Hello there everyone!
I'm a member a little while and find the site really good but this is my first post on here. I'm not entirely new to boats or ribs (I've had two smaller craft previously and my Dad has sailed all his life and we were always with him as youngsters) and I'd like to think I have a pretty good level of common sense but I have decided to rank myself as an absolute beginner for the purposes of this exercise and try to soak up as much information and knowledge as is possible without letting pride be a factor.
Although we live most of the year in Almaty City, Kazakhstan we have a home by the sea in East Cork and I have just bought an, old but good (I think
) 5.5m Humber for use when we are at home here - mainly in summer.
I am undertaking a stage II powerboat course this coming weekend over 2 days as I want to learn as much as possible about safety before I take to the Atlantic waters with my very precious cargo - 2 sons, 8 & 12, for general fun and a bit of fishing etc. My craft is pretty modest compared to some of the beauties I've seen on here but what I want to know is, what do most of you guys, particularly the recent novices, invest in from a safety perspective? Obviously we have the essential PBD's and a good wet case for my phone but are there anything else you folks would think are essential pieces of safety kit? E-perb's, flares, maybe a VHF radio, is a second electric engine a good idea maybe? I'm not intending on going long distances out to sea by any stretch but really would prefer not to have to call on the services of the Coastguard or RNLI as an embarrassed novice if I can possibly help it, obviously.
Thank you in advance and really... all advice and help will be greatly appreciated.
spy-sea-one
Clewless
spot on mate that will keep them safe and out of the wind
