Do you carry a ditch bag, ditty bag, boat bag ?

LadyFish

Admiral
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
6,894
I'm a firm believer in emergency/survival gear in a grab and go bag for your boat and had one when I had my boat. Be sure its a good stay dry bag. Many of the stay dry bags on the market are available in red and you could stencil on "Emergency Gear" to your bag if that is important to you. Air trapped in the stay dry bag or any containers within would make it float. I say carry an emergency/survival gear bag on your boat, but spend your money where it will go the farthest and do the most good.


What's in Your Ditch Bag, Ditty Bag, Boat Bag?

Yes, all boaters should carry certain basics. But a fair-weather bay angler has different needs than one who fishes more extreme offshore waters. Your personal fishing style also figures into determining what safety gear you need. For example, do you usually fish alone or with a buddy? Some other things to take into account when you outfit for safety include: the size of your boat, how far from shore you travel, what water temperatures you'll encounter, what time of year you fish and more. These factors determine what equipment you need to ensure your safety should, well, something bad happen.


Federal, state and local laws dictate most basic safety equipment requirements such as flares, whistles, personal flotation devices and horns. As far as the United States Coast Guard is concerned, all boats exceeding 16 feet must have these basics (and make sure your flares are not out of date).


Whistles and horns are self-explanatory, but I'd make sure to have a Storm Whistle. It works above and ? believe it or not ? below water and will virtually blow out your eardrums; it can be heard over hovering helicopter blades!


Your Bag
A bailout or ditch bag is a waterproof container strategically placed aboard (and that doesn't mean under a seat in a locker) that has all the essentials needed to keep you alive long enough ? theoretically ? for rescue.

Here's are a few ideas:
First Aid Kit
A handheld waterproof VHF
A mini-EPIRB (Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon), which negates having to carry the handheld GPS
A PFD
A dive knife
Flares
A Storm Whistle
A waterproof flashlight
Wet Weather Gear
Cold Weather Gear
Water
Ration Bars
Extra rope
A trilaminate dry suit

Be sure to remove all batteries from anything electronic when not in use and reload them each trip.
 
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