Ditch Bag

[KJ]

Do you carry a ditch bag on your boat? If so, where do you keep it, and what's in it? KJ

[markpierce]

Without life raft or dinghy, one relies on a PFD in our inland waters (SF estuary), and one might stay aware/alive for an hour or so in the 50-degree water.

[KJ]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Without life raft or dinghy, one relies on a PFD in our inland waters (SF estuary), and one might stay aware/alive for an hour or so in the 50-degree water.

For those folks that do venture outside the Gate, say to Bodega Bay, Half Moon Bay, the Farallones, or from Monterey to So Cal, as Baggiolini is currently doing, or anywhere offshore, like crossing the G Stream, I would think a life raft or dinghy would be more appropriate, in which case a ditch bag might come in handy. KJ

[CPseudonym]

Waterproof floating VHF, PLB, signaling mirror, and a water bottle in a small mesh bag by the door of our sailboat. We are not "offshore" big water cruising people and feel reasonably prepared.

We take the bag with us when out on friends boats too. Fits discretely in our day tote.

[psneeld]

The absolutely most important thing about a ditch bad is having the TRAINING (either through someone or self taught) that teaches you about safety/survival at sea. Without the training and a survival plan (changes every voyage)....all the equipment in the world may not save you.

immersion suits are an inexpensive alternative to a liferaft and will keep you alive for days in pretty cold water (50s)....you just better be flexible and familiar with donning one relatively quickly.

the most important thing in ditch bags are epirbs/plbs if you cruise coastal USA, Canada, Bahamas...after that a handheld vhf, some pocket flares, water...the list increases as the distance away from potential goes up (plus thesize of the bag ).

[Marin]

Yes, we carry a ditch bag. The list of what's in it is too long to go into in detail here. Basically it has everything we need to attract attention day or night, communicate by VHF, navigate by GPS, compass, and basic charts, provide food and water for two or three days for us and our dog, and provide a modicum of protection from the weather. It is normally stowed on a berth in the forward cabin, but when underway we'll often bring it up into the main cabin depending on the nature of that day's run.

[Keith]

Red Parachute Flares
Red Hand-Held Flares, SOLAS
Orange Hand-Held Smoke Flares
Dye Marker
406 Manual EPIRB
Hand-Held VHF
Extra Battery Pack for VHF
Signal Mirror
Whistle
Horn
Waterproof Flashlight
Extra Batteries - AA
Extra Batteries – C
Chemical Lightsticks
Strobe Light
Hand Compass
Cigarette Lighter, Butane
Gallon Zip-Lock Bags
Swiss Army Knife
Leatherman Tool
Capalene/Polypropylene Underwear
Sun Block, SPF 30
Vaseline
Sunglasses
Survival Blanket
Small First Aid Kit
Copy of Passport / Driver’s License
Cash
12 Gage Flare Gun Kit
12 Gage Flares – Current
Waterproof Notebook
USCG Fishing Kit
Katydyn Water Maker
Magnifying Glass
Distress Flag, Plastic

[Scary]

Originally Posted by Keith

Red Parachute Flares
Red Hand-Held Flares, SOLAS
Orange Hand-Held Smoke Flares
Dye Marker
406 Manual EPIRB
Hand-Held VHF
Extra Battery Pack for VHF
Signal Mirror
Whistle
Horn
Waterproof Flashlight
Extra Batteries - AA
Extra Batteries – C
Chemical Lightsticks
Strobe Light
Hand Compass
Cigarette Lighter, Butane
Gallon Zip-Lock Bags
Swiss Army Knife
Leatherman Tool
Capalene/Polypropylene Underwear
Sun Block, SPF 30
Vaseline
Sunglasses
Survival Blanket
Small First Aid Kit
Copy of Passport / Driver’s License
Cash
12 Gage Flare Gun Kit
12 Gage Flares – Current
Waterproof Notebook
USCG Fishing Kit
Katydyn Water Maker
Magnifying Glass
Distress Flag, Plastic

How big is the bag that this all fits in? That Katydyn water maker. what model. I didn't see any water containers or water?

[KJ]

Originally Posted by psneeld

The absolutely most important thing about a ditch bad is having the TRAINING (either through someone or self taught) that teaches you about safety/survival at sea. Without the training and a survival plan (changes every voyage)....all the equipment in the world may not save you.

immersion suits are an inexpensive alternative to a liferaft and will keep you alive for days in pretty cold water (50s)....you just better be flexible and familiar with donning one relatively quickly.

the most important thing in ditch bags are epirbs/plbs if you cruise coastal USA, Canada, Bahamas...after that a handheld vhf, some pocket flares, water...the list increases as the distance away from potential goes up (plus thesize of the bag ).

All very good info. However, my question remains: do you carry a ditch bag?

[ben2go]

I do not but I am rarely far from shore, or help.When I start to venture out, I will refer to this thread for my ditching supply list.

[skipperdude]

The things in Kieth's bag is what I would need for Alaska.

I would think the most important thing is an EPERB or VHF.

Most of you folks if you have to ditch help is close by.

Where I boat it could be days before I see another boat. Depending on the time of the year.

The biggest thing on my list is the EPERB and the hand held VHF. As I am generally close to land I can find all the food and water I need.

First aid kit would be nice. I can start a fire anywhere anytime.

SD

[Giggitoni]

Yes.

[Keith]

It's a little hand-held unit. I do carry some water packs, but they came from the last time I had my liferaft re-packed. Although they are expired, I think they are still fine. I had outfitted for extended offshore cruising, so that's why it's so extensive.

[Scary]

I'm about to put one together for next year. I like your list, I already have most if not all of the items listed, just not in one place. I have a small hand pump Katydyn Ro pump left over from my back country fun, I'm pretty sure it would work.

[KJ]

Originally Posted by Keith

It's a little hand-held unit. I do carry some water packs, but they came from the last time I had my liferaft re-packed. Although they are expired, I think they are still fine. I had outfitted for extended offshore cruising, so that's why it's so extensive.

Very comprehensive list. What kind of container do keep it all in? Where do you stow it? Also, how much cash do keep stashed, and what the heck is a USCG fishing kit (besides the obvious)? KJ

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by KJ

Very comprehensive list. What kind of container do keep it all in? Where do you stow it? Also, how much cash do keep stashed, and what the heck is a USCG fishing kit (besides the obvious)? KJ

A 200 ton stern trawler...

KJ...yes I carry a ditch bag...but till I leave the East Coast ditch/Bahamas...much more than an EPIRB/PLB, pocket pack of skyblazer flares, a couple strobes for life vests and a flashlight or two...everything else sounds like a list from some safety at sea seminar for world cruisin'.

A couple bottled waters are usually at hand so grab them before you jump, board the whatever.

I really need to get a large mouth VERY rugged waterproof bag for my liveaboard stuff. Wallets, laptop, valuables, files, etc, etc oh and the bundles of sequentially numbered 100's...

[Marin]

The food-water benefit in a ditch bag in this area is not so much for the Puget Sound/lower BC inside waters but for farther north from Desolation Sound up. Even though you are not totally isolated, if you have to abandon the boat the shoreline you will be landing on will usually be rugged, heavily forested, and steep with no easy access to any towns or communities. So you may need to stay put for awhile or take a day or three to work your way through the islands in the dinghy to where there are other people.

And there are areas along the coast where the VHS won't reach anyone on shore and there is no mobile phone coverage. This is why if we are going to be boating in these areas we carry a handheld aircraft VHF in the ditch bag. We may not be line of sight to another marine VHF but we might be to Alaska Airlines or the floatplanes, landplanes and helicopters that serve the Passage and coastal communities and outposts.

So even with help relatively close you may be on your own on shore for awhile before help arrives.

[KJ]

If the (your) ditch bag will not fit in your valise or canister type life raft, or if you just carry a dinghy that you use quite often and didn't want to stow it in there, where do you keep it so you can get to it quickly and easily in case of an emergency, like having to ditch? KJ

[honeybadger]

After my friend had to ditch a boat off the coast of Mexico and had time for nothing it was 3am the the Yacht broke apart in seas, He spent 5 days in a Mexican jail with the crew as they had no id, no papers at all and no boat to prove they were transporting, So i rethought my Ditch bag added some items.Laminated copies of passport along with military id and drivers lic, Medical card and 3 days of medication , with the other items, Pistol/flares, Eperb,Vhf and AM/FM ssb hand held, extra batteries,blanket,CO2 air horn,fishing items line hooks fake bait,First aid, sunscreen,Hat, Multitool,My Dive light.Chem stick lights, Lighter,Toilet paper smashed flat in zip lock bags, the bags about 10-15 lbs and floats and is water proof i keep it under my feet if i am at the helm, on the floor under my shoes if i am sleeping i the rack,

[psneeld]

Of course there should be different contents for different areas...just like it would be impossible to survive in the desert with the same stuff as you have for arctic regions and vice versa.

But of course there is overlap...identical stuff you need in both areas.

Tailor to suit the needs of your boating and region.

Thinks like food, water, blankets etc..etc...often aren't really in a ditch bag. The abandon ship "emergency bill" ( a list of all people and what they are responsible for doing and bringing in the emergency)...lists exactly that...what everyone on board is responsible for bringing when abandoning ship when the skipper gives the order.

If you want all that in a ditch bag great...but realistically...who keeps a bag that big on anything less than about 65 feet? Even then? And if you do great...but it's not how the pros have done it for the last 50 years or so.