Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

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Part 5: Staying Safe Afloat
Good to Have: Common-Sense Gear
There are a few items not necessarily required that common sense dictates you’ll have
aboard anyway. An anchor and line is a safety device in the sense that it can keep you
from drifting out to sea or into shipping lanes if your motor dies.
An electric bilge pump, manual pump, or even a bailing bucket should be part of the gear
on every boat. A bucket is a good idea even if you have an electric pump—they’re notorious
for jamming up at the worst possible moments.
It’s a good idea to carry a second means of propulsion for smaller boats, up through class
1, and many states require it. This can be oars, a push pole, a little kicker motor, or an
electric troller—something that will get you home, slowly but surely, should the day come
when the motor won’t run.
Safety to the Max: Other Gear
A peace-of-mind extra is a waterproof strobe light that pins to your PFD. The strobe can
be seen for a couple of miles at night and can make all the difference if you ever go into
the water. They can also help the tow boat locate you if you break down after dark. At
$25 to $45, strobe lights are worth the price.
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) are the best insurance for rescue
offshore. When activated, they send out an emergency signal that can reach 300 miles
both across the water and into the air, which means it’s
Boat Bytes
Batteries on EPIRBs last anywhere
from two to five
years. They have a test-light
to confirm battery charge;
check it regularly.
Man the Lifeboats
very likely the signal will be picked up by passing airliners,
if not by other boats or ships.
EPIRBs are self-contained and are designed to be
mounted on an open area of the boat where they can
float to the surface if the craft sinks. Seawater activates
most models; you don’t have to turn them on. The cost
is around $250 to $1,200.
The first reaction of boaters viewing the latest movie version of Titanic is to start shopping
for life rafts. Having one aboard, particularly when land is many miles over the horizon,
is a great comfort.
However, buying a raft is a major investment. Prices range from around $2,000 to $4,000
for self-inflating models with a canopy to protect against rain and sun but without a