Ditch bag contents and on board Emergency Gear

[dmcauley]

For all those who don't think all this is necessary.
I have always bought used boats for my entire life until recently. My checklist always started with the bilge pump and making sure safety equiptment was on board even though I never had a use for any of it.
When I took the "Josefina" on her maiden run I didn't feel it was necessary to check the bilge, which turned out to almost be a bad mistake. There was a small hatch left open in the transom, causing the boat to start filling with water and my bilge was not pumping out due to an electric ground in place.I was able to make it in from 10 miles. Needless to say I had every thing fixed quickly, but now I make all the necessary checks before I leave the harbor.
As I leave, I contact Cholla or fellow boaters on each radio to make sure it's working and Icheck to make sure all safety devices are in place. An ounce of protection.................!

 

[bahiatrader]

Piloting a boat is a lot like piloting an aircraft. You should develop a checklist to go over before every time you go out. After a while, it becomes routine to check fuel, electricity, bilge pump, drain plugs. emergency gear, etc. Part of my clean up procedure when I come back is to check for loosened screws, nuts, and bolt heads. This will shorten your pre-launch list, and ultimately some grief.
Once when I was going out with a friend, we pumped about five gallons of gas into the bilge before we found the screws on his filler pipe had vibrated loose. I can only imagine what kind of a bomb that might have made. It might be a good idea to make sure your ditch bag floats should it end up in the drink.