No one ever expects or wants to think about the need to abandon ship.  The best way to keep that from happening is diligence in boat knowledge and maintenance. However, if you do find yourself in one of those situations, proper planning can mean the difference between life and death.

One of the things we teach in Safety-at-Sea is when it is time to leave the boat for the life raft.  There are three reasons to abandon ship:  the boat is sinking, the boat is in distress (i.e. loss of keel), or the boat is on fire. Before you get into that life raft you are going to want to take a few things with you; the bag with emergency water, the sat phone and … the ditch bag.

The Ditch Bag

As you can see from the two examples above, there are several types of ditch bags.  They come in a variety of sizes and colors.  What is important is that they are made of a sturdy, brightly colored material with some reflective material.  The bag should float.  You also want to be sure to mark it with the boat name and sail number.  

Bright yellow bag with reflective stripe, shoulder strap and external EPIRB pocket.  Bright red bag with yellow stripe, three external pockets, shoulder strap and grab handle.

What’s in your Ditch Bag

Let’s discuss what should go in that beautiful, brightly colored bag…

For those of you that like to skip ahead, there is a printable, bulleted check list of recommended items at the bottom of this article. 

First Aid Kit and Medical Guide

One of the most important things to put in your bag is a First Aid Kit.  I’m not talking about something with a few band-aids.  We’re talking about a serious kit for when the bad stuff happens because, let’s face it, if you’re in a life raft some serious s@(% has hit the fan.

Unless you are lucky enough to have a doctor on board with you, a good medical guide is essential to give you best procedures for treating serious injuries such as severe burns, broken bones and hypothermia.  As I discussed in my last post link to the medical training courses from the last post, basic first aid training is a must; however, in the heat of the moment (pun intended) having a reference guide can be extremely helpful.

The above are a few of the options available.  The International Medical Guide for Ships is approved by the WHO, Your Offshore Doctor is widely used by offshore sailors, Doctor on Board is a fully illustrated guide to medical emergencies at sea. You should look at the options and select one that works for you and your crew.

Three most common injuries aboard

Burns… Thermal burns are when skin comes in contact with hot metal, scalding liquids, steam, flames or even high voltage.  They are most often the burns you will encounter at sea.  You should have supplies in the first aid kit to treat at least 2 to 3 crew members with second- or third-degree burns.  Supplies to treat burns include, but are not limited to, sterile gauze, antibacterial burn cream or gel, pain medication, and second skin.

Broken Bones… depending on the severity of the break, treatment will differ.  Compound fractures are the most life threatening. Treatment for compound fractures would require you have the following items in your ditch bag … torniquet, splint, gauze pads, roll gauze, pain medication.  Lesser breaks or sprains may only require a splint, ace bandage, ice pack, and an arm sling.

Hypothermia … when someone has abnormally low body temperature, is a serious and dangerous condition.  It affects the brain and is especially dangerous as a person may not know it’s happening.  You don’t have to be wet, nor does the temperature need to be below freezing to have hypothermia.  Treatment for hypothermia involves removal of wet clothing, warm sweet non-alcoholic drinks, and gentle warming.  Having a few warming blankets in your ditch bag is recommended. There are several options for warming blankets on the market.  Ready Heat makes a series of thin disposable blankets that provide slow continuous warming for up to 8 hours.  Waterproof space blankets are light, small and effective.  You should have one for each person on board.

Other medical items highly recommended for your medical kit:

  • Seasickness medication
  • Regular medication for crew members (i.e., blood pressure, heart, inhaler)
  • Asprin, NSAID, Tylenol
  • Antibacterial wipes
  • Any medication your crew takes regularly (statins, inhalers, allergy, etc.)

Moving on from medical necessities, you will want items that will help rescuers find you, and things to help you survive until they do.

Visibility

  • Flares – you will want a variety of SOLAS, parachute, and smoke
  • Welding gloves or fireproof oven mitts
  • Signaling mirror
  • Glow sticks
  • Flashlights
  • Whistle

Communication

  • EPIRB
  • Handheld VHF Radio with DSC
  • Laminated instructions for the satellite phone
  • Satellite Phone
  • Extra batteries
  • Air horn
  • Handheld compass

Sustenance

  • Granola bars, MREs, other non-perishable food source  
  • Hydration extender
  • Fishing hooks and line
  • Hand-held manual water maker

Ditch Bag Checklist

  • First Aid Kit
  • Seasickness medication
  • Sunscreen
  • Regular medication for crew members (i.e., blood pressure, heart, inhaler)
  • Eyeglasses
  • Asprin, NSAID, Tylenol
  • Antibacterial wipes/ hand sanitizer
  • Any medication your crew takes regularly (statins, inhalers, allergy, etc.)
  • Flares – variety of SOLAS, parachute, and smoke (at least 3 of each)
  • Sea dye marker
  • Welding gloves or fireproof oven mitts
  • Signaling mirror
  • Glow sticks (dozen)
  • Flashlights
  • Strobe light (some double as a flashlight)
  • Whistle
  • EPIRB
  • Handheld VHF Radio with DSC
  • Laminated instructions for the satellite phone
  • Satellite Phone
  • Extra batteries
  • Air horn
  • Handheld compass
  • Granola bars, MREs, other non-perishable food source 
  • Water – 1 gallon per person/day for 3 days
  • Hydration extender
  • Fishing hooks and line
  • Blunt tip knife with serrated side and lanyard
  • Hand-held manual water maker
  • ID’s/Passports and emergency contact info for crew (in a sealed plastic bag)
What’s in your Ditch Bag?

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