# My Ditch Bags Contents



## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

I was bored today due to seas being to rough to get out so I cleaned out my ditch bag.

Over the years I have put a lot of thought into stocking my ditch bag. I thought I would list what I have in it for others to see and or comment on what I might be missing.












All Packed Up












Contents

All packed in waterproof bag, in the floatation packed ditch bag

(1 )406 Epirb (registered to boat)

(1) 406 PLB (registered to me personally)

(1) 121 hz tracking Epirb

(2) Handheld GPSs both in separate waterproof container

(1) Orion 12 gauge flare kit with ink dye, signal mirror and whistle

(6) Handheld smoke flares

(1) SOLAS grade dye pack

(1) Manual air horn

A variety of cyclume sticks and battery powered strobes

First Aid kit

(2) Stainless dive knives

(1) Submersible handheld VHF radio

(1) Iridium Satellite phone packed in submersible Pelican case

Not shown: an assortment of wooden cone shaped plugs kept in the bilge

Zodiac 6 man raft w/ insulated floor in canister (chose canister over valise for protection of raft)

Boat has 2 independent Icom VHFs with separate antennas and power

Sea Anchor kept rigged and ready on top of normal anchor in anchor locker ( I consider the sea anchor one of the most important things on the boat. Idea being that my boat drifts beam to the seas with out it and in the event of loss of power in big seas that is the beginning of capsizing without the sea anchor keeping the bow into the seas)

(1) space blanket

(2) one gallon jugs of water



If running at night everyone wears the suspender type inflatable life jackets. I wear the PLB at night and I always wear the kill switch when running. If I am by myself I wear the electronic tether less kill switch that allows me to move around boat, but activates if it gets wet or more than 30 feet from console.

In addition I file a float plan with family members before every trip with pertinent numbers (Coast Guard etc..)



So what am I missing? thoughts? suggestions?



MScontender


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## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

BEER :letsdrink

all jokes aside, you have it pretty much covered.....USCG shouldnt have any problems finding you in a emergency.....how bout a mirror??


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## AaronBarnes (Sep 7, 2009)

I gonna copy you.

This post could save your life.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

Put some of those together and sell them as a package. :clap


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## HaterAide (Nov 9, 2007)

> *JoshH (9/13/2009)*Put some of those together and sell them as a package. :clap


Very expensive. But then again, you have to ask yourself, "How much do you value your life and the others on your boat?"


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

What you have listed in the post is good stuff.Let's all askourself this question. Does everyone on the boat know where it's all kept and how to use it? On Recess I give EVERY person that comes aboard a brief on where the life raft and ditch bag is located. Plus what my duties are. and what the crew expect of them in a ditching. The sat phone is a GREAT link with the world. For others that do not have one. This is a little trick to help increse your VHF line of sight range. You know the wire you clip when installing your vhf, while installing it ,that was a bad idea. If you have outriggers on your boat and you are out 40 miles, you can still talk with the shore by,unscrewing your ant. then tie or tape it to the top of the outrigger and raise it as high as you can. This will increase your line of sight range. Plus always carry that manual water pump. I enjoy when some one brings up items of safety. Thanks MScontender Gene


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## PELAGIC PIRATE (Oct 10, 2007)

You my friend are very well set up for a accident you wish to survive:letsdrink

My ditch bag just arrived in the UPS today...

in goes 

Sat GPSEprib 

Globalstar paper weight

some water packs

crackers

flare kit

first aid kit

handheld vhf

batteries

water proof flashlight

signal mirror

knife

watch

handheld gps

some line , hooks and jar of gulps

4 leaf clover and rabbits foot.


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## DISANTO (Oct 1, 2007)

That's a pretty good list. Most likely better than 99.9% of boats out there!

I have a couple other things:

Pretty extensive first aid kit. (defibrillator, minor surgery kit, IV's, trauma bandages...etc..) May be impractical if nobody on the boat has medical experience

Do recommend some anti-seasickness meds. You never know who will get sick on the little raft, and one can not afford to dehydrate out there.

A signal mirror is good when all flares are used up.

Also, a foil blanket to prevent heat loss.

I too have a little fishing line and hooks....might not eat the fish, but I damn well will fish to the end!

Great post...I hope people take heed. Even if they don't include the exspensive items....at a minimum...food, water, flares, and an epirb.


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## skindeep (May 31, 2009)

Thanks for the list of ditch bag contents. I am still rounding out my contents. Do you think a SPOT is as good as other types of PLB's or handheld EPIRB's? I have the latest and greatest EPIRB mounted on the hardtop in a hydrostatic release enclosure and I have a SPOT in my ditch bag. I like the spot because I can send a text to my wife that tells her either a) I am fishing longer and am OK or b) I am disabledso call SeaTow with my coordinates. The third SPOT option is SOS signal to Coast Guard. I will probably buy a Iridium phone in the next few months. One other safety feature I have that I really like is the Lifetag system with my Raymarine E120. I put the bracelets on the kids (or adults if it is dark and rough). If someone goes overboard it sounds an alarm and marks a MOB on GPS. It gives me peace of mindwhen I cant see the kidsI dont panic and think they are overboard.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

I would be interested to know what one of these ditch kits costs if I were to go and buy all of these items


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## Island24 (May 12, 2008)

You probably have these...but I would add some fresh packs of Batteries for the GPS, VHF etc. still in the package


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## David Ridenour (Sep 28, 2007)

A lot of good stuff in there for sure. I remember reading a tip somewhere that to help you aim a mirror at an aircraft, hold out your thumb and cover the target. Hit your thumb with the reflection then move the thumb. I bought a flourescent roll of plastic 6-8 inches wide and maybe 50 feet long. It is supposed to float on the water and be visible from the air.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

thanks for all the comments.

There is a signal mirror in the flare gun kit. it has a small hole in the center that is designed to act somewhat as a sight of sorts.



I always go over everything with crew in the event that I become incapacitated. with emphasis on Satellite phone and epirbs. 



i do have extra AA and AAA batteries in the water proof box that the two backup GPSs are in. There is also a pair of foil space blankets in the bag.



Being seen is a big part of it for me and to that end that is why I have extra SOLAS grade dye packs and numerous smoke canister bombs. Coast Guard would be homing in on the 121 hz signal put out by all three EPIRB devices, but a good Samaritan boat would not have the 121 hz receiver to home in on, hence the smoke and dye canisters.



I always joke that I might die, but they will find my body! 



i also did not mention it but we always have bean bags on board and have discussed that they would make excellent rafts if needed in the event the Zodiac did not get deployed.


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

man that is an exellent ditch bag.. not sure i could be more thorough :clap


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

man that is an exellent ditch bag.. not sure i could be more thorough :clap

now lets hope u NEVER have to use it


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