Grab Bags

[Blue Dog]

Just going through my safety gear (windy day, you know how it is) and was wondering what you guys do in regards to quick access the safety items. At the moment I have an epirb in one place and torch in another and the flares elsewhere. If it all goes bad it will be an effort to grab everything I want in a hurry. Is the use of one of those bright, visible, waterproof grab bags an option? Everything would be in the one place which is great. But would this be a case of putting all your eggs in the one basket. By this I mean that if he get seperated from the bag everything is gone! Would it be an option to place everything in a grab bag that is attached to the boat by some sort of quick release clip. This way if the boat flips over the bag is a least still attached and can then be retrieved.

Any thoughts???

[hondaguy]

I leave my grab bag loose and in an open spot that way if anything should happen it should be free of the vessel.

[Out-Station]

My only advice is make sure you keep your epirb in its own bracket attached to the boat. When the s**t happens it will happen fast and the only thing you will be able to find after the event is your upturned boat with whatever was firmly attached to it. All the loose stuff will be on the bottom of the ocean, not so good if your epirbs there with it.

[freddofrog]

I use a large sports bag as a grab bag. I keep it under my foot rest so it is easily accessible but won't fly out if something should happen.

In it I have a spare livejacket which keeps everything afloat should I have to abandon ship and doubles as something to hold onto. I terms of personal lifejackets I always wear an inflatable one when heading even vaguely offshore. Apart from having epirb, flares (in own waterproof container) and torch, I also have a wetsuit in there as hypothermia is your biggest worry.

Other things you may want to consider putting in there is a handheld VHF radio and a handheld GPS unit.

My boat also came with a battery expired epirb which tests fine so that stays permanently mounted to the bulk head.

cya
ff

[Steve B]

A mate of mine has all his safety gear in a grab bag with a crab pot float tied to it for extra boyancy. I think he also straps a couple of lifejackets to the grab bag as well. It lies loose on the floor when travelling.

Read the story on page 66 of the Qld Fishing Monthly. Its a readers story about a boat that flipped off darwin. very scary, they had all the safety gear, but couldn't locate it when the S#*t hit the fan. I will be getting rid of the cheap boxxy life jackets and getting fitted ones for my family now.

[Blue Dog]

Yeah already ditched the boxxy life jackets ages ago and have some PFD1 vest types. Great idea on the wetsuit freddo. Already have the epirb attached to the console and I think I'll throw everything else in a floating bag ready to go. Cheers.

[joeT]

Just a thought, but if your grab bag is not firmly attached to anything, and you're tipped upsidedown suddenly, won't the grab bag just float away and by the time you come to your senses and spit out that salt water, it could be floating far away out of reach?

If you're in seas that can tip the boat, it would be pretty rough and hard to swim, which is not really the best time to let go of the (hopefully) floating upside down boat to swim out and look for your grab bag.

My thoughts are that it should be firmly attached to something, in a spot easily accessible if the boat tips. What do you think?

[Blue Dog]

JoeT, yeah mate spot on that is the point I had in my mind from the start. I like the idea of having everything in one place but actually attached to the boat so like you say it doesn't just disappear. I was thinking along the lines of a strong nylon strap with a quick release buckle set up. If she is upside down you know where everything is and can unclip it for easy retrieval.

[freddofrog]

Read in a magazine only today another way of looking at it. The guy advocates NOT having lifejackets tied to the boat. If the boat flips, his thinking is the jackets will then end up floating to the surface where you can pick them up.

Advantage I guess is you don't have to do a dodgy dive into an upturned hull but then again, in a rough seas, you may not be able to spot them before they drift away. Horses for course I guess...

ff

[charleville]

A mate of mine has all his safety gear in a grab bag with a crab pot float tied to it for extra boyancy.



Adding that float is a great idea!

[death_ship]

the one i got from bias has a strap and clip and you write your vessel name and rego on it. i also put sea dye and a mirror in mine and some more old flares

[russ81]

Hows it going guys

If the weather is that bad that the jackets could get away from me i would be wearing it anyway but i do like the grab bag idea with extra saftey gear packed in

[mik01]

doesn't an auto epirb activate when wet?.
so does it matter then if it is in a grab bag or goes down with the ship?