What should be in a ditch bag? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Liv2Fish · 08-09-2011, 09:48 PM

It's a good idea to keep a spare bilge pump with 10' of wire with alligator clips to connect it to the batteries and enough hose to get the water over the side. It' a quick fix for a seized bilge pump. I had my pump freeze up this year but caught it on the pre-season check out.

Communication and signaling equipment is the key to rescue and survival. If the search doesn't start until you're reported missing, it's not likely you'll be found if you find yourself in the water like what JAKK posted.

Don't waste space in the ditch bag with food - use that space for more water. If you are able to stay with a boat that is partially afloat, water will keep you alive a lot longer than that food will. Most ready to pack food is also loaded with sodium which is not your friend when you have limited water.

beamie · 08-09-2011, 10:15 PM

I see many people replying about an extra bilge pump.

Any boat bigger than say 17' should already have at least 2 permanent pumps installed. Then not as much worry if one fails.

I'll be putting a little floatation bouy on my little handheld, waterproof but i don't think it floats.

likwid · 08-10-2011, 05:58 AM

2 perm install auto

1 heavy duty manual

Carrying around a wired spare is for the most part, completely pointless, yes you can replace that burnt out auto on the fly, but what are you going to do if your batteries give up the ghost? Rub the wires together?

Lifejackets should be equipped with these:
http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sa3959.html

Along with having reflective tape on them to improve visibility at night.

As said before, food/junk/etc is pointless. You need water, not crap.

If you have inflatables, its time to start thinking about moving over to Hydrostatic releases instead of the bobbins. Much more reliable and won't go off on you at stupid moments. Even though its completely hilarious.

JohnR · 08-10-2011, 10:17 AM

Dual Electric bilges, wired to separate batteries, with the float switch on the higher bilge pump also triggering an audible alarm. You will likely get warning long before you are in that spiraling loss of options.

1 manual handheld, several milk jugs (bottoms cut), and I'm liking the link to the manual pump Likwid posted.

Agree on the Ditchbag needing to be free on the deck. Even inside a hatch that will pop open only works if the boat has not turned turtle.

MrHunters · 08-10-2011, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by likwid

If you have inflatables, its time to start thinking about moving over to Hydrostatic releases instead of the bobbins. Much more reliable and won't go off on you at stupid moments. Even though its completely hilarious.

got a link?

likwid · 08-10-2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrHunters

got a link?

Life Raft Survival Equipment - Abandon Ship Equipment

Found these to be super comfy. (Almost as nice as the Spinlock, but the USCG seems to ignore European regs which are MORE STRICT)

Liv2Fish · 08-10-2011, 05:18 PM

Carrying around a wired spare is for the most part, completely pointless, yes you can replace that burnt out auto on the fly, but what are you going to do if your batteries give up the ghost? Rub the wires together?

Same thing you're going to do when the batteries give up and you actually have dual pumps - not much you can do except watch her disappear...

My bilge is to small to fit another pump with the live well pumps and existing (way oversized) bilge pump. I can clip on the alligator clips and toss the extra pump in the hole - doubles my pumping capacity while I head for the beach. I agree - avoiding the crisis is always better than being prepared to react to it. Doubles as a washdown when the bluefish puke all over the deck too...