Category: Safety Gear

The old mantra “safety first” certainly applies to boating. Be it flares, PFDs, security systems, and tips for keeping all aboard safe and secure—Southern Boating’s Safety Gear has it all.

Crucial Boating First-Aid Kits: Lifesaving Must-Haves for Your Safety

The importance of onboard first-aid kits

Safety should always be a top priority when sailing on any body of water. Boating enthusiasts know that unforeseen accidents or injuries can occur at any time, making it crucial to have a well-stocked first-aid kit readily available on board. A properly equipped medical kit can be the difference between a minor inconvenience and a life-saving intervention as the nearest emergency service can often be far away. Invest in a reliable first-aid kit to instill peace of mind in passengers, knowing that appropriate medical supplies are readily available in case of an emergency. Let’s look at a few brands whose kits are comprehensive and reliable.

Adventure Medical Kits

Adventure Medical Kits offer a wide range of first-aid kits specifically designed for outdoor activities, including boating. The kits are well-organized, compact, and tailored to meet various needs. They often include specialty items like marine-grade bandages, seasickness medication, and waterproof packaging.

Whether you’re offshore sailing, coastal cruising, or commercial fishing, the Marine 600 first-aid kit has all the emergency supplies needed to treat common boating injuries until professional medical help arrives. This rugged first aid kit was designed especially for marine environments.

The impact-resistant, 100 percent waterproof case contains enough supplies for your sailboat, cruiser, or fishing vessel carrying up to six people traveling up to 12 hours from medical care. Treat hypothermia, sunburn, seasickness, sprains, fractures, lacerations, and other common boating injuries with the easy-to-find contents, which are organized by injury into inner waterproof bags, keeping them doubly secure. 

An essential addition to boat safety equipment, the Marine 600 comes with the Comprehensive Guide to Marine Medicine, as well as instructions on handling nautical emergencies like running aground, capsizing, and VHF radio calls. MSRP $199.99; adventuremedicalkits.com

D-Dey Offshore

D-Dey Offshore brings marine medical kits to the in, near, and offshore fishing and boating industry. It offers five medical kits in addition to other emergency equipment for purchase.

The EMS Adventurer is the small kit, described as the perfect everyday medical kit. It is packed with items to treat patients with minor ailments to major trauma. The EMS Odyssey, the largest kit, is equipped to treat 10 or more patients from a headache to major trauma to cardiac arrest. It includes an array of equipment, such as a defibrillator, oxygen cylinder, and a pulse oximeter, and can be customized for the boater’s needs. MSRP from $304; d-deyoffshore.com

My Medic

My Medic has a wide range of marine first-aid kits stocked with the high-quality gear, convenient features, and specialty tools. With a medical kit for every lifestyle, its goal is to prepare you with the equipment and training for any emergency. 

For boaters, the MYFAK PRO is a waterproof, dustproof, and crushproof first-aid kit equipped with life-saving supplies for any environment. This refillable kit contains more than 140 first-aid and trauma supplies hand-picked by first responders and medical professionals offering protection for up to three people. 

Whether on the boat or on shore, your gear will stay protected from the elements thanks to the kit’s protective water-tight seal and dual action clips engineered for no accidental openings. MSRP $349.95; mymedic.com

Orion Safety Products 

Orion Safety Products offers a selection of marine-specific first-aid kits, including those designed for coastal cruising, offshore boating, or fishing expeditions. Its kits typically contain a comprehensive range of supplies for treating injuries as well as signaling devices for emergencies.

Perfect for the large boat weekend cruiser, the Orion Cruiser First-Aid Kit is an expanded kit that can handle most first aid issues for up to six guests.

The plastic case contains 58 items including a large assortment of bandages, gauze pads and rolls, butterfly closures, eye pads, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes, cold pack, scissors, tweezers, CPR mask, motion sickness tablets, burn gel, sting treatment, sunscreen, and a first-aid instruction booklet.

The wall-mounted, water-resistant case holds a larger selection of items to handle emergencies for the active boater. MSRP $49.99; orionsignals.com

Bonnie Schultz

Tips for Assembling Your Own First-Aid Kit

Below are some of the essentials needed to build your own marine first-aid kit. Once your kit is assembled, remember to check it annually and replace any over-the-counter medications that are past their expiration date. Be sure to place all items in a waterproof container.

+ Adhesive bandages in assorted sizes

+ Pain/fever reducers, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen

+ Stomach remedies to prevent or treat motion sickness, indigestion, diarrhea, or heartburn

+ Antiseptic wipes, ointment, or spray

+ Antibiotic ointment

+ Antihistamine

+ Anti-itch lotion or cream

+ Individually wrapped, small sterile gauze pads

+ Hypoallergenic
adhesive tape

+ Roll of absorbent cotton

+ Sunblock, SPF 15 or greater

+ Insect repellent

+ Q-tips

+ Eye drops

+ Scissors

+ Thermometer

+ Bottled water

+ Clean towels (small and large)

+ Ice packs

+ Emergency phone numbers: doctor, pharmacy, poison control, etc.

+ First-Aid handbook

Beyond Basic Safety Gear

Go beyond the basic safety gear. This is survival gear.

Safety on board is undoubtedly the most important aspect of boating. When something goes wrong, having the proper gear can keep you alive. Increase your chances of survival by going beyond basic safety gear.

Most boaters carry just the basics: navigational lights, air horn, PFDs, fire extinguisher, flare, and a bottle of water. But before you head offshore this summer, consider carrying an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), a personal locator beacon (PLB), emergency life raft, a night-vision camera, and high-powered spotlight.

I once was lost but now am found

An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is essential when planning your safety gear.

The most recent European Union launch of Galileo navigation satellites added second-generation search-and-rescue (SAR) transponders to the International COSPASSARSAT Medium-Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) constellation. The primary mission of the MEOSAR system is navigation. Its large footprint on the globe allows the use of Doppler measurements to calculate a distress beacon’s location, while the Low-Earth Orbit (LEOSAR) and Geostationary Orbit (GEOSAR) are primarily for gathering meteorological data. Both the LEOSAR and GEOSAR satellites, however, provide assistance when a distress beacon is activated. The MEOSAR array provides faster signal detection, greater reliability, and accuracy and will soon be the dominant system for COSPAS-SARSAT service.

This is the system that communicates with an EPIRB and PLB distress signal that transmits on the 406 MHz frequency. A GPS-enabled EPIRB can identify your location to as close as 164 feet. A PLB works the same way but only transmits about 24 hours (the EPIRB has a minimum 48-hour transmission) and is registered to a person whereas an EPIRB is registered to the watercraft.

There are a number of EPIRBs and PLBs on the market, such as ACR’s GlobalFIX V4 EPIRB which has an internal 66-channel GPS. It has a 406 MHz transmission to connect with the COSPAS-SARSAT system and also uses the 121.5 MHz signal for more accurate detection when rescuers are close by. McMurdo’s Smartfind G8 AIS (shown) is the first to combine 406 MHz transmissions with an AIS (Automatic Information System) locator. Ocean Signal’s rescueME EPIRB and Simrad’s EP70 are also highly rated.

 Was blind but now I see

Fishing in the Gulf at night won’t be fun if an oil rig gets in the way. Coming into the harbor isn’t any easier. With obstacles like tidal currents and other boats that can get in your path, docking can be a challenge. What if there was a man overboard scenario? Hope he’s wearing a PLB along with a strobe light.

Having a low-light and/or thermal camera that links with your electronic display is a godsend in those situations. Infrared or thermal imaging captures temperature differences between the background and the foreground. It detects thermal radiation that is emitted by anything with a temperature above zero. Thermal imaging cameras don’t need light to see.

A night vision camera requires some ambient light (from the shore or even the moon and stars). The latest technology has cameras capable of returning an image with just 0.1 lux (a full moon with a clear sky is 0.05 to 0.3 lux) and some with a sensitivity of 0.0008 lux. Resolution size is a critical number with thermal imaging and night vision cameras, but the camera’s sensitivity mode is important as well. The higher the number, the more you can see. High sensitivity modes make the camera more sensitive to pick up changes in temperature, which is important when trying to locate a crewmember in a man-overboard situation.

As with most safety gear, there are a number of companies producing thermal and night vision cameras, such as FLIR, Raymarine, and The Yacht Group.

That Saved a Wretch Like Me

One of the handiest safety accessories is the spotlight. Not much needs to be said as most people understand the advantages of having a flashlight when it’s dark. ACR, FLIR, and West Marine are just a few of the manufacturers who offer spotlight solutions. Fully automated systems with cameras, such as The Yacht Group’s Yacht Cam Bright that combines the night vision camera with a searchlight are extremely helpful.

The Yacht Group’s Yacht Cam Bright is a combination night vision camera and searchlight.

Its extreme lowlight sensitivity of 0.0013 lux (color) and 0.0008 lux (monochromatic) distinguishes images with 2.13-megapixel resolution and 30x optical zoom. The wide spot beam, effective to 1,000 feet by 70 feet, can further illuminate an object seen in the camera’s all-in-one unit with joystick control.

In addition to these important safety products, keep in mind the location in which you’ll be cruising. Conditions on the water can change rapidly, so logically consider all possible scenarios prior to heading to the marina. Think about how far you’ll be from shore, the water temperature will be, and weather conditions. Make sure to have ample supplies of food and water in the event you’re out longer than anticipated. Even a ditch kit if you have to abandon ship. When it comes to boating, safety is always the first priority.

Useful Resources

ACR

FLIR

OCEAN SIGNAL

MCMURDO

RAYMARINE

SIMRAD

THE YACHT GROUP

WEST MARINE

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating June 2018

Man Overboard Drills

We hope it never happens to you, but here’s what to do in a Man Overboard situation.

It’s National Boating Safety Week, so it’s a good time to brush up on those Man Overboard (MOB) drills. A man overboard is ALWAYS an emergency situation and it is very important to locate and recover the overboard person as soon as possible. A man overboard is always dangerous. It doesn’t matter if it happens in a harbor, at the slip, or open seas.

The majority of cases do not involve bad weather, rough seas, or other extenuating circumstances. Additionally, the most common type of man overboard situation happens in relatively calm waters, on a small boat that’s not going very fast, according to the BoatUS Foundation.

Action must be swift.

The United States Coast Guard says that the first few moments of a MOB are the most crucial. The action taken in the first few seconds after a person falls overboard decides the success of the recovery.

An alert crew-member can do much to save the life of someone who might otherwise drown. First actions should be swift and certain.

  1. The instant someone falls overboard, yell “Man overboard!” to alert the crew to the emergency and establish an unceasing visual on the victim. Point and do not look away.  If you have enough crew, assign this job to one person and let nothing interfere with that person keeping the victim in sight and pointing at the victim from that first moment on.
  2. If you’re unsure of where the person is or if there is a chance the props could endanger him, stop the boat and ensure that the props don’t injure the victim now or later.
  3. Activate your GPS MOB button if you have one.
  4. Throw MOB gear, life jackets, flotation cushions anything that will help the victim float and help you keep track of him, but not so much as to confuse a search.
  5. Return to and attempt to retrieve the victim. Use the Williamson Turn. Be careful during your approach and proceed with caution.
  6. If the situation is life-threatening, call mayday three times on VHF 16. Then say, “Man overboard,” and give your location, boat description, and the description of the victim. Do this three times in succession. Don’t hesitate to issue a mayday you can always cancel it if you get the person back aboard safely.

Here is a video demonstration of an ideal MOB situation, but remember: every case will be different.

Stay safe out there.

Need more safety gear? We got you covered.

Self-Activating Life Float

When someone is showing signs of distress in the water, time is of the essence. OneUp has developed a compact, Self-Activating Life Float.

Toss the float to the victim and it will immediately inflate upon contact with the water.

Available this summer, the can-sized tube is easy to throw, is MSDS and CE certified, and takes only two seconds to inflate. The Self-Activating Life Float holds up to 330 pounds.

MSRP $49;

oneupsaves.com

More Safety Gear 

Life Cell Ditch Kit

When it comes to safety at sea, Life Cell is a ditch kit and flotation device in one. Life Cell Ditch Kit stores needed safety equipment in one place: EPIRB, flares, flare gun, safety flag, whistle, air horn, flashlight, and signaling device.

The molded frame with grab handles helps keep you afloat. Mounted on an exterior bulkhead or rail, the optional 316 stainless steel bracket releases when pulled or submerged. Four models assist two to eight people.

MSRP from $300 to $470

lifecellmarine.com

More Safety Gear 

E-flares to the Rescue

E-flares are a safer alternative to pyrotechnic flares that burn dangerously hot.

When it comes to marine distress flares, compliance with current regulations might not be safe enough for some recreational boat owners. Current regulations call for recreational boats to carry three pyrotechnic handheld flares that can stay lit for 60 seconds. While buying a kit of three flares and stowing it in a locker makes the boat “in compliance” if the U.S Coast Guard inspects the vessel, it’s not the ideal plan. It’s the least expensive plan,
though, and too often that wins. It’s said that safety doesn’t sell, but that attitude may be changing, thanks to e-flares.

For example, Weems & Plath launched The SOS Distress Light in 2015, which is U.S. Coast Guard compliant to replace pyrotechnic flares. At a cost of about $100, that is three times more expensive than a three-pack of pyrotechnic flares, but it is safer, and thousands have been sold. Sirius Signal was the developer of the SOS Distress Light, and after engineering and testing, brought it to Weems & Plath to manufacture and distribute.

“It flashes the SOS light sequence only, and that is the sole purpose of the light, which was the requirement from the Coast Guard,” said Cathie Trogdon, VP of Public Relations and Advertising for Weems & Plath. “If the Coast Guard is to board you, make sure [the light is] working— that the batteries are in the unit so when the officer tests it, it works. People love the idea that they don’t have to go out and buy flares. Our product has a lifetime warranty, and while it is more expensive than some flares, you make up the difference quickly over time.”

SOS Distress Light’s LED flashes up to 60 hours and is visible up to 10 nautical miles out. When paired with a daytime distress flag, which is included with the purchase of an SOS Distress Light, it satisfies the Coast Guard requirements for day and night use in lieu of traditional flares. “These e-flares float and can be hand-held, tethered or hoisted aloft,” Trogdon said. “It operates with three standard C batteries [and] complies with all U.S. Coast Guard requirements for ‘Night Visual Distress Signals’ as found in the Code of Federal Regulations: 46 CFR 161.013.”

Building better e-flares is also the goal of Ocean Signal. The company also builds emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) and personal location devices (PLBs) out of its Margate, UK, facility and is owned by ACR. “Electronic is just the smarter way to go,” explained Rich Galasso, National Sales Manager for Ocean Signal. “With the pyrotechnic flares, you are putting a 5,000-degree torch in somebody’s hand in a wet environment on an unstable platform. It’s all problematic. Plus, flares can quickly be out of date and not usable.”

Ocean Signal’s rescueME EDF1 is a perfect complement to the pyrotechnic kit of three e-flares that makes your boat Coast Guard compliant. The rescueME EDF1 is approved to replace pyrotechnic flares in specific circumstances in Finland and Latvia. “An electronic flare is something a child can use,” Galasso said. “It’s a product you are going to use if something really goes bad, and in the end, it will be the product that actually saves your life.”

The rescueME EDF1 is small enough to fit inside a ditch bag or life raft, and its lithium batteries offer enough power for 6 hours, whereas a traditional flare burns for about 30 seconds. The unit can be used repeatedly in any of its four modes ensuring continued visibility is maintained over a longer period. Those modes are Economy, High,Ultra, and Forward Beam, plus SOS signaling. It can be used with one hand, has a visibility range of up to seven miles and is waterproof to 10 meters. “Another big challenge with pyrotechnic flares is disposal of them when they are out of date,” Trogdon said. “People have a difficult time getting rid of pyrotechnic flares legally. In some towns, the city of Annapolis, for instance, the fire department will take them and use them for their own training. But they really have to go to specific incinerators for proper disposal.” Water-logged flare kits wedged in a boat storage compartment underneath the life jackets are common. Or people toss the old kits in their garage, hoping they never see them again. Others, like the reckless and inventive, will light them off on July 4th, which is crazy but true.

Because the SOS Distress Light floats, it can be constantly signaling even when you are in the water. Since a flare only burns from 30 to 60 seconds, the light is much more constant. In addition, because most people first send out a Mayday call by cell phone and VHF, the e-flare is an important way for a Coast Guard vessel to locate the distressed vessel when rescue is imminent.

An actual rescue on January 6, 2017, was aided by the SOS Distress Light. Michael Misianowycz and a friend were rescued by the Coast Guard after their 25-foot center console had trouble. They had departed out of Mobile, Alabama, and when they didn’t return as scheduled, a rescue was initiated. At about 10 miles out, the Coast Guard spotted a light blinking SOS and contacted Misianowycz via VHF handheld. The SOS Distress Light was turned on and the Coast Guard aircrew spotted it using their night vision goggles. The boat capsized almost immediately after the Coast Guard vessel, a 45-foot Metal Shark, picked them up.

oceansignal.com; weems-plath.com

By Doug Thompson, Southern Boating January 2018

Mini Firefighter

Stop a small fire from becoming a major disaster with the Mini Firefighter. The small, lightweight canister extinguishes fires easily, quickly, confidently, and safely by suffocating and cooling the surface to prevent reignition.

The 4-in-1 fire stopper works on the 4 main fire classes: A-wood, paper, cardboard, fabric, plastic; B-flammable liquids; C-electrical and K-cooking oils and grease.

MSRP $19.99
minifirefighter.us

WATCH: Safety Items for Summer

Safe summer ahead!

Memorial Day is just around the corner. While the holiday honors those who died serving in the country’s armed forces, the date is also considered the unofficial kickoff of summer.

This year, Memorial Day is right after National Safe Boating Week (May 19th to 25th). If you are planning to take advantage of the long holiday weekend by heading out on the water, be sure to have your safety gear in check. Make 2018 a safe summer with this new gear.

There’s no time like the present to see the newest safety gear on the market, ranging from life jackets and floats to flares and fire extinguishers. All are lifesaving and also necessary to pass inspection with the USCG.

Watch this video, as Wesley Strong of Baltimore Marine Centers highlights some of the important safety gear you’ll need for the long weekend at sea.

For more safety tips, check out our Top Six Safety Tips.

Onboard Security for Your Vessel

Siren Marine stands guard to protect your vessel with onboard security

On a quiet night in a sparsely populated marina, a 50-foot unoccupied trawler may seem like an easy target for thieves. The would-be criminals may already know the owner is away and few people are around. The timing for stealing a boat—or just getting inside to hunt for valuables—seems ideal. All that’s needed is to gain entry to the vessel.

Not so fast, however, if the boat is equipped with Siren Marine’s Pixie unit. This electronic boat monitoring system can send a text alert to up to four different mobile phones if an entry sensor is tripped or if the boat’s shore power is disconnected. In addition, a loud “Bloodhound” siren can be programmed to emit, scaring off any intruders.

“If the boat moves or someone gets in, you are going to know,” says Van Anderson of Fort Lauderdale, who installed a Pixie on his 2005 Nordhavn 55 Sunday Morning. Anderson set up a “GeoFence” for his boat so if it moves out of a specific range, the automatic GPS tracking of the Pixie lets him know. “I type in ‘POS’ in a text to my Siren Marine cell number, and in a few seconds I get a text back telling me where the boat is. There are also apps for iPhone and Android phones.”

Siren Marine is the creation of Dan Harper, a lifelong sailor who also has a long history with electronics and computers. Harper wanted to combat two problems that plague wooden sailboats: batteries and bilges. “A good, healthy battery can run bilge pumps,” says Harper, the founder and CEO, who runs Siren Marine out of his home office in Newport, Rhode Island. “The alert allows you to stay ahead of problems. A dead battery will not allow a boat to be started, or the bilge pump or other ‘vital systems’ to be operated in the event of an emergency.

Siren Marine Pixie unit features

“For Southern Boating readers a big concern is someone breaking into the boat rather than stealing it,” Harper continues. “Knowing that no one has gained entry and that the power is on is what a great majority of our customers tell us they like.”

When Harper launched Siren Marine in 2011, smartphones were not nearly as popular as they are today. Text messaging was the easiest and fastest way to communicate, and almost all cell phones had texting capability. “At the start we focused on a text-based system,” says Siren Marine’s chief operations officer, Jonathan Banks, who notes that the Pixie sells for $499, with a $180 annual subscription plan to Siren’s mobile network. “Fast forward five years and it’s a very different dynamic. Everyone has a smartphone or iPhone, and pretty much every product you buy comes with an app. The catalyst is the smartphone, as consumers connect through the Internet of Things (IoT) to their homes, cars and boats. The forecast is by 2020 there will be 5 billion consumer devices connected to the Internet.”

Each Siren Marine unit has a unique phone number and data is transmitted over GSM cellular networks. GSM conforms to a global standard, devices roam seamlessly with excellent coastal coverage, and the technology is extremely stable. Cellular modules are affordable and draw very little power. With the growth of IoT applications, the cost of cellular components and data is coming down.

“We have sold about 1,200 Sprite and Pixie boat monitoring units since the products were launched in 2011,” Harper says. Powered by the boat’s 12- or 24-volt battery, the unit can be easily installed in a locker by placing the Pixie (a little larger than a deck of cards) where it best fits and test the signal strength of the unit’s internal high-gain antenna. “If the signal strength is acceptable, that’s where it goes. Then you connect the leads to the monitoring unit to monitor battery voltage, bilge water level, motion, shore power status, temperature, and more.”

With the planned phasing out of 2G cellular networks, which the Pixie and Sprite use, Siren Marine is designing next-generation 3G and LTE devices, which will be launched in fall 2016 and will include added functionality. A NMEA 2000 interface, image capture, engine monitoring, and wireless sensors are new functions that will be introduced, and data can also be shared with boatbuilders, engine manufacturers and others through a customized Siren Marine portal.

“We take security of the data transmitted very seriously,” says Harper. “The company that is developing our cloud services and user apps also helped develop the international defense system after 9/11. Any crowdsourcing function is always opt-in by the user, and data will be stored locally on an owner’s device.”

Siren Marine’s greatest benefit, however, may still be those simple text alerts. Knowing right away that the shore power is disconnected can save boat owners a lot of hassle in terms of spoiled food and a horrible mess.

“My boat Sunday Morning was docked in Charleston at a marina and I was away,” says Anderson. “I received an alarm that the power was disconnected, so I called the marina and asked them to check on it, and hung up the phone.” It turned out another boat had come into the slip next to Sunday Morning and somehow disconnected the shore power. The marina attendant simply hooked the power back up.

“I knew right away the problem was solved,” Anderson says. “The Siren Marine unit sent me an alert that power was back on, so I knew the boat was good to go before the marina called me back.”

INFORMATION: sirenmarine.com

— By Don Minikus, Southern Boating Magazine June 2016

 

ACR GlobalFIX EPIRB

ACR Electronics, Inc.’s new GlobalFIX V4 Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) delivers fresh features. Safety-conscious boaters will appreciate the user-replaceable battery with a 10-year battery life, conformal-coated circuit board to fully protect electronic components from harsh maritime 
environments, onboard GPS receiver that pinpoints the sender’s exact position, wrist strap for hands-free carrying, GPS self-test to confirm the beacon is working correctly according to relative conditions, and a high-intensity 4 LED array distress strobe light. MSRP $400; acrartex.com

Semper Paratus

How “Always Ready” are you?

Borrowing from the U.S. Coast Guard’s iconic “Always Ready” motto, when it comes to safety aboard, you can never be too prepared. To make the point, a tragic event occurred in South Florida during the summer of 2015 when two young boys set out for what they thought would be an exciting and fun day on a boat. Sadly, it was anything but.

Could this and other similar boating tragedies be avoided? Well, let’s just say that with some extra precautions and planning, the odds for dealing with a dicey situation can be swung dramatically in a positive direction. No matter what size boat you have, be it kayak or superyacht, having the right safety equipment aboard and knowing how to use it are some of the most important aspects of spending time out on the water.

Let’s start with your boat. Always check the condition of any seacocks or thru-hull fittings as well as critical hose connections. If anything looks amiss such as corrosion, any sign of cracks or weeping, swap it out for a new one. Give all your belts, impellers, gaskets, and seals a once over before setting out—failure of any of these items can stop you dead in the water. And as with oil and filters, always carry spares.

To meet the requirements of all U.S. Coast Guard regulations, vessels are mandated to carry at least the minimum safety items such as proper nav lights, fire extinguishers or automatic fire suppression system, a PFD—Personal Flotation Device, or life jacket—for each person on board, a throwable device such as a seat cushion or life ring, a bell, whistle, or horn for signaling, and visual distress signal flares. As these requirements differ depending on the size of your boat, check with a copy of CG 169—usually available at your marina store or other outlets—to make sure you are in compliance. (Checking in with your local Coast Guard station or auxiliary unit or setting up a complimentary safety inspection with them are also good options.)

Veteran captains and those who travel extensively all have the same thought: If you do the kind of boating that takes you away from your home port for extended periods of time and over open water, you should have a proper life raft for the number of people on board—make sure it is inspected and ready to go as per manufacturers recommendations. Be familiar with its deployment and use, and get the one that suits your needs—coastal, offshore, or ocean going. Among the companies manufacturing this type of equipment are Winslow, Switlik and Givens.

Whether you require a raft or not, a floatable ditch bag is a good idea. While ready-to-go kits are sold by such reputable companies as ACR and Defender, make sure you have an EPIRB, a personal locator beacon (PLB), waterproof and floatable emergency handheld VHF, and a water-activated strobe light. Also critical are individual life jacket vest strobes; a handheld, waterproof and floating GPS; a daylight signal mirror and flares; chemical glow sticks; noisemaking devices such as plastic whistles and canned air horns; drinking water; wrapped and sealed snacks; and sunglasses. And for all those electronic safety items, make sure to replace batteries and carry spares in sealed and waterproof bags.

If you are setting out for an extended time away, it’s also a good idea to file a float plan with your homeport marina or local Coast Guard station as well as with your destination facility. In this way, everyone will know your trip schedule and be on the lookout should anything happen along the way. Keep a sharp ear to the VHF and a keen eye on weather conditions at least 36 hours ahead of departure.

If you are traveling with family, friends, and kids who are not familiar with boating, go through all the safety features and procedures aboard before you cast off. And if you have a pet, keep it in sight and have an appropriate life jacket on it at all times. Keep your fuel tanks full and know where your next fill up will be and how long it is going to take you to get there.

Here’s hoping your next outing is a safe and enjoyable one. With a little extra planning, and the Semper Paratus outlook, you can leave the dock with some extra confidence and peace of mind.

— By Ken Kreisler, Southern Boating Magazine February 2016

INFORMATION:

ACR Marine
acratex.com/products/marine

Defender Industries
defender.com

Givens
givensliferafts.com

Mustang Lifejackets
mustangsurvival.com

Switlik
switlik.com

USCG Boating Safety
uscgboating.org

USCG 169 Nav Rules
landfallnavigation.com

West Marine
westmarine.com 

Winslow
winslowliferafts.com

Lunasea Lighting

Lunasea Lighting introduces two flood lights perfect for use on larger yachts. The 90-watt and 180-watt Lunasea Extreme Beam models are designed to maximize work area light and deliver reliable, efficient performance under the most demanding conditions. The ultra powerful LED lights boast rugged exterior housings machined out of solid marine-grade billet aluminum and hard anodized for corrosion resistance. Compact in size, the lights provide intense bright light. The 90-watt model features a 100-degree beam angle and produces 11,500 lumens; while the 180-watt unit with its 70-degree beam angle doubles that output with 24,000 lumens. The lights have a T4 temperature rating and meet all USCG specifications. MSRP 90/180 watt; $699/$1,399; lunasealighting.com

 

Southern Exposure, Nathalie Gouillou, February 2016

Marine Series

Adventure Medical Kits’ Marine Series offers a range of kits to meet the needs of all boating enthusiasts. With 10 kits, this series covers from the casual rowboat to the vessel with a large crew headed to sea for extended periods. Every waterproof kit features the Easy Access Pocket System, a patented system that makes first aid kits faster and easier to use. Just open the kit, fold out the clearly labeled pockets and open the one you need. The kit comes with treatment instructions within each injury compartment. MSRP from $24 for a basic kit to $799 for large comprehensive kits; adventuremedicalkits.com

By Nathalie Gouillou, Southern Exposure

Land Shark Instant Survival Shelter & Stealth Bag

Corporate Air Parts, a distributor of airline products to the business aircraft community, presents the Land Shark Instant Survival Shelter & Stealth Bag. The product provides protection from the harmful effects of the sun, sea and rain, and increased visibility or stealth, depending on the wearer’s needs. President of Corporate Air Parts Neil Looy says, “I knew there had to be a better way to protect downed pilots. But the Land Shark Instant Survival Shelter is something anyone can use to stay alive on land or at seas when they’re stuck in the elements and waiting for rescue. In fact, we’ve received many letters from customers who’ve told us Land Shark saved their lives.

The Land Shark is an effective tool in the water when used in conjunction with a life vest. A user can configure the Land Shark to completely enclose the wearer, protecting them from chilling sea spray, the beating sun and breaking waves. The rate of heat exchange in water is 25 times greater than on land. The Land Shark prevents hypothermia by retaining radiated body heat, which significantly slows the drain of vital body heat from the user. The same aluminized film, which prevents hypothermia, is also radar reflective, making the user visible to search aircraft and high-speed vessels moving at night. Marine predators are also a concern for any survivor stuck in open water. The Land Shark protects the user by altering their shape in the water and reducing flailing movements, presenting a less attractive appearance to predators. A Sea-Dog Clip attached to the Land Shark’s 550 paracord allows survivors to stay close together by clipping their Land Sharks to one another.

The Land Shark handy bag can be hung anywhere for easy access.
The Land Shark helps to increase visibility during a rescue.

MSRP $79.95

land-shark.com

Liz Pasch, Southern Exposure May 2015

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