Many safety items are either common sense or required by maritime law, so I’ll focus on the things that might be considered “optional” by some. Its important to bear mind that the gear one elects to carry is a function of the type of sailing they are doing, the available space, and budget. That said, I would not recommend doing any serious offshore work with anything less than Category I requirements for offshore racing. Anything less can put you, your yacht, your crew and anyone involved in search and rescue at serious risk.
Below is a list, in random order, of some of the key items we carry on Moonshadow and the reasons for having them.
Life Raft
Don’t leave sight of land without it! We have a Givens 8-person in a canister mounted on the stern rail with an easy release system. We keep a hand watermaker in the life raft. If you ask why, then I suggest you read Steve Callahan’s Adrift. For more information on life raft and abandon ship bag, see my January 2001 article.
MOM-8 Man Overboard Module
With the pull of one “T” handle, this unit deploys a flotation ring, a drogue and a lighted pylon for the overboard crew. I have found this much easier than the pole/drogue/Jim Buoy combo as it is less likely to foul up. It is rail mounted near the stern. It is important to note that it should be inspected annually.
Single Sideband Radio
Don’t leave sight of land without it! This is your lifeline for weather and emergency communications when you are out of sight of land.
Lifesling
This item, also mounted on the stern rail, is a very handy device for attaching an overboard crew to the boat and can be attached to a halyard to hoist a disabled person aboard.
Inflatable PFD/Harness
I prefer these to the Mae West type of PFD as they are much more comfortable and have the harness built in. I have attached a small knife, a personal strobe, a whistle and one small flare inside mine. Crotch straps are a good idea on these. It is important to inspect these annually and carry spare Co2 cartridges and “thimbles.”
Steel Band-it Tool
This item comes in handy if you have a dismasting, broken boom or other major boat trauma. It uses stainless steel banding and can be tightened much more than rope lashing.
406 EPIRB
I consider this essential gear. Search and Rescue no longer respond to signals sent by 121.5 EPIRB’s as of early 2009.
Co2 Engine Cutoff System
This unit will smother an engine room fire and automatically shut down the engine or genset. I feel that it is safer than having to open the engine room door and having to manually fight an engine room fire with an extinguisher.
LPG Cutoff/Sniffer
I feel that this sort of system is essential for any yacht with flammable gas coming into the galley.
Carbon Monoxide Detector
Engine exhaust leaks can be debilitating or deadly. This little unit was inexpensive and easy to install, similar to a home smoke detectorl
Smoke Detector
You’d likely have one or more at home, so why not on a live-aboard yacht. I sleep better knowing it’s there.
Sextant
I keep my GPS (Grey Plastic Sextant) on board in case they shut down the other GPS system mid-passage. Don’t forget sight reduction tables, plotting sheets, a current Nautical Almanac and a “how to” book in case you are out of practice. Most of this information is available in computer programs so you don’t have to carry all the books.
Night Vision
This is very handy if you are making landfall at night, coastal cruising/racing at night, and on passage. We can actually see the glow of another vessel’s nav lights BEFORE it is on the horizon, giving us more time to react. It’s also excellent for spotting rocks, awash reefs, marks and headlands when there is little or no natural light.
Masthead Strobe Light
Ever talk to a passing ship on the radio who can’t see you? The reflection of their instruments, etc. on the inside of the wheel house window sometimes renders us little guys virtually invisible. Flick this on and they can’t miss seeing you. I have a switch installed in the cockpit at the watch station.
Masthead Lightning Diffuser
One direct hit by lightning can cook all of your electronic gear. I can’t be bothered with disconnecting everything each time I go into a squall, and all my gear won’t fit in the oven, so I’ve opted for prevention at the masthead.
Parachute Sea Anchor
When the excrement makes contact with the rotary oscillator, and you can’t avoid a storm, it’s your best bet for survival. Be sure you have all the gear and a written plan for deployment.
Radar Blipper
Fiberglass boats don’t show up well on radar unless one has a good radar reflector. We always show up BIG on the other guy’s radar screens with our mast-mounted blipper.
Crew Preparation
Yachting New Zealand requires that ALL NZ yachts comply with Category I standards to go offshore or participate in NZ sponsored races. For offshore races, 30% of the crew, including the captain, must pass a NZ Coast Guard administered Advanced Sea Survival Course. Having just taken the course this last weekend (for the second time), I was reminded how important good seamanship is to safe ocean passaging. Having proper safety gear is all well and good, but good seamanship can, in most cases, prevent the necessity to ever have to use it. Also, it is important to know how and be able to use your safety gear.
Of particular importance is the life raft. It is useless piece of gear if the captain and crew don’t know how and when to deploy it, how to right it if it is deployed upside down (a 50% chance), how to board it, and how to survive once you are in it. Righting and boarding a life raft requires knowledge of proper technique and a reasonable level of fitness. If you haven’t taken one of these courses, along with a First Aid/CPR course, then I suggest you limit your sailing to within sight of land and close to outside medical assistance, or else take along some experienced crew who can assist you.
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