Ditch Bag

Sounds like a good ditch bag. I need to copy that.

Is the rib on the PH roof?

stubones99 said:

Clip one of these to the hand of the ditch bag...

Jens Carabiner - Titanium |Â* Kershaw Knives

The handle makes it easy to latch stuff to (line on tender / liferaft) and the hook on the end is a good (very sharp) line cutter. with three small wrenches on the other end.

I also have a multi-tool with saws, wrenches, etc.

Nice to have would be a kershaw axe
Tinder |Â* Kershaw Knives

I wish they would put the line cutter edge right near the shaft of axe head...

Now all I have to do is cure arthritis and find a boat

Stu

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An axe in a ditch bag!?

Capt.Bill11 said:

An axe in a ditch bag!?

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Won't leave the truck on my snowmobile without one

I bet the Skipper wish he'd packed one for the three hour tour

I've become a fan of vacuum packing bags. Might be helpful for some of the items in the ditch bag.

CPseudonym said:

Won't leave the truck on my snowmobile without one

I bet the Skipper wish he'd packed one for the three hour tour

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As I said, an axe in a ditch bag!?

ktdtx said:

I've become a fan of vacuum packing bags. Might be helpful for some of the items in the ditch bag.

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Actually vacuum seal bags work great to keep things dry and organized in a ditch bag. And you can cut them to any size.

As does putting stuff in those clear hard dry boxes.

Both the boxes and the vacuum bags add bouyantcy to the ditch bag.

I also put heavy duty ziploc bags in my ditch bag.

Capt.Bill11 said:

An axe in a ditch bag!?

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I guess you think you'll paddle up to the Ritz Carleton?

If you don't take it with you, don't plan on finding it when you land.

it's becoming obvious, that depending on the trip...the ditch bag can vary quite a bit.


Also between boater types...as a liveaboard...one ditch bag is for valuables/irreplaceables...the other for survival gear.

someone earlier mentioned oxycodone as a pain killer just in case...

Unless you have a prescription for the medication, especially opiates, you should not keep a spare supply in your ditch bag, especially if you do border crossings.

If you do have a prescription, save the bottle from the last refill and restock it with a few from the current refill, and put that bottle in your ditch bag. You may also want to keep a copy of the prescription (the page with the medicine from the pharmacy) so you can prove those are yours and are legitimately yours.

This also goes with heart medication and other things which being without can cause significant problems. You may request your doctor issue you a "spare" prescription for them, and then cycle through them before they expire.

Your doctor can also issue a prescription for an antibiotic and other similar medications to be stored in the ditch bag, with instructions for their use. It depends on where you go though.

In some countries, your medication may be readily available (for less than the US prices too). Having a printed copy of the prescriptions is important, if you have a need.

stubones99 said:

I guess you think you'll paddle up to the Ritz Carleton?

If you don't take it with you, don't plan on finding it when you land.

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In case why not just pack a chain saw and get it over with?

I'll play the odds thanks. And I think I'd save the space and weight that an axe would take up for another EPIRP, more water, energy bars, etc.

The likelyhood of anybody here needing an axe in their ditch bag if they every have to abandon ship is pretty small. Even the folks in Alaska are more likely to burn drift wood they find on a beach then cut down trees.

As to paddling up to a Ritz Carlton goes, where I do most of my boating these days, that's not to far fetched. There is at least a good likelyhood there might be a beach bar near by.

Assuming you wash up somewhere in the PNW, you will need to start a fire to avoid hypothermia and get a search plane's attention.

And also fight off a pack of wolves or a bear

Capt.Bill11 said:

In case why not just pack a chain saw and get it over with?

I'll play the odds thanks. And I think I'd save the space and weight that an axe would take up for another EPIRP, more water, energy bars, etc.

The likelyhood of anybody here needing an axe in their ditch bag if they every have to abandon ship is pretty small. Even the folks in Alaska are more likely to burn drift wood they find on a beach then cut down trees.

As to paddling up to a Ritz Carlton goes, where I do most of my boating these days, that's not to far fetched. There is at least a good likelyhood there might be a beach bar near by.

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The ax is if you don't carry a handgun in the bag when cruising Alaska.

You hit one of your crew in the leg as the brown bear is charging...gives you a slight advantage...

Seriously...like all survival kits...they come in pocket sized like the Boy Scouts make you devise as a youngster...all the way up to pretty snazzy liferaft packages with full electronic suites....

ANYTHING at some point could be useful...adjust accordingly. I gave up my axe for a hooker in a fur coat....much more versatile in a survival situation...something learned after 4 military survival schools.

That's what a dive knife is for as well.

Stab your buddy to distract the shark as you swim back to the boat.

For what it's worth, the axe is a small one and weighs less than a pound. Being that compact and light weight is good for a ditch back, IMHO....

I also keep an extra (charged) 18650 battery in a small waterproof match holder to double the time I have on the flashlight (an updated T20C2) with signalling and low light output for 2+ weeks runtime on low. if you wanted more redundancy, stick a couple of fresh CR123 batteries in there, since they have a 10 year shelf life.

Someone mentioned v-sheet. No idea what that is, but survival blankets are high on my list. They're in the dinghy, car, cabin...everywhere I go.


Keith