A list of things you need to bring with your Dinghy

OldDan1943 said:

My tender is a marked T/T to a documented vessel. How does that effect the necessity for a state registration??

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In Florida, the exemptions posted above are the ONLY exemptions to the registration requirement.

Sabre, I shall call my tender an 'illegal alien'.

Larry M said:

We have a long painter, two oars, a signal device, 2 life jackets, a hand held vhf, and a small tool kit. Our 10.5’ rib has a small bow locker.

Edit: Don't forget a copy of your registration. We got pulled over last year in St. Augustine for speeding. All they wanted to see were the life preservers and registration. They gave us a warning.

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I put a copy of our registration in a small ziplock bag and stow it under the engine cover.

sunchaser said:

What dinghies require registration?

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Every state is different. If it has a motor it probably has to be registered.

ctbarbarian said:

I'm trying to work up a list for things to bring on my dinghy.

Life jackets, throw cushion

small anchor and 2 ropes.

running lights, flashlight

whistle, fire extinguisher,

oar

please add suggestions to my list.



Also, where do you put all this stuff, when away from the dinghy

eating out or shopping ?

9ft Caribe with a 9.9 Yamaha.

Thanks for any help.

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Throw a gallon jug of water on board, for emergencies. Also a basic first aid kit.

Have a USCG or USPS courtesy vessel safety check done.
Examiners should be aware of local legal reqmts and will issue a VSC Decal when you pass.

If only operating during daylight hrs some states let you by with daytime distress signals only. I'd hate to try to have a flare on an inflatable. NY does require anchor, rode, reg #s, horn/ whistle if mechanically powered... it is then consider a power boat in NY

Pgitug said:

I put a copy of our registration in a small ziplock bag and stow it under the engine cover.

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Good idea!

In CT you must register your motorized dinghy.
I keep the registration and a small whistle (noise making device) in one of those small waterproof plastic containers.
A plastic coated mushroom anchor + line (approx 20 ft of 1/4").
Life jackets
Oars of course.
Bailing sponge.
That's all for normal use.
on an extended excursion/exploration we carry a bottle of water each (or a few beers), portable depth finder, cell phone, small bucket for "treasures", maybe some towels/chairs if we're going to a beach.
A stern light on a pole if we plan on being out after dark.
That's about it.

I always bring a VHF and some waters when in the dinghy. Started this when in the Bahamas. My 20 year old son wanted to go check out a reef in and took the dinghy from our anchorage. I made him take the VHF in case of trouble, and sure enough he got stranded but was able to radio for help. Since then it seemed like a good idea to always take the VHF.

Yes, the VHF.

Many of the things mentioned wouldn't fit in my dinghy so it's the required things only.

Someone mentioned not carrying an anchor because they don't plan to anchor. Well fine, but if your outboard fails, where will you be when they come looking for you? Wherever the current or wind takes you?

so far
Registration, insurance card,2 PFDs,running lites, flashlight, small anchor, 2 oars
2 ropes, portable VHF, 3 flares,sponge, spare kill switch, fire extinguisher, towel,
sun screen, whistle, handpump, water, tool kit, compass, air pump, lock and chain,
first aide kit, fuel line patch, 2 small clamps,knife.
This is a good list. anything missing?

Don't forget to have a few litres of water - plastic soft drink bottles are good

OldDan1943 said:

My RIB is clearly marked with T/T (tender too) so it carries no state registration.
Do I still need to carry a copy of the "origin"?

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If you have a motor on it and it's in Florida then it must be registered.

If no motor, no registration is required.

k9medic said:

If you have a motor on it and it's in Florida then it must be registered.

If no motor, no registration is required.

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I am a very bad boy. Apparently I am harboring an illegal tender.

I hate to think what Calif requires. LOL

The answer is site dependent. In a protected anchorage you will need a lot less than if you are off on a 30 mile expedition. In our dinghy (10.5' 9.9 hp) we have a bag under the seat with two life jackets, registration, a spare lanyard. We have a claw anchor which neatly fits on the transom . it has 30 feet of line for use when bleaching the dinghy. We have 2 feet of chain and 100 feet of anchor line (1/8" dyneema stores easily and does not hold water, under the bow step.)

We always have two painters too any dinghy which breaks free and gets lost, only had one painter. . We do not carry lights unless we are going ashore in the evening. We find that dinghy lights stored in the cabin last longer and are more likely to work than lights stored in the dinghy.

We use a 3 gallon fuel tank and have a transom mounted filter with a clear bowl. Unless we are going over 20 miles we do not bother to take a second fuel tank . Likewise we only carry flares if we are out at night in remote areas. We have 20' "Kryptonite" security cable. but we only feel the need to lock the dinghy when we are south of GA. WE also carry a 6 foot push pole. Makes it easier to get off the beach in cold water, or any time you do not want to get wet.

We also have a permanently installed transom mount transducer so we can map out anchorages and creek entrances.
Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life

ctbarbarian said:

so far
Registration, insurance card,2 PFDs,running lites, flashlight, small anchor, 2 oars
2 ropes, portable VHF, 3 flares,sponge, spare kill switch, fire extinguisher, towel,
sun screen, whistle, handpump, water, tool kit, compass, air pump, lock and chain,
first aide kit, fuel line patch, 2 small clamps,knife.
This is a good list. anything missing?

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You're going to need a big dinghy to haul all that around.

jleonard said:

You're going to need a big dinghy to haul all that around.

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Maybe a second OB for the what if's? Are we talking safety, regulatory or real life?

An anchor is the single most important piece of safety equipment you can have in a small boat. Yes, even more important than a pfd, though both are big.

Crazy to not have an anchor. A dinghy anchor takes up almost no space and is dirt cheap.

Third would be a handheld vhf.

We always carry a cheap Walmart danforth knockoff, but probably not enough rode. Maybe 20’.

Boats < 16Ft

Fire Extinguisher
One B-I type approved hand portable fire extinguisher. (Not required on outboard motorboats less than 26 ft in length if the construction of the motorboat is such that it does not permit the entrapment of explosive or flammable gases or vapors, and if fuel tanks are not permanently installed.)

PFD's:
One approved Type I, II, III or V (must be worn) PFD for each person on board or being towed on water skis, tubes, etc.

Bell, Whistle:
Every vessel less than 65.6 ft. (20 meters) in length must carry an efficient sound producing device.

No need for fire extinguishers, no need for throwables.

We take our anchor and line with us if we plan on anchoring or going on a longer cruise. We take lights if we're not sure we're going to return before sunset. We don't take spare lines with us. I keep a long painter permanently tied to the bow. That works everywhere. I wouldn't get too bogged down with a bunch of crap you don't need, it's a dinghy.

Some of you guys have your priorities wrong. Outside of the normal required stuff, and some oars, along with the appropriate amount of fuel -

At least ONE cutie to share the ride is necessary
.

If it's a longer trip, you may want to bring two along.

IF I packed all the suggested material, I would need to tow second RIB to hold it all.

Really depends on what the purpose of the dinghy is in the first place. We thought of our big boat as kind of like the 747 that used to transport the space shuttle. We used (and still do) our 13' Whaler to explore far and wide, so carried all the heavy duty stuff outlined above. That includes both a bow and stern anchor for use at the beach. All of it has come in handy at one time or another, save the fire extinguisher and flares, which we'd never go out without regardless.

If I had a dinghy purely for going back and forth to the nearest shore, I'd have about a fifth of all that... but personally I would avoid having such a dinghy in the first place.