No 1 safety equipment or tool

Ned_led16

if u had 1 piece of safety equipment only what would be on a boat:

i was thinking about people who drowned and wonder what 1 item would have saved their lives - for me ive a fishing / sking boat - and reckon it would have to be a waterproof vhf radio?

breghall

nothing more important than the best life jacket you can buy.... and the common sense to wear it when on the boat.

Ned_led16

i would have thought a waterproof handheld vhf

Pigeon Reaper

Not much talking can be done with your head under the water.

Tabnabs

At the risk of being clichéd, there is no one single most important piece of safety gear. Lifejacket, VHF, flares, pump/bailing bucket, there's a long list of items. But for me too, the lifejacket is at the top.

tin79

Lifejacket for sure.

In addition I always have a vhf, Flares, floating GPS, radar reflector on the sea boat (for what its worth not 100% convinced) and I carry my mobile in my pocket inside a ziplock bag.

Thats for personal safety for the survival of the boat a good anchor, rope and chain. A bilge pump and a big roll of thick tape (I saw on myth busters you can use it to temporarily patch a hole ). Also when going to sea I always have an aux engine (a hand start one in case the battery goes). Oh and a foghorn and a battery torch. And a spare pair of clothes in a sealed bag.

tin79

What boat did you get Ned in the end?

fergal.b

When you are on the water the safest thing you can have is a good reliable boat so look after it and the engines, next most important is the head on your shoulders, think of everything bung,fuel,batteries,equipment etc. and check the weather, Lets hope the last thing you have to rely is your life jacket but if it is make sure you and your crew are wearing them and not looking at them floating away in the distance if you end up in the water.
Be safe out there tell people where you are going and when you will be back.

R.I.P.... David and Ronan 31/3/11 two friends that had known the water all their lives but still got caught out.




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HeidiHeidi

fergal.b wrote: »

When you are on the water the safest thing you can have is a good reliable boat so look after it and the engines, next most important is the head on your shoulders, think of everything bung,fuel,batteries,equipment etc. and check the weather, Lets hope the last thing you have to rely is your life jacket but if it is make sure you and your crew are wearing them and not looking at them floating away in the distance if you end up in the water.
Be safe out there tell people where you are going and when you will be back.

R.I.P.... David and Ronan 31/3/11 two friends that had known the water all their lives but still got caught out.




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+1

Plan, check equipment, plan, check equipment again, and then plan some more. And then ask someone to check the plan. And the equipment.

Lifejacket, radio, GPS, phone, EPIRB (I'm seriously thinking of investing in a personal one for offshore trips). They're all obvious big ticket items, but sometimes it can be just having the right lenth of piece of string (or yes, duck tape)!

Sorry to hear about your pals, Fergal - that kinda brought me up short. RIP.

Never lose respect for the water.

Ned_led16

Tabnabs wrote: »

At the risk of being clichéd, there is no one single most important piece of safety gear. Lifejacket, VHF, flares, pump/bailing bucket, there's a long list of items. But for me too, the lifejacket is at the top.

Yeah - my bro had a seizure over the weekend - imagine if i was towing him sking - no boarding ladder ! he would have died!