Safety Equipement

[Pablo]

Hi,
I hope everybody had a nice Christmas and is busy recovering in preparation for the new year.

I'd like to compile a list of all the necessary safety equipement (excluding electronics) i'm going to kit my rib out with. I'm not going to be navigating at night.
- flares
- a lifejacket per person onboard (unless divers wearing a wetsuit)
- chart
- compass
- fog horn
- a waterproof torche
- anchor, chain & rope
- first aid kit
- screw driver, spark plug spanner, adjustable spanner, knife
- rollup anorak
- spare batteries for my portable GPS

In France legal requirements include (I don't agree with these) :
- a liferaft !
- a horseshoe float (I don't know its real name)
- a floating self righting flash light
- a mirror

What am I missing ? Any suggestions ?

Thank you

[Polwart]

I am sure if you search you will find various threads of this type - or even Nos's guide to starting boating.

I assume in your list you meant dry suit not wet suit (As I understand it divers wearing wetsuits remove their bouyancy vest on the boat and a wet suit will offer no flotation)?

The obvious thing that jumped out from your list is an alternative means of propulsion - e.g. second engine or paddles or perhaps both.

Spare prop and spanner etc might also be worth thinking about. Bucket or manual pump?

[mdt]

Originally Posted by Pablo

What am I missing ? Any suggestions ?

Duck tape....

[Pablo]

Great.

OK, so I have duck tape, oars, bailler, spare prop & spanner added. The aux engine will follow.

I did think that the subject will a been discussed already but when I did a search on "safety" almost every subject came up and when I used "safety equipement" I 3 non related subjects.

I'll read Nos's Guide and improve my list with it.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by Polwart

I assume in your list you meant dry suit not wet suit (As I understand it divers wearing wetsuits remove their bouyancy vest on the boat and a wet suit will offer no flotation)?

I did mean wetsuit and not dry suit. I do spearfishing which has to be done freediving. A 7mm wetsuit will float anybody. Infact you have alot of difficulty getting down without a weightbelt.

[Pablo]

The list so far :
- flares
- a lifejacket per person onboard (unless divers wearing a wetsuit)
- chart
- compass
- fog horn
- a waterproof torche
- anchor, chain & rope
- first aid kit
- screw driver, spark plug spanner, adjustable spanner, knife
- rollup anorak
- spare batteries for my portable GPS
- spare pull cord
- spare kill cord
- duck tape
- oars
- bailler / bucket
- spare prop & spanner
- inflation pump

Nos's guide is helpful.

Has anyone got a good sugestion for where the oars should go ? I think i'm going to need to get an A-frame with dry boxes for storage.

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Has anyone got a good sugestion for where the oars should go ? I think i'm going to need to get an A-frame with dry boxes for storage.

Rather than oars you probably want paddles (unless like me you have somewhere for rowlocks to fit - which would be unusual on a rib). They are also easier to stow. I think you can get some that split in two/telescopic.

The other thing I have spotted that is missing from your list is tow rope(s) and possibly a towing bridle. And a throwing line (not sure if there is one included with the horseshoe).

[Pablo]

A question of vocabulary. I indeed thought of using my spare kayak paddle which can be split in two as i'll be selling my kayak.

When I put rope down with the anchor I did think of spare rope aswell but I didn't separate it. I will do so straight away. A rope can be used as a throw line or a tow line or whatever I think. I'll have a parachute (floating anchor) on board as I drift alot, so there will always be plenty of rope laying around.

What do you think of the French legal requirements ?
- a liferaft !
- a horseshoe float (I don't know its real name)
- a floating self righting flash light
- a mirror

[havener]

Originally Posted by Pablo

What do you think of the French legal requirements ?
- a liferaft !
- a horseshoe float (I don't know its real name)
- a floating self righting flash light
- a mirror

The last three are eminently sensible - 3 & 4 are taken directly from the SOLAS requirements for items to be carried in liferafts / ships lifeboats.

The liferaft requirement does seem a bit over the top though - must admit I've never noticed a proliferation of liferafts on French boast and I spend half my time in Frenh ports!

How is it enforced in relation to expiry dates, release mechanisms, etc ?

On mentioning it to a few of the crew, I received a wonderful smile and Gallic shrug from our bosun, who also has his own rib. Yes he knows the rules, everyone knows the rules, which is why for years he has had an empty liferaft cannister strapped to the boat!

[Polwart]

[quote=Pablo;231892] When I put rope down with the anchor I did think of spare rope aswell but I didn't separate it. I will do so straight away. A rope can be used as a throw line or a tow line or whatever I think. I'll have a parachute (floating anchor) on board as I drift alot, so there will always be plenty of rope laying around.
quote]

My anchor rope is only 8mm (IIRC). My tow rope is 18mm. Tow rope can float - anchor rope must not. My throw line is 10 mm floating rope in a bag specifically intended to make it throw. I'm not saying one rope can't do all 3 jobs but worth bearing in mind that there are different types of rope suited to different applications.