke floats. Read the three books on the Fastnet(1) and Sidney Hobart (2). With white caps, breaking waves and spume is incredibly difficult to pick out a yacht let alone a person in the water. Read the article in this month Yachting press about Nimrods. If the guys on the Ouzo had a life raft they might have been alive today. Any boat that's cruising even coastal especially night passages should be so equipped. If you can afford a boat dig a bit deeper and buy a secondhand liferaft and EPIRB you never know when you might need them as this latest disaster has proven.

 

[HoratioHB]

Re: what\'s in your grab bag???????

As someone who has been involved in SAR in rough weather day and night flying RN Sea Kings and Lynx, I feel reasonably qualified here. Radio, Epirb and even VHF homing will get you close to the scene but it can be hard to spot something small, even a liferaft, in the water, especially if its rough. By day, smoke, is by far the best thing to use to get located. Colour is also good ie orange etc. Flares are of very limited value. By night the only thing of any use is light, so red flares, strobes even a lifejacket light. If you are in the water you can often see the aircraft long before he sees you so a hand held VHF to establish comms is really useful as you can con the aircraft onto your position.
I've done several rough weather yacht rescues and normally finding the yacht is not too much of a problem as long as you have a rough position. Being able to talk to the crew is then the next most important thing.

 

[mocruising]

Re: what\'s in your grab bag???????

There you have an honest answer from someone who has searched from the air, all my SAR experience has been from the bridge of a ship or offshore supply vessel/tug. Buy the biggest grab bag you can find and stuff it full of goodies including the rum and handheld waterproof VHF.