What Safety Equipment should you have aboard your sailboat?
We recently held a hands-on safety equipment seminar at Herrington Harbour Marina along with Atlantic Rigging, USA Services and North Sails. Several attendees asked if we would put our equipment list on-line.
After the flare demonstration, we all agreed that SOLAS flares are the ones we want to use to signal for help. They are more expensive, but you get what you pay for. SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) is a standard that must be met by commercial vessels and the Offshore Racing Council (ORC).
Federal Requirements:
Make sure items are USCG approved, in date and proper size/quantities for your vessel are aboard.
1. PFD's
2. Fire Extinguishers
3. Sound Signal
4. Running Lights
5. Visual Distress Signals
ASA, USCGAUX and TSA Recommendations:
1. Anchor and Anchor rode (at least two of each)
2. Bailer or bilge pump
3. Flashlight and batteries
4. Sharp rigging knife
5. Tool kit and spare parts
6. Navigation charts and equipment
7. Compass
8. Binoculars
9. Bosun's Chair
10. Soft Wood Plugs
11. VHF (SSB or Sat Comm if offshore)
12. EPIRB
13. Safety harnesses and tethers for ea. crew
14. Jack lines
15. Life Buoy/Life sling
16. Buoyant Heaving Line
17. Inflatable Life Raft
18. Dinghy
19. Tow rope
20. Water proof light on each life jacket
21. Fog Horn
22. Boat Hook
23. Detectors and Alarms (bilge water, fume, carbon monoxide detectors)
24. Lead line
25. Radar reflector
26. Heavy Weather sails
27. Drogue
28. Sea Anchor
29. Dive mask and snorkel
30. Dive light
31. First Aid kit
32. Rapid Ditch Bag
33. Dinghy safety kit
Rapid Ditch Bag Recommendations:
1. Waterproof handheld VHF transceiver
2. Waterproof GPS
3. Portable EPIRB
4. Plastic drinking vessels
5. Chemical light sticks
6. Dive light
7. Signaling mirror
8. Whistle(s)
9. Two red parachute flares and three red hand held flares
10. Food rations
11. Fresh water, at
least 1/2 Liter per person
12. Hand op. desalinater
13. Fishing supplies
14. Plastic sheets/bags
15. Space blankets
16. Work gloves
17. Repair kit
18. Knife and multi-tool
19. Sponges
20. Reflective tape
21. Navigation kit
22. Photocopies of crew passports and ships papers
23. Waterproof matches
24. Emergency radar reflector
25 Cash in small denominations
Dinghy Kit Recommendations:
1. Dinghy anchor and rode
2. Bow and stern dock lines, small fenders
3. Drogue
4. Battery op running lights
5. flares sealed vacuum pack
6. Waterproof VHF
7. Hand bearing compass
8. Waterproof chart for area cruising
9. First aid kit
10. Drinking water
11. Multi-tool
12. bailer/hand bilge pump
13. Tow line
14. Specific tool kit with spares for outboard engine
15. Patch kit and pump for inflatables or RIBs