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Ditch Bag! Whats in YOURS?

nocturn

nocturn

Contributing Member
Lifetime Member
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City
Colonial Heights
State
Virginia
Im sure everyone has one and if you dont...TISK TISK.

I bring a 20"x10"x10" orange, water resistant duffel everytime I go out. It includes the following:
2ea Air Horns
4ea Signal Flairs
2ea May Wests
2ea Orange Wistles
1ea 5watt W.M. Waterproof handheld VHF
1 Med size OSHA First Aid Kit in a Big Ziploc bag
1 Waterproof Chart
1 Waterproof Headlamp
1 Med Mag Light
1 Leatherman tool
1 4" Kershaw Buck
2ea 20' lenght of three strand nylon

When not in the boat, I also use the bag to store my Chartplotter, boat keys with the plugs attached, rain gear.

What do you guys keep in yours?

This info will be useful for the new owners. A thread like this is probably overdue (unless its been done already...doh!)

Maybe we should start a "Tool bag. Whats in yours?" Yamaha, Susuki, etc editions.
 
mine is a little different for the swamps out here, fire striker magnesium /flint, hand held compass,sucrets box with small hooks, line weights, small knife,bug repellant, 200 ft. trot line, ziplock baggies,alcohol and med tape, a l.e.d. flashlight, a 22.cal saturday night special pistol with extra mags....all kept in a fanny pack on the belt a hatchet and long knife
The radios/ cell phones don't have any coverage out there. and if there is a problem gotta get myself out of it....
 
OK my safety gear is not in a ditch bag, but has been placed with a purpose around the boat and on my person for quick access. So here is my list and where I have determined it should be stored.

Found in the bow seat compartment of my 210 cc. The rationale is that this compartment is dry and two should the boat capsize, the safety equipment will be released.
USCG approved signal kit containing the following:
· 12-Gauge Corrosion Resistant Safety Launcher with lifetime warranty and Bandolier with space for 6 Aerial Flares. Warranty
· Three 12-Gauge Red Aerial Flares
· 3 Handheld Red Signal Flares
· 1 Handheld Orange Smoke Signal (U.S. Coast Guard approved for daytime use only)
· NEW Waterproof, floating, and durable, International Orange Canister with storage space for extra signals
· Distress Flag (meets USCG requirements)
· Safety Whistle (116 db at 1 meter)
· Signal Mirror (with hanging lanyard)

Hand held 1,000,000 candle power cordless spot light. (great for docking at night or signaling)
50 feet of nylon rope
Assorted food, jerky, peanut butter, and whatever else we throw on board that day.
Marine grade binoculars

In the mega hatch I have minimal items as it is not handy to get into quickly.
Extra PDFs
5 gallon bucket (can be used for a commode if need, a bailer, or for water collection in survival mode).

Cockpit Cooler.
3 gallons of fresh drinking water that never leaves the boat. Additional drinks and food are brought on board for each trip.

In the T-top storage bag I have the following.
2 orange tarps (8'x10') (can be used for shade and increase visibility for easier location by Search and Rescue personnel
Additional PDF's including 2 throwables
First aid kit
Sun screen
Bug spray
Handheld compass
Rain suits

Attached to the center console,
Fire extinguisher
Kwik Tek Rescue Rope Throw Bag
GPS
VHF
Depth finder
Compass

Aft port seat compartment,
Basic tools
Jumper cables
Extra rope

Attached to primary class 1 offshore PDF's
Whistles
Strobe lights
Compact waterproof VHF
And most important a PLB with GPS!
 
Man, that's a lot of stuff to manage if you need to bail in 20 seconds!

I was looking more for a "if I need to go over the side in less than 30 seconds, this is what I take."

I would hate to rely on a hatch to open for rescue essentials.

It probably wouldnt be a bad Idea to do a drill and time how long it would take to 'toss' the stuff overboard while your rig is trailered.

Sounds like you have your boat set up for being disabled for a length of time.
 
Nocturn you are correct, not everything I listed was for a ditch scenerio. You need to think in the mind set of "what if" so if you set up your boat for just a ditch situation, you wont be ready for spending hours or days at sea if you loose all power and are a drift. Given, that I run up too, 50 nm offshore with a single screw, I have set my boat up to handle multiple situations.

For an actual ditch, like the boat is on fire and we cant get it out. Then it would be the first thing listed (USCG approved signal kit) and the last thing listed offshore PDFs that have the PLB and Handheld VHF radio attached to them. It takes me 10 seconds to get both of them as the PDF is either on me or on the helm seat. So it is a grab the PDF and run to bow and get the signal kit. Even worse case senerio (capsizing at speed) it is just the last thing, which I should be wearing.

So what I was trying to state is set the boat up in layers if you will. Because the most common thing that will happen is the motor dies and you are a drift (which is on thing I forgot to list, in the mega hatch I have a drift sock) for a long period of time. Hence, you need water most of all and then food, followed by shelter.

Last note, in the 210's and I am betting the 215's the bow seat compartment does not latch, hence it the boat goes over it will dump it contents.

In a nutshell it will run you a little over a grand to set your boat up for offshore adventures. Safety isnt cheap, but then again neither is life.
 
In the ditch bag:
Waterproof ACR P-EPIRB w/GPS
Waterproof handheld GPS
Waterproof SH handheld vhf
Waterproof flares
shake light
Glowsticks
Wallet, keys

On the boat:
2 OffShore Lifevests with strobes and whistles.
DSC VHF 8' antenna
Gun with flares
Extra hand flares
orange dye
mirrors and extra whistles and glow sticks

Liferaft would be a luxury but hey, our boats have never sunk!
 
PileDriver said:
Nocturn you are correct, not everything I listed was for a ditch scenerio. You need to think in the mind set of "what if" so if you set up your boat for just a ditch situation, you wont be ready for spending hours or days at sea if you loose all power and are a drift. Given, that I run up too, 50 nm offshore with a single screw, I have set my boat up to handle multiple situations.

For an actual ditch, like the boat is on fire and we cant get it out. Then it would be the first thing listed (USCG approved signal kit) and the last thing listed offshore PDFs that have the PLB and Handheld VHF radio attached to them. It takes me 10 seconds to get both of them as the PDF is either on me or on the helm seat. So it is a grab the PDF and run to bow and get the signal kit. Even worse case senerio (capsizing at speed) it is just the last thing, which I should be wearing.

So what I was trying to state is set the boat up in layers if you will. Because the most common thing that will happen is the motor dies and you are a drift (which is on thing I forgot to list, in the mega hatch I have a drift sock) for a long period of time. Hence, you need water most of all and then food, followed by shelter.

Last note, in the 210's and I am betting the 215's the bow seat compartment does not latch, hence it the boat goes over it will dump it contents.

In a nutshell it will run you a little over a grand to set your boat up for offshore adventures. Safety isnt cheap, but then again neither is life.
Click to expand...

Understand completely.

I have my rig set up for a minimal hours of mechanical failure. I never venture out beyond the Chesapeake Bay so minor amounts of water, a fully charged VHF, and a consistently congested bay is all I need :).

But you are right, in your scenario, being disabled can be as deadly as fire/swamp/capsize.

I figured, with Triumph's, a relatively small boat and somewhat mechanically inept for general (20+miles) offshore, most(not all) of the community here probably stays inshore or within 3 miles of land. Thus, alleviating the need for a long term (6+hours) subsistence supplies. The "Ditch Bag" scenario is more likely.

One thing I would suggest would be a 406 EPERB. If you're running 50 miles offshore, you should have one. Other than a PFD, its probably going to be your biggest offshore life saving asset.

And before you say "Who the F-is this guy.." I was a DC1 in the Coast Guard for 16 years. 4 of witch were spent at a small boat station in New Jersey. :)

So I do understand your situation, and Good Job!
 
Hey not a problem, we can all learn from each other by seeing what everyone else is keeping in their boat.

As for the Eripb, you are absolutely correct, however I do have one but most people don’t notice the acronym as of yet. It is a 406 PLB or personal location beacon. I selected the one with an integral GPS system so if I do have to activate it, USCG will know my position within 1-5 minutes. I went with the PLB instead of the Eripb, because the PLB is registered to the person and not the boat. So if I decide to run out with a buddy I can easily carry it with me.

Having survived a being stranded a few times in my life already, I know what a crappy feeling it can be. The first time was when we were hunting elk and got the truck stuck in the Mountains of Montana, it was -42 degree F that night and all we had was a small sleeping bag. Not fun at all. Lesson learned, so about 3 years later, similar deal but this time we had everything we needed, food water good sleeping bags, chains shovels, **** if we had shot an elk I don’t think we could have got into the back of the truck.

So anyways, we all should remember the rule of the 6 P’s proper planning prevents p#%s poor performance.
 
Actually, I'm familiar with PLB's @ 121.5mhz. We used them on a 44 footer about 10 years ago. I am however, not familiar with the newer 406 PLB's.

Here is some good reading concerning PLB's.

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/plborepirb.html

From what I've read concerning the 406's PLBs, they are great to have but still have serious limitations.

BTW, 406's EPIRB squawk freq can be registered to a vessel, thus the person. Actual GPS coordinates are subject to the receivers software. Every one is different.

Try here>>>https://beaconregistration.noaa.gov/rgdb/


Remember 406 is the distress signal, 121.5 is the homing signal.
 
Anyway, Lets hear some more "Ditch Bag" items.

I want to make sure I'm covered...
 
One thing I have thought of getting and tossing is some flippers, I was thinking if you do have to ditch, it should would take less engery to swim if you had them. I do have a pair of google on board in case I have to un-foul a line around the prop.
 
I have always enjoyed climbing on the transom with my big fat butt and trying to untangle the prop while hanging on ...makes a great show and some colorful dialog for anyone on the trip
 
saltydawg said:
I have always enjoyed climbing on the transom with my big fat butt and trying to untangle the prop while hanging on ...makes a great show and some colorful dialog for anyone on the trip
Click to expand...

LMAO, it is 6 am here, waiting on my buddies to get here to head offshore and just got that as a visual! Oh what a day it shall be! :D
 
glad I could help out....just think about it every time you look back at the outboard. I won't tell you about the time I was leaning over it like that and my hand slipped and over i went into about a foot of water and three foot of silt/mud........I invented new words for that trick
 
Well I am still working on putting togather a ditch bag and this thread is a great resource for info to help me figure out what I need. I am not heading into the ocean very soon and the lakes here are congested so I would be helped quickly here. However I do have a short story of a personal disaster I had when I was younger.

I borrowed a 14 ft. jon boat with a tiller drive 20hp OB motor. It had a 5 gallon plastic tank. I had fishing rods and a tackle box. I also took a bottle of water, beef jerky and a coke with me. I had an old vest that was moldy. I went up river about 8 miles and then started drift fishhing back towards the parking area. The sun was harsh and temps were 95+. I soon drank all my coke and half my water. After 3 hours of slow drift I decided to head in. I went to start the engine. It wouldnt fire up so I pumpe the bulb a few times and noticed a small leak in the hose. I took a rag and wiped up the spill and then pulled the start rope again. At that point I felt intense heat blast from the engine and fill the jon boat with a flash of flame. I should mention I had removed my shirt before and my vest was on the front bench seat. Well I was on fire and I dove overboard while still hanging onto the side of the boat. The fire raged at the back of the boat. My skin was bright red and had a weird tingle but cool in the water. The boat was getting hot and I had to let go and head for shore. I am not a great swimmer and I had only 150 feet to swim but I was burnt, shocked and my eyes were singed so they started bluring. I made it to shore and sat there watching the boat drift and burn along with my last bit of water. After an hour a boat came up the river slowly towing my boat behind. The aluminum had melted at the transom and sides, and the guys on the tow boat wer yelling "Are you there?" "Hello!" I stood up and waived my arms, water was pouring off me, it was fluids from my skin burns, I was dehydrated and spent the night at the hospital and a week recovering. Lessons Learned the hard way.

Roger
 
Wow! What a story thfireman. I hope that's not where the username came from. :) Glad you're still with us!
 
NCangler said:
Wow! What a story thfireman. I hope that's not where the username came from. :) Glad you're still with us!
Click to expand...
LOL, No I am a firefighter. This was years before becoming a firefighter and really had nothing to do with my career decision. I suffered from 1st and 2nd degree burns but was lucky that I recovered quickly. I was on antibiotics for almost a month but was back in action within a week. My eyebrows grea back in a couple of weeks,lol. It was a long time before I got back in a boat but not because of that, it was because I didnt have money to buy a boat and no body would loan me a boat for some reason. I should mention that the authorities cited me $200.00 for various violations. One was not having an extinquisher. It would not have mattered cause I had 1/2 a second to bail. Keep those bail out bags where you can get to them even if you are flying over the side. It happens super fast...
 
That story alone made this thread worth it.
 
Guess the word "Ditch Bag" means you are getting in the water fast and the only other thing you can grab other than a life vest is the "ditch Bag".

I keep mine in a dry bag full of air and tied to 10' of line so as if the boat were to capsize it would hopefully float around the boat and not away....other than if the boat blew up, can't figure too many senarios where you'd have to ditch a virtually unsinkable boat.

A sat phone would be the only other thing I could think that I would like to have. Cost is just kinda high.

My worst boating experience is a clogged bilge in a Bay 190, hope to keep it that way!:D
 
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