- Nov 4, 2019
- 2,485
- Boat Info
- 2010 Sundancer 500
2015 Brig Falcon 330T
- Engines
- Twin Cummins QSC550 w Zeus Pods
Been quietly following the thread until now but you started on EPIRBs and the thread veered off to rafts, ditch kits, etc.
I see you're in Long Island area but you didn't mention where you intend to take trips, how far offshore (if at all) and what season you plan to embark. These are all important factors into how extensively you need to prepare.
I'm in the Carolina mid Atlantic area. I cruise inland, Charleston area and Florida for the most part. I too intend to do the Bahamas next summer situation permitting. I went the full route, FCC station license, FCC MMSI, EPIRB in hydro-static release on the arch just behind the helm. I also have a secondary ICOM VHF and ICOM HF SSB mounted in the cabin. I have a considerable damage control kit which could be a thread all by itself. Electronic and pyrotechnic flares, every life jacket has a whistle and a 12 hour high intensity chem light. The jackets we wear are type III with whistle, chem light, stainless mirror and pocket flares.
The raft in my case is low on the list. It's still 72 degrees off the Carolina's and 76 in the Bahamas and even warming in the summer of course. So being in the water is not life threatening where I sail.
Where you are it's down to 43 already. And even in the mid summer can be a chilly 60, doesn't hit 50 until April.
Above 70 no real threat to life, 60 five hours, 50 three hours, 40 two hours. And that's till you could die. At 40 you will be incapacitated in 30 minutes.
Not trying to scare you, just remember electronics is to ALERT, with GPS it helps LOCATE, you need to be alive when help gets there. Check and cover the basics.
I've been as far north as Portland ME, if I were still cruising Cape Ann or Cape Cod anytime other then mid summer I would have exposure suits offshore.
Thanks Patrick!
You make great points, and yes, truly thread drift...
90% of our boating is in the great south bay, always in sight of land. The other 10% is in the ocean, near shore (we tend to run 1-2 miles off shore) to Montauk Point or heading west to NYC.
This coming summer, we are looking to head further north to Newport, Rhode Island and maybe as far out as Nantucket.
In all of our plans, we will be traveling with at least one other boat, however, I am trying to be as prepared as I can be.
Thanks!
Shaps