Essential equipment

[jyasaki]

Bucket or similar for bailing, paddles or oars in case motor dies and you need to keep off rocks or whatever, few bottles of water and some energy bars. A good knife comes in handy for prop entanglement or if you need to cut a tow or anchor loose in a hurry.

There's about a million things that will come in handy at one time or another. Hard part is deciding which to carry and which to leave out.

jky

[tehguy]

Originally Posted by Wibs

As above..+

Manual bailer
25m spare rope
Throwing rope
I also have laminated,in a dry accessible place, the correct Mayday procedure word for word for my rib.(just in case)

In an emergency sticking 100% to the correct mayday procedure isn't vital, providing you are not too far off the shore and there are other boats around, as long as you can get the word "mayday", a good description of your boat and the nature of your emergency / the help you need out then you're very likely to get help quickly.

The items that always stay in my SIB whenever it goes out are:

handheld VHF (at least one)
handheld GPS
powerful battery powered torch (at least one, we have no nav lights)
plenty of spare line
folding knife (at least two)
kill cord
spare buoyancy aid and waterproof jacket (in case we inherit another passenger whilst at sea)
anchor and chain

For the sort of distances we stray from the coast I think that's a perfectly adequate kit. If we were planning to venture further out then I'd certainly invest in some charts, flares etc. But if you're just having fun a few nautical miles from the harbour then you don't need to go out like you're preparing for a channel crossing, there's plenty of boats always around Plymouth sound and even in the middle of the night a quick shout on the VHF would have assistance on hand in a matter of minutes.

Don't forget dry bags for your mobile phones / wallets etc.

Whenever taking out friends on my SIB once we are in the boat and before we get under way I teach them basic procedures if something were to happen to me, for example if I am ejected from the boat how to restart the engine, basic operation of the VHF and how to call for help, how to use the manual inflater on lifejacket etc. Also you should expect none of your non-boating friends to have their own lifejackets, so make sure you have a few spare.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Here is what I carry, which is specifically designed with whitewater rafting in mind. I believe it by far the best and safest design out there for emergency use with inflatable boats. Strap the the sheath to the front of the PFD.

CRKT Bear Claw Knife at nrs.com

I was rather disappointed in how this knife stood up to seawater (short version: it doesn't.)

I do like the design though; wish they'd use a more corrosion resistant stainless alloy.

jky

[Wibs]

Originally Posted by tehguy

In an emergency sticking 100% to the correct mayday procedure isn't vital, providing you are not too far off the shore and there are other boats around, as long as you can get the word "mayday", a good description of your boat and the nature of your emergency / the help you need out then you're very likely to get help quickly.

Yep....clear to myself, but if I'm unconscious, in the sea, and 500m away from my boat....do my crew (untrained in VHF) know of this procedure.?

A quick briefing as they board, makes me feel at ease.

[AJ.]

Yep I have the same, RYA lamenated card on deck with my personal details step by step instructions for anyone not used to boating on how to log a mayday.

[tumnus]

Originally Posted by tehguy

In an emergency sticking 100% to the correct mayday procedure isn't vital, providing you are not too far off the shore and there are other boats around, as long as you can get the word "mayday", a good description of your boat and the nature of your emergency / the help you need out then you're very likely to get help quickly.

The items that always stay in my SIB whenever it goes out are:

handheld VHF (at least one)
handheld GPS
powerful battery powered torch (at least one, we have no nav lights)
plenty of spare line
folding knife (at least two)
kill cord
spare buoyancy aid and waterproof jacket (in case we inherit another passenger whilst at sea)
anchor and chain

For the sort of distances we stray from the coast I think that's a perfectly adequate kit. If we were planning to venture further out then I'd certainly invest in some charts, flares etc. But if you're just having fun a few nautical miles from the harbour then you don't need to go out like you're preparing for a channel crossing, there's plenty of boats always around Plymouth sound and even in the middle of the night a quick shout on the VHF would have assistance on hand in a matter of minutes.

Don't forget dry bags for your mobile phones / wallets etc.

Whenever taking out friends on my SIB once we are in the boat and before we get under way I teach them basic procedures if something were to happen to me, for example if I am ejected from the boat how to restart the engine, basic operation of the VHF and how to call for help, how to use the manual inflater on lifejacket etc. Also you should expect none of your non-boating friends to have their own lifejackets, so make sure you have a few spare.

Good words.... Do any of you carry foil blankets etc ? In case of "unexpected guests". At a couple of quid each and minimum storage requirement I think it is worth keeping some near by (i keep one in the pocket of my buoyancy aid.... )

[m chappelow]

Originally Posted by tumnus

Good words.... Do any of you carry foil blankets etc ? In case of "unexpected guests". At a couple of quid each and minimum storage requirement I think it is worth keeping some near by (i keep one in the pocket of my buoyancy aid.... )

Better than nothing
Though in a boat in reality they do blow & flap about if there's any wind or breeze
unless its a large one that can be wrapped right around a person & you can get them out of the wind on the floor or under the spray dodger
in some cases they can make a wet/ cold person worse by constantly moving about trying to keep it wrapped around themselves ,
ones with tapes that can be tied around a person are better or ( you could always use some gaffer /insulation tape from the tool kit )
or one of the proper (large sack type / survival bags .

In a lost m.o.b situation carrying one in a life jacket pocket could always be streamed out to help aid detection ,
Some Metallic or foil ones may even show up on radar so if your broken down or caught out in thick fog you could always fly it like a flag from an oar as makeshift radar reflector .

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by tehguy

In an emergency sticking 100% to the correct mayday procedure isn't vital, providing you are not too far off the shore and there are other boats around, as long as you can get the word "mayday", a good description of your boat and the nature of your emergency / the help you need out then you're very likely to get help quickly.

But despite having time to think about what you posted and not being in a boat with some serious s**t happening you didn't think to mention you possition? Possition has to be the single most important factor to getting help!!

In addtion every part of the standard script is there for a reason. POB - so if you sink they know how many survivors they are searching for. If you read MustRib's accoutns of his little dunking off Milford Haven on the way to the Round Ireland he had no comms and so was left with only a PLB to get help, so when the helicopter arrived they didn't know if they were just looking for him or other survivors. Had he been unconscious how long would they have been able to search for others before running to hospital? A prefiled passage plan might help answer that but for a small rib just playing about outside a harbour I doubt many are filling passage plans with the CG.

Having a script with the radio doesn't seem to crazy and even less crazy when you think that an untrained user might need to make the call to save me...

[treerat]

Front locker;
Anchor and chain / rope - permanently attached
Drogue
collapsible bucket
Couple bottles water

Console
Hand held vhf
Flares in BDH container
Sapre kill cord, fog horn, multi tool inc axe (don't ask) also in container
Large knife
Towing bridle and boat end bridle
Light sticks
Tea towel

Extinguisher on A frame

Multi tool on lifejacket and primary hand held vhf attached to me

[pmcguire]

Fire extinguisher

###Whoops, sorry for the duplicate. Missed that on page 2###

[rossymtb]

A massive monster of a rib to put it all in.

[hank]

for tools
vise grip and a wrench to take off the prop nut

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by hank

for tools
vise grip and a wrench to take off the prop nut

You'll also need a piece of 2x4 or similar to block the prop so you can get the nut off/on. Needle-nose pliers for the cotter pin. Spare prop mounting kit (washers, spacers, nut and pin[s]) for when you drop all the parts in the water.

jky

[azzurro]

Originally Posted by AJ.

Yep I have the same, RYA lamenated card on deck with my personal details step by step instructions for anyone not used to boating on how to log a mayday.

My handhelp water proof VHF is tied to a small buoy, white&red, which remarks it and helps floating.
I sticked to the small buoy a set of very brief instructions, paper plastic covered.
To test the whole, I asked my 10 years old son what would he do with that in case of emergency. He did it without more explanations.

[Ribochet]

Originally Posted by tehguy

In an emergency sticking 100% to the correct mayday procedure isn't vital, providing you are not too far off the shore and there are other boats around, as long as you can get the word "mayday", a good description of your boat and the nature of your emergency / the help you need out then you're very likely to get help quickly.

No No No

Where is your reference to "position" and "pax on board"

If you want to encourage people to disregard the standard protocol for one of the most important transmission they may ever made then make sure you give them the correct advice.

The important elements of a Mayday call are:

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
THIS IS............................................... (Ship's name or callsign 3 times)
MAYDAY followed by ship's name or callsign
POSITION.......................................... ..................................................
NATURE OF DISTRESS.......................................... ............................
AID REQUIRED.......................................... ..............................
NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD and ANY USEFUL INFORMATION....................................... ...............................
OVER

Have you ever heard a real life incorrect Mayday - then like some other RIBnetters you would understand what I am talking about.

Estonias Mayday call, part 1 - YouTube

[tehguy]

I have listened to that Estonias mayday call a few times yes. I am not saying that mayday calls are a joke and you should conduct them however you like. The procedure is there for a reason I am well aware of.

The point I am trying to make is that in an emergency, one of your passengers who has never even been to sea before is operating the VHF and you are unconscious, you can't expect them to recite a word-for-word perfect mayday call. What if your cute little laminated card flies overboard during your accident?

What I'm saying that if the worst comes to the worst, providing you're not miles out to sea, getting a basic message out on 16 that contains the word "mayday" and has a decent description of your boat, providing there are other boats in close proximity you have a good chance of receiving assistant quickly.

Obviously, being able to give a good location would be a huge help. But again, expecting your passenger to provide latitude and longitude in an emergency is unrealistic. People who have had very little time on the water probably won't know where they are if you are away from roads that they drive on regularly.

If a mayday call comes through with someone just screaming "HELLO HELP MY NAME IS JENNY I'M ON A BOAT WE'VE HAD AN ACCIDENT AND OUR SKIPPER IS IN THE WATER UNCONSCIOUS" then I imaging "what is your location?" and "how many people are onboard/overboard?" would be fairly high on the list of thinks which the responding coast guard would ask first.

I would never take passengers out to sea unless they were well trained, when taking out friends with little or no experience of boating then Plymouth Sound is the ideal playground as there are always loads of boats around, even without VHF you'd not be waiting long for help if you got in trouble.

[Peter_C]

^ I would think the easiest is to teach them to push the little red button, which calls for help and sends out the location. At least that is what I teach folks on my boat, and my hand held has DSC too.

[jyasaki]

I think tehguy's point was a wrong call in a real life and death emergency is better than none.

Personally, I agree.

jky

[clydeoutboards]

Originally Posted by rossymtb

A massive monster of a rib to put it all in.

with a huge engine and some extra storage space and dont forget no auxiliary so it will be rowed back to shore.

[azzurro]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

^ I would think the easiest is to teach them to push the little red button, which calls for help and sends out the location. At least that is what I teach folks on my boat, and my hand held has DSC too.

Distress VHF radios are causing much more noise than expected. People loves buttons.