Marine Survival Equipment

Compromising on marine survival equipment depends on whether your cabin cruiser survival equipment includes a 406 EPIRB and back-up hand-held VHF or EPIRB.

Close in to shore, reliable and effective communications will substitute for a huge amount of additional gear. Survival is important, but getting rescued as quickly as possible is the ultimate aim.

Items listed below include those that may already be part of a liferaft's equipment and survival supplies.

Safety In Security

Emergency equipment should be carefully examined and tested. You should know how to operate the equipment and that it is functioning. Testing is absolutely critical for electronic and mechanical equipment. It’s too late when you've abandoned ship to discover your radio or EPIRB or watermaker doesn't work. Never rely on mechanical or electronic equipment you haven't tested yourself before packing.

Equipment should be fitted with a lanyard, wrist or tether as appropriate.

A good place to store equipment or supplies is in the liferaft itself, particularly liferaft specific items. When purchasing a new raft or when having your existing liferaft serviced, take the opportunity to discuss these options with the manufacturer, dealer, or liferaft service centres.

Crew members should be able to locate and retrieve critical items in the dark It should take no longer than 30 seconds for a crew to collect all gear and be ready to launch the liferaft and abandon ship.

Signalling

406MHz Emergency position indicating radio beacons EPIRB(s)

A 406 EPIRB is the single most important piece of survival equipment in the liferaft. The 406 EPIRB will make up for a lot of other deficiencies in equipment.

However, they are electronic and they have been known to fail, I have been witness to that. So, ideally you want to invest in two (though admittedly few feel they can afford two at current prices), preferably by two different manufacturers so there is no chance that some inherent design flaw or manufacturing defect could cripple both. One should go in the bag, the other can either be packed in the life raft or mounted on the boat where it can be grabbed quickly.

Make sure the 406 EPIRB you purchase has a new battery. EPIRBs can sit on shelves long enough to have less than half their original battery life remaining. This becomes especially critical for long-distance, multi-year cruisers since many 406 EPIRBS require the unit be returned to the manufacturer or an authorized service centre for battery replacement.

Tron EPIRBs have to be registered.

The EPIRB must be oriented with the antenna vertical to operate properly. You can't just lay it down on the floor of the raft. If your liferaft is equipped with a canopy, tie or tape it to the vertical canopy arch.

VHF Handheld

You can include a special yacht survival equipment radio. This will likely be the one you normally use on the boat, preferably waterproof (or in a waterproof enclosure). ideally, it should be GMDSS compliant, most late model ones are. However, you cannot rely upon the rechargeable ni-cad batteries that you most likely use for normal operations. Be sure your emergency handheld takes alkaline or lithium batteries. If your handheld is not able to be equipped with an alkaline or lithium battery pack, it isn't really suitable for survival use.

Signal Mirrors

SOLAS Parachute Flares

SOLAS Handheld Flares

SOLAS Smoke Flares

The more you have, the better. Keep them stored in a dry waterproof package and they will generally last far longer.

Vacuum bag them for longest life, especially the small meteor flares. Good flares are expensive. Treat them with care so your investment lasts as long as possible and they will serve you more reliably in time of need.

Strobe Light

Whistle or Horn

Binoculars

Abandon Ship Bag

Food and Water

Water Purification - Chemical or Filter

Survival rations

3-4 day's minimal rations in temperate or tropical climes. Experience suggests that your appetite will be suppressed initially, especially so if abandonment occurs in heavy weather conditions. In colder waters you will use more energy to stay warm and therefore require more food. Energy bars and similar consumer foods are not substitutes for quality survival rations.