NEVER leave port without these three safety items.

[eric3a]

..

[albion]

I am surprised no one mentioned plenty gas for the engine. I always make sure I have enough as I am a rotten sailor.

[bastonjock]

i have a self inflate PDF,i went off the idea of the autos after my buddy had his go off in heavy rain,another piece of kit that i have is a hand held vhf,a must in my mind for single handing,my vhf fits into my sailing jacket.Im also looking into some small flares but im not so sure about them as the vhf. a small hand held gps would be a greaat companion

[Catigale]

You guys know Im a bit of a PFD Nazi, but here goes..

For us, boating begins when we step out of the truck at the launch dock



...and they come off when we get back into the truck at the end of the day.

Thats when the PFDs go on. I once lost the Admiral into the drink RETRIEVING our Island 17 at then end of the day - she had been dropped at the dock and had taken hers off, which seemed reasonable, I ended up in trouble at the dock in heavy wind, got blown off the dock into rip rap, and before we knew it she was in the water with no PFD.

When things go wrong (even on dry land) there is no time to put one on of course.


Our allowed 'removal times'

Below decks with reasonable seas - the rule is the kids have to be able to reach their PFD and touch it within 5 seconds of me calling 'General Quarters' from the cockpit - and they get tested every day. The PFDs all clip to a lanyard near the companionway so the kids know where they are

In cockpit when on hook or mooring - they also are allowed to swim to a beach from the hook to shore without PFDs under supervision. We have also let them drift to shore in shallows (less than their height) on the tender

At night sleeping of course.

Otherwise all hands wear them under motor or sail at all times.

I address the heat issue by stripping off the layers of clothes in hot weather going all the way down to just swims suits and sunblock. The Admirals' Victoria Secret model sister gave us this idea so we adopted it willingly.....

[Moe]

We wear our auto-inflatables when under way and when going forward, even at anchor. I don't think I could swim too well or pull a lanyard if I hit my head or got the breath knocked out of me when going over. After a few times of wearing it, I forget I even have one on.

Ours are the older type with dissolvable bobbins, but we've never had one accidentally deploy. IMO, that would be better than not having one deploy when I need it. The newer ones are water-pressure activated and don't accidentally deploy.

If you want to stay cool, a white cotton t-shirt keeps the sun off you as well as holds evaporating moisture next to your skin. Actually cooler than bare skin. Of course, cotton is the last thing you want to wear if you want to stay warm.

--
Moe

[NiceAft]

Would he have survived a couple days with a PFD? Sounds like hypothermia would set in. The PFD would just make the cold body float better.

This was in June/July, off the busy coast of the N.E. U.S. With the vest on he may have had a chance of not drowning before being rescued. If putting on a vest increases the chance of changing the odds in my favor, I will wear the vest. When you're dead, you stay dead a long time

Ray

[kmclemore]

If you want to stay cool, a white cotton t-shirt keeps the sun off you as well as holds evaporating moisture next to your skin. Actually cooler than bare skin. Of course, cotton is the last thing you want to wear if you want to stay warm.

Yes, that works well, but be *sure* to put sunscreen *under* that t-shirt - white t-shirts are notorious for allowing the sun to go through them, giving folks skin damage.

And as a matter of fact, sunscreen would be one of those 'must haves' for us. My office-mate and a fellow sailor, George Wagner, died of skin cancer a few years ago... he was only 34... it was a 6-month long horrible death which ended with brain, spine and lung involvement, massive edema in his lower extremeties and unbearable pain... very, very sad.

(God bless you, George... your sacrifice continues to teach and save others... I'll share a beer with you on the other side someday, buddy.)

[Bransher]

Definitely the self-inflatable PFD, then..........


and of course, a bottle of Rum. (The blender and the Rum make the PFD an essential item.)

[beene]

I will have to investigate these inflatable types. I admit, I very seldom where a PFD while on my M. I almost get the feeling I am on a cruise ship sometimes, so I develop a why bother kind of attitude.

The water in my lake is usually cold enough that if I were not back on board, dried off and warmed up soon, I'd be dead anyway.

But still, I will look into it and see if I can find a good one for next season. Cat makes me feel guilty, especially when the safety of my girls is at stake. My girls always have to wear theirs, but always ask why I don't wear mine. Lead by example right?

My Bad

[Gerald Gordon]

We went out in the dinghy today. We motored from Kualoa to the Sandbar in Kane'ohe Bay. About 8 miles round trip.
I just got the Zoom and a 5hp2stroke Tohatsu. I read on this board that the 5hp could go 5-6 hrs on the .66 gallon tank at slow to medium speed. Coming back from the Sandbar we ran out of gas. We had PFD's and oars. We paddled for over an hour before we got a tow. We were about 1 mile off shore. I'm leaning to be prepared.

Who said eXtra gas? I'm getting the 5 gallon portable container. I also got an away bag which floats on Craig’s list for $25.00 dollars. Just bought a handheld VHF waterproof radio.

It seems like s..t happens every time we go out. Up to this point we've managed. I'm starting to think that if something can go wrong it will.

Don't be lazy. Be prepared.

[Catigale]

In Joshua Slocum's Sailing Solo Around the World there was a part where he went offshore with a local to catch fish, the wind dropped, and they had no paddles. The current was carrying them away and the next stop was Africa, 3000 nm away...



He took the boom of the small boat they were on and used it like a paddle to get steerage back to shore over many hours.

All the way around the world solo and one moment of inattention almost bought the farm..good lesson there.

[NiceAft]

Gerald,

You validated two of Murphy's laws.
1) If anything can go wrong, it will
2) Nature always sides with the hidden flaw


Ray

P.S. My favorite is "a Smith & Wesson beats four aces

[tangentair]

Well toward the end of this season my oldest son "borrowed" my fishing vest, which is a PDF with various pockets etc. I did not wear any after that and this post is kind of making me feel guilty since I to was a tyrant about my 13 year old putting his on when he got out of the car. I suppose I will have get another before we go out next year, not an issue for me but I can not seem to get the wife to wear one - interferes with her getting sun, is uncomfortable, and doesn't look pretty. I suggested she wear one or get more life insurance but that only resulted in the "then you go without me" response. Anyone know of any pretty PDFs

[Beam's Reach]

I bought my wife an auto inflatable in red. Maybe not pretty hanging up, but once it's on her it looks great!

Oh hi Honey! I didn't see you peeking over my shoulder!

[Catigale]

I suggested she wear one or get more life insurance

Im guessing that went over like