Equipment on a Cruising RIB

[Powerboat]

Hi folks ,

A friend recently asked me for advice on the above and the following is what came to mind .

Any one like to edit or make further suggestions ???

Best wishes ,

Stuart www.powerboat.org

Here as promised is a suggested equipment list for a cruising RIB

Training for skipper and Crew ( Well I would say that - Obviously ! )

Life Jackets and spare cylinder for each crewmember
Drysuits with mid layer and base layer
Balaclava or thermal protection for the head
Eye protection against hail , rain flies and glare
water proof thermal gloves for winter
Blunt ended boathook
Throwbag
Paddles
VHF. radio and training
Depth sounder
Nav Lights Port Starboard and all round white mounted above the other two
Collapsible radar reflector
Wool wind indicator on vhf aerial
Mobile phone in aquapac + phone numbers of marinas, mechanics etc.
Compass and Imray Charts in map case and Binoculars
Chinagraph pencil and small shhet of white plastic to write notes on
Spare hand held compass
A hand held GPS in an aquapac . I reccomend a Garmin GPS 12 ( about £150 )
as you can do out your passage plan at home in the house or in the pub !
Divers Knife
Flare kit in yellow polybottle but Orange Smoke is better for day time use
.
Cylume light sticks
Water proof torch
First-aid kit.and First Aid training
Survival Bag
Fire extinguisher Gas type is best for electrical . Dry Powder is best for
fuel but it leaves an awful mess afterwards . Also if you have a fuel fire
on a RIB I would tend to abandon ship ( upwind rather than wait for the
explosion while using my extinguisher! )
Good-size toolkit in polybottle including spark plugs fuses and cable ties
and spare kill cord , keys and battery switch
Spare prop and fittings
Spare fuel and oil ( one third out , one third back and one third reserve
reserve ! ) Beware of going out with the tide and coming back against the
tide . You could need far more fuel on the way home .
Pump for tubes
Tube first aid kit and spare valve
Spare wheel bearings for the trailer should be brought in the car
Rope of sufficient length for towing.( 2 by 20 metre and 1 by 10 metre lines
all properly coiled )
A bowline or painter shorter than the lenght of the boat .
Towing bridle
assorted shackles
Anchor of adequate size and type with at least 20 metres of chain
Drogue ( Sea Anchor )
Bailer
Dry bag for personal kit including a full change of clothes.
S/steel flask of boiling water + tea coffee sugar chocolate etc

I know that you will probably think I should also add a trailer to carry all
this kit ! but practically all of the above and some more is stowed aboard
Ally Cat.



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www.powerboat.org

[Rannsachair]

What are your thoughts on backup engines and hand-held VHF?

I carry a 8hp back-up in case my engine fails - I also have paddles though they are next to useless on even a 6.1 m rib. I believe that we are obliged to carry an alternative means of propulsion.

I am also considering purchasing a hand-held VHF, I am concerned that my fixed VHF could fail due to a battery/electrical problem.

Also if I had to abandon the boat e.g. due to a fire. Though I am not sure what sort of range I could transmit over in the water from a h-h VHF i.e. a very short antenna at sea level.

[Alan]

I think a backup engine is an excellent idea - particularly after having my main engine fail a couple of weeks ago! Key point is to make sure that that auxillary engine that sits on your transom unloved and unused for most of its life is serviced and maintained so that it fires up when you need it! We have a 5hp on a 6.5m RIB which gives us around 4kts flat out. Point is that if we were in real trouble we wouldn't fight the tide, but would run with it to safety.

I have a handheld ICOM VHF for the very eventuality of the main VHF/Battery failing. Range is clearly shorter but its better than nothing! For the ultimate distress situation when you've bailed out because the boats on fire the best thing would be a personal epirb clipped to your drysuit. Trouble is so we all wear drysuits all of the time?

Alan

[lovidub]

i keep most of that stuff on my boat pace maker.is it really nessercery to keep all this stuff on the boat

[PeterR]

I always carry a spare anchor as well as a spare ignition key ,and small roll of duct tape,25 metre through line. Emergency first aid kit with thermal foil wrap.

[Limey Linda]

Can of wd 40

[yoyo]

Powerboat

You forgot the kitchen sink!

[Limey Linda]

You forgot the most important thing: toilet paper Just in case you " wipe out"

[pathalla]

Yes... Never forget the toilet paper, the women are angered greatly by this oversight!