Just bought my sib

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Iamdbat

an appropriate anchor (Grapnel in sand is probably the wrong investment)

Anything else is gonna be a pain in a SIB this size. You have the advantage of beaching easily if you need to, and you can go very shallow (like shallow enough to get out and stand on the anchor the bed it in well!

a single flare -

Is it worth it? Orange smoke maybe (there is no normal reason to see lots of smoke, and even less for it to be orange). Plus a full size tub one lasts 3 minutes. For others - Imagine it from the shore - you catch sight of a red light at sea level... is it a nav light? You look back a minute later and its gone. Why would you dial 999? Or if its a parachute, you realise its a flare. You dial 999. while you are waiting for the BT operator to fisnish asking which service, talk over you/pass your phone number to CG the 40second burn finishes. First thing CG does is issue a Pan Pan / Mayday Relay and asks all shipping in the area for information on a flare being seen, and then they wait. You should be sending up a second which will be seen by the ship. You don't have a second... CG may decide its a false alarm with good intent because there is nothing seen...

But tub orange (3mins) is quite big for small craft, handheld orange is 60seconds. Red may not be that visible in day light. Whats the likelihood of being out in your SIB at night? Personal Day & Night might be an answer but burn time is short (20seconds). They are also waterproof...

If you want red flares would you be better with a cartridge system like: Pains Wessex Mini Flare COMPACT Kit ini-flare-compact-kit.htm or Pains Wessex Mini Flare Kit but only 6 second burn times.

Other use of a flare will be to tell a helo or ALB/ILB which boat you are that needs help. At night a strobing torch will probably do the job and by day something like a big orange piece of spinakker cloth...

fire blanket + extinguisher,

Fire blanket sounds good (even has other uses). Wondering how easy it is to deploy - they are designed to wall mount. And do they cool quick enough or while the smoldering mess just let the transom fall out and loose the back of a boat which then has very little structure. Can't think I've ever seen any remains of a SIB fire...

bucket for anchor,

Small one of these: http://www.plasticboxshop.co.uk/ekmp...trug-269-p.jpg
Doubles as a bailer.

bilge pump,

Bucket!

What about:
Rope for all sorts of things (springs, towing, mooring etc)
VHF (Give me a VHF before the flares).

[MattD]

Don't go mad on safety kit if you are planning to use it on inland waterways (canals and rivers). Wear your kill cord, wear a life jacket or buoyancy aid (a life jacket if you intend to go out alone). A grapnel and a few meters of line will be fine but you can get Bruce types for next to nothing on Amazon if you need one. It is very unlikely you will need an anchor inland but you should carry one, however a brick on a string would probably stop a T40 inland . You won't be needing a VHF inland either (if you buy a VHF you need a licence to use it (in the UK anyway) and that's even more money, a mobile is fine).

When you take your boat out to sea the stakes change, but don't go bankrupting yourself buying gear you don't need yet.

Matt

[Salty]

Nice vid MattD, thanks for sharing

Lovely part of the world that!

[Salty]

Originally Posted by Iamdbat

bucket for anchor,

I use a small but sturdy hi-viz dry sack to keep my folding anchor, chain & rope in.

It is useful for all sorts of ad hoc applications (the dry sack) but most of all to use as a buoy should you have to ditch your anchor for some reason. You just roll the collar down with the bag empty (well empty apart from air) and lock it and it makes a decent buoy.

Cant remember the make of mine but its bright yellow with a reflective silver strip and has sturdy locking straps that the end of the anchor rope can be securely clipped on to. It cost under a tenner too!

[Iamdbat]

I wasn't serious at all - I was just excited at taking the boat out - all that 'Flair' so to speak was a joke .... Irish and British humour is not all that different but in the moment of replying I guess you just didn't get it ... that's ok - these are fair weather and shallow water craft - if you get into trouble - someone will be around to help most likely - twas just twinge of 'Let's see whats out there' - that's all - a flare won't help you in a sib - if you need a fire blanket - kiss your engine goodbye and hope the current isn't strong etc etc - I'm not an idiot you know!

[Iamdbat]

Just bagged me a new enjoon - a 25hp 2 Stroke SS Yammy no less - can't wait to try it - waiting on weather - Ha .... Let the games begin

[Iamdbat]

Originally Posted by MattD

Don't go mad on safety kit if you are planning to use it on inland waterways (canals and rivers). Wear your kill cord, wear a life jacket or buoyancy aid (a life jacket if you intend to go out alone). A grapnel and a few meters of line will be fine but you can get Bruce types for next to nothing on Amazon if you need one. It is very unlikely you will need an anchor inland but you should carry one, however a brick on a string would probably stop a T40 inland . You won't be needing a VHF inland either (if you buy a VHF you need a licence to use it (in the UK anyway) and that's even more money, a mobile is fine).

When you take your boat out to sea the stakes change, but don't go bankrupting yourself buying gear you don't need yet.

Matt

Was just joking Matt but thanks for the advice - A sib is a fair weather and shallow water piece of equipment - I wasn't planning an Atlantic trip - I was just over my socks at getting the craft and unwrapping the cellophane - Safety is over rated - a life jacket and a bit of grey matter works for most - luck is a bonus - but yer gonna die of something