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I've been following the thread on the loss of lives in the gulf and was wondering? What do you (we) great lakes boaters carry and what maybe best? I run A 32' express and only have VHF and 10 orange cheep PFD's. That's about to change! Oh and one throwable. Do any any of you carry ditch bags, EPIRB's, PLB or SPOT? Just wondering.
We fish lake Ontario.
I carry six life vests,(four good vest type life jackets),(two cheapies),and two Mustang inlatable jackets.
Also carry both hand held,and aerial flares,along with all the other mandatory safety equip.I keep two fire extinguishers one in the front and one in the rear.
I bought a new VHF with the dsc giving the location coordinates in case of an emergency.
This year I plan on hopefully adding Radar,and an Epirb.
Terrible things can happen to anyone,no matter how much experience they have.
We have a friend who was fishing alone,and fell overboard while reaching out to set a dipsy.
The boat kept moving propelled by the kicker.
The only thing that saved him was that the downrigger cable slid between his chest and arm.
It cut him up,but he managed to grab the cable,and get in the boat by stepping on the anticavitation plate on the kicker(while it was running).He was very very lucky.
He now uses a tether safety cut out switch clipped to his inflatable vest,that he now wears all the time when fishing alone.
I have a fixed VHF and a submersible hand held Standard Horizon VHF with built in GPS. I also have Sirius weather on my Furuno chart plotter. I just bought some type 1 PFD's from a guy on this board, 6 adults and 2 children's and I'm going to get an EPIRB soon. I spent a lot of time 10-15 NM offshore last year and our water on Lake Michigan is too cold to wait very long for a rescue. Truth is, a 6 man life raft would be a darn good thing to have, but I'm going to get the EPIRB at least.
Depending on day or night operation and boat size, visual distress signals are required on the Great Lakes. While they don't have to be flares, pretty much that is how most people comply.
We carry an EPIRB and all Type 1 PFD's. We carry two inflatable PFD's as well for anyone that wants them.
We also carry a pretty extensive first aid kit.
__________________ "Years grow shorter not longer"
I never go out a night and never go alone. Everyone on the boat knows where the life jackets are. I also have a throwing ring, flares, radar, vhf, rope. If it is really rough we just do not go out. Dwain
High Water Bilge Alarm going in this spring
Wood Plugs
2 First Aid Kits
Throwable Life Rope Kit
2 Spare GPS
Ditch Bag:
SSubmersible VHF,
Handheld GPS,
ACR Strobe.
TekTite Strobe,
4 Orion Lightsticks,
2 Distress Whistles,
2 Multi Tools,
Emergency Poncho (not sure why),
100' parachute cord,
Mini Compass,
Water Activated Light Strobe,
Orion Dye Marker,
Brunton Emergency Pocket Survival Kit (wallet Size),
Pack of AA Batteries in Zip Locks,
Expired Flares,
Handheld Mirror,
Sunscreen,
Chapstick,
Bonine,
I actually carry a sextant, although don't plan on using that, its a hobby that I'm teaching myself. But if you want to consider all the spares, I guess I can count that too.
Like anything else, apply common sense and you will find your answer.
One would assume that the poster above, Mike Boehler, spends a good amount of time farther from shore where you may be stuck in poorer weather longer thus increasing the chances of needing the items he listed.
If you are a boater that sticks around the marina, day, good weather then common sense dictates that the USCG requirements should be adequate.
Unfortunately for the fellas in the GOM it seems that not a lot of common sense was used.
For me though, on a Contender 23, I like to employ the "it's better to have and not need rather than need and not have" philosophy. I carry all of the USCG requirements, and a couple other items in a ditch bag...PLB, handheld, sunblock, mirror, but I don't go too crazy as I am mostly day / relatively close to shore boater. I also ALWAYS do a thorough weather check before headin out.
I carry an epirb but the truth is that the water on lake superior is so cold that even with the GPS enabled epirb the coasties probably wouldn't get there in time any way. I'd like to get a life raft but there isn't a lot of room on a 25' boat. At least the Grady is supposed to be unsinkable...
Like anything else, apply common sense and you will find your answer.
One would assume that the poster above, Mike Boehler, spends a good amount of time farther from shore where you may be stuck in poorer weather longer thus increasing the chances of needing the items he listed.
We sometimes go far from shore, but I think the contents of my ditch bag are more a product of too much time spent at home in the winter
I do know a few people that bobbed around overnight on Lake Ontario waiting rescue. I actually enjoyed the process of putting a ditch bag together and it nice to know its there if we need it.
I'm going with an epirb or Plb this year for the first time. Spring fishing in 36 degree water is going to be tough surviving, but summertime when its 75 degrees, you can go all night if you have the will to live.
I think most of the people that frequent here are qualified seamen that have done their fair share of ruff water excursions.... With that being said you could bring a spare boat full of safety equip but if you have no experience fishing offshore then you probably should stay close to shore....May they rest in peace......
Saftey equipment 
