Safety Equipment Aboard
Every vessel should carry appropriate safety equipment for the planned passage. This includes: lifejackets for all crew, safety harnesses, flares (in date), fire extinguishers, first aid kit, fog horn, radar reflector, VHF radio, torch, and a means of raising the alarm.
For longer passages or further offshore, a liferaft and a grab bag are essential. The grab bag should contain water, handheld flares, a torch, a knife, seasickness tablets, and a handheld VHF radio. Stow safety equipment where it can be accessed quickly — not buried under stores.
Key Points
- Lifejackets for all crew — easily accessible
- Flares — in date, accessible, crew know how to use them
- Fire extinguishers — serviced, crew know locations
- First aid kit — stocked and accessible
- Liferaft — for offshore passages, serviced annually
- Grab bag — water, flares, torch, VHF, knife, medication