After a close call last season, I'm serious about improving my boating emergency preparedness. What should absolutely be in a comprehensive boating emergency preparedness kit? Looking for recommendations on medical supplies, communication devices, survival gear, and anything else that's critical for boating emergency preparedness. Also interested in how you organize and maintain your boating emergency preparedness supplies.
Comprehensive boating emergency preparedness kit should include: EPIRB or PLB, VHF radio (handheld backup), first aid kit with trauma supplies, signaling devices (flares, strobe, mirror), ditch bag with water and rations, tools for emergency repairs, backup navigation. Boating emergency preparedness means planning for worst-case scenarios. Also practice using your boating emergency preparedness equipment regularly.
Adding to boating emergency preparedness: watermaker or desalination tablets, fishing kit for food, solar charger for electronics, spare fuel filter and impeller, emergency tiller if you have wheel steering. Good boating emergency preparedness includes knowledge - take a safety course, practice man overboard drills, know how to use all your boating emergency preparedness equipment.
Great boating emergency preparedness advice. How often should you check and update your boating emergency preparedness kit? And where's the best place to store everything?
Check boating emergency preparedness kit at start of each season, replace expired items (flares, medicines), test electronics monthly. Store boating emergency preparedness items in waterproof bags or containers, in accessible location (not buried under gear). Some boating emergency preparedness items like EPIRB should be mounted where easily reachable in emergency. Document your boating emergency preparedness plan and share with someone ashore.