How to carry emergency equipment for EC

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How to carry emergency equipment for EC

(7 posts) (5 voices)

Started 3 years ago by rustybutt
Latest reply from seabag

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rustybutt
Member

I'm prepping for my first Everglades Challenge and looking for ideas on carrying safety equipment and a ditch kit. I am paddling a kayak for the challenge.

Usually on any paddle I carry the following in my PFD. Hiking compass, small sunscreen stick, small amount of duct tape and electrical tape for blisters, Storm whistle, Greatland Laser, amall aquapac dry pouch containing signal mirror and tiny on water 1st aid kit, a couple of GU gels and a knife. I have a Kokatat MsFit PFD and have the Kokatat water bladder pocket attachment with a 50 oz Camelbak.

For the Challenge I plan on keeping all that equipment plus the plb and spot, but my idea was to use the water bladder pocket for the hypothermia kit and some emergency food/ditch kit, vacuum sealed and in a small drybag and use a 100 oz Camel back behind my seat instead . I just bought some flares and plan on carrying 2 x skyblazers and a smoke flare. How do folks carry the flares ? I wanted to keep them dry and handy. If I vacuum seal them, how do I open them while swimming, with wet hands in choppy water at night ? If I keep them in the water bladder pack, how do I reach them in the same situation ? Dry bags on the back deck will let water in eventually. One of my thoughts is a Pelican case on the back deck containing a ditch kit plus flares. The smoke flare is 9 1/4 " long and will fit in a Pelican1150 case. Maybe attach it to my PFD with a tether.

Thanks for any input anyone can give

Posted 3 years ago #
BlueJay
Member

You can open your vaccum sealed kit with the knife attached to your pfd.:)

Posted 3 years ago #
KayakVagabond
Member

Some tips:

Saltyfrog places a nail in his vacuum sealed bags to help open them. I haven't tried this but imagine it would work well, even with poor dexterity due to cold, wet hands.

I just cut a slit in the margin of mine, like commercial bags have and can open with my teeth if needed.

I agree that a PFD knife can also be used, but that also means that if the knife (and your spare) end up in the drink (in a worst case scenario), that you can still open your flares, etc. Try your method out before you actually need it, to ensure that it works.

One of the challenges of an EC/expedition is that you need to carry enough stuff, but you also can't be burdened with too much weight on your torso or you can't efficiently paddle. I agree that you shouldn't try to carry water on your back for that reason -- just too much weight and it feels heavier hour after hour, day after day.

If you brought an item, but can't get to it when it is needed, you DON'T have that item.

I keep the minimum in my PFD of what I would need if I was separated from my kayak. The rest, that needs to be with me at all times, goes in a ditch bag. FYI, a ditch-bag, by definition means something like a fanny pack or torso pack that you wear, and it goes with you should you wet-exit the kayak. Otherwise it's gone should you lose contact with the kayak. Tethers to an external bag can work but also add a potential entanglement hazard, so keep tethers short, if used at all. The stuff I don't need at hand, goes in a dayhatch or deckbag.

Drybags on the deck can be bad news. They can make re-entry more difficult and add windage.

Your list is missing your VHF radio.

You don't want the SPOT on your PFD, best to have it mounted on the foredeck of your kayak.

Greatland rescue laser is a great bit of kit. I have the green laser and carry it vacuum-packed. Regular salt exposure can damage it.

After each event I recommend keeping a log of "what worked, what failed". You need to start with a good foundation but it's an evolution.

Posted 3 years ago #
BlueJay
Member

Something else i would put on your list would be your I.D. some cash, a credit card, and a key to your car.

Posted 3 years ago #
Ryder
Member

You need three of those skyblazers to be nighttime legal.

Posted 3 years ago #
rustybutt
Member

Thanks everyone, some good ideas for sure.

Yes I forgot to mention the VHF, it's always on the kayak.

I didn't really want any bags on the deck exactly for the 2 reasons mentioned (windage and ease of re-entry). I do sometimes carry a Northwater towbelt system, I didn't think before but that style of bag would be perfect for the flares etc.

I had planned to keep the SPOT attached on the pfd or on the sprayskirt pull loop, for ease of use and in the event of a swim without the kayak I would have PLB and Spot with me.

With the signal flares, I misread the USCG requirements, thinking 3 in total, I re-checked and will add another skyblazer. I was sure I read somewhere on the watertribe site that someone carried 2 flares and a smoke signal. Anyhow, thanks for the correction.

Thanks again for the tips and advice, definitely a work in progress!

Posted 3 years ago #
seabag
Member

Depending on the kind of 'back pack' used a wide mouth nalgene bottle can be used to carry on the person stuff. I have a light lanyard on the lid that stuffs in with the bottle. I can reach the bag cover open it then pull out the bottle when I am in the water. A ditch bag inlieu of a tow line also makes good sense.

I also make sure that the PLB, the laser flare, the hiking compass, the mirror and the dog tags are on a lanyard, as of course is the knife and vhf. About the smallest aerials are the pocket rockets but their reliability is sketchy and require assembly.

Posted 3 years ago #

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