On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:38:42 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

Good questions.

Do you have one?

Yes.

How is it secured to the boat?

It's stowed next to the life raft in a locker on the flybridge.

What's in it?

Flares. Dye packets. Extra food (granola bar type stuff) and water.
Hand held VHF radios are stored next to the EPIRB ready to go.

Still thinking of the recent GOM tragedy.
It's easy to say "Can't happen to me."
Wrong. Many ways for a boat to capsize, even close to shore.
Then the wind/currents can take you to sea before anybody
notices.
How do you prepare for that?

Small boat? Good anchor with at least 100 to 200 ft of line. Life
jackets either worn or readily at hand depending on conditions.
Water proof handheld VHF and extra water.

Gfretwell, I know you would just walk into the mangroves, but
you've probably given it some thought since you've done other boating.

Wayne, I'm interested in your ditch bag on the big boat, and if you
carry a bag in the dinghy. since you've mentioned you travel in it far
from the boat.

See above. If we were sinking in the big boat we'd try to take the
dinghy, the life raft, ditch bag and the EPIRB.

The most important gear in the dinghy are an anchor with suitable
rode, extra water, sunscreen and a handheld VHF, maybe flares if
conditions are really gnarly but you shouldn't be out there in that
case.

Anybody else have thoughts on it of care to comment?
Beyond an EPIRB, will a VHF be useful if the ditch bag gets
soaked. Is a VHF any good at water lever?

Yes and yes. The better handheld VHFs by ICOM and Standard are all
claimed to be waterproof. We always carry one in the dinghy.
Aircraft can hear a handheld VHF at distances over 20 miles, boats
about 3 to 5 miles.

Is a hard case buoyant ditch bag the way to go?

Soft bag will do fine if contents are water resistant. We use zip
lock bags for the food, some buoyancy there.