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#615977 - 11/04/04 04:49 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
Anonymous
Unregistered


i also think you can rent epirbs from boat us or west marine....
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#615978 - 11/04/04 05:17 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
Bob Bradley Offline

Member

Registered: 11/18/03
Posts: 8103
Since I planned on taking my "new" boat offshore this past summer for the first time, I had my raft inspected. The previous owner had neglected this for about 7 or 8 seasons, so it cost me upwards of $1000. Not cheap, but money well spent in my estimation. I also purchased an ACR SATELLITE 2 406 CAT 1 EPIRB Model 2774. Having heard some questionable reviews of the GPS enabled epirbs, I elected not to go that route. I paid about $670 for that unit.

All in all, I feel a lot better about having both onboard, but I am still wondering if I should go further next year. I'm considering having an additional epirb placed inside the raft when it is serviced in the spring. I also plan on installing a hydrostatic release for the raft, as it now must be deployed manually. I'm also wondering about the value/necessity of a SSB radio.

Any thoughts on the approach?

I've got gas and I've got crabs. You wanna go out?


"Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.� - Ronald Reagan

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss
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#615979 - 11/04/04 05:27 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
swwind Offline

Member

Registered: 06/10/03
Posts: 15005
For clarification of above

1. Indentify who will be in charge PRIOR to leaving the harbor . . NOT when it is time to abandon ship. Often there are disputes as the S*#t is hitting the fan. It is imparitive that the chain of command be fully understood prior to any type of crisis response. See my post above on breaking the fishing team into two teams.


2."keeping the raft tied to the boat"

While the raft should obviously be deloyed prior to the boat sinking and must be secured to the boat, you should NEVER leave a boat that is still afloat.

As the saying goes - never get in the raft unless you are stepping up to it.

A great read on this topic is "Fasnet Force 10". The book recounts the events of the 1979 Fastnet Race when 15 lives were lost. In several cases in that horrible tragedy, sailors died in rafts only learn that the original boats were still afloat days latter.

The worse case was the vessel "Gramalkin" - the crew left one man for dead on the boat and presumably got in the raft. In the end he was not dead - and today is the only survivor of the Gramalkin

""Happy Talk" . . . . . Because it has worked so well thus far"

"It is not necessary to change; survival is not mandatory" - Edward Deming

"Unless we start to focus everything on this, our targets will soon be out of reach" - Greta Thunberg January 2020

"I spent most of my dough on booze, broads and boats and the rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard.

Team Man Made Climate Change is Real.

"Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them" - Pope Francis September 2015
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#615980 - 11/04/04 06:26 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
Bob Bradley Offline

Member

Registered: 11/18/03
Posts: 8103
Never say never.

I disagree with the contention that one should never leave a boat until it sinks. Perhaps it is an old wives tale, and maybe someone could correct me, but having never had a boat sink out from underneath me, that's all I have to go on. I've heard that when the boat finally does sink, it can do so abruptly and somewhat violently, taking crew down with it, as it causes a downward flow of water as it sinks.

I would also contend that one should abandon ship in the event of a fire that is beyond control. I think you just have to evaluate the conditions at hand, and make a decision on the spot. Clearly, it is not something to take lightly.

I've got gas and I've got crabs. You wanna go out?


"Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.� - Ronald Reagan

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss
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#615981 - 11/04/04 07:02 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
swwind Offline

Member

Registered: 06/10/03
Posts: 15005
Bob - you are right - never say never. Each case demands a separate assesment.

The point is that many boats are abandoned prematurely and this error plays out with amazing frequency.

In a storm senario (much different than fire) a raft is not a "safe" place to be. Rafts tear, tumble, and are very dangerous places, they are a last resort. A partially flooded boat with broken windows and no power can be safer than a raft.

That said your point is a good one - "you just have to evaluate the conditions at hand"

Hopefully none of us will ever need to make those evaluations

""Happy Talk" . . . . . Because it has worked so well thus far"

"It is not necessary to change; survival is not mandatory" - Edward Deming

"Unless we start to focus everything on this, our targets will soon be out of reach" - Greta Thunberg January 2020

"I spent most of my dough on booze, broads and boats and the rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard.

Team Man Made Climate Change is Real.

"Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them" - Pope Francis September 2015
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#615982 - 11/04/04 07:10 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
Bob Bradley Offline

Member

Registered: 11/18/03
Posts: 8103
Amen, brother. That raft is one insurance policy I hope I never have to cash in.

I've got gas and I've got crabs. You wanna go out?


"Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.� - Ronald Reagan

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss
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#615983 - 12/01/04 02:00 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
Mahi Mahi Offline

Pirate in the blood. Fishing in the soul.

Registered: 01/17/03
Posts: 1285
Loc: NYC/Norwalk/Mystic
When running at night, its a good idea to have some means to quickly find a crewman that accidently falls overboard. Most of the guys I fish with all wear some sort of floatsuit for the ride out (keep in mind we fish aboard an Intrepid CC so it can get a little wet and cool on the ride out) with either glow sticks or a water activated strobe attached to the suit. While there's no guarantee that the sticks or strobe will stay attached on impact, it's just an added "comfort" measure.

"My only friends are pirates...that's just who I am"


www.myspace.com/gotrumfishingteam

http://www.tluvimages.com

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#615984 - 12/01/04 02:18 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
MermaidCT Offline

Member

Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 8761
Loc: SE CT Shoreline
Take a tip from the yak guys and always have a whistle on you too.

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." Jacques Yves Cousteau



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#615985 - 12/01/04 02:23 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
Mahi Mahi Offline

Pirate in the blood. Fishing in the soul.

Registered: 01/17/03
Posts: 1285
Loc: NYC/Norwalk/Mystic
Excellent point Mermaid. We have them on our lifejackets-probably should have them on us at all times.

"My only friends are pirates...that's just who I am"


www.myspace.com/gotrumfishingteam

http://www.tluvimages.com

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#615986 - 01/15/05 09:02 PM Re: **** Offshore Safety Tips ****
Captbillb Offline

Member

Registered: 08/28/02
Posts: 2032
Loc: Grassy Key, Islamorada, Deerfi...
U.S.C.G. certified lights (battery or lightstick) and 'sound making devices' are mandatory on all Class I life jackets for passenger carrying vessels. Have been forever.
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