Ditch Bag (Abandon ship bag)

[Ken13559]

I'm prepping a Ditch Bag for a 3 weeks regatta & cruise trip. I don't have a liferaft or dinghy for this trip. If we need to abandon ship, we'll jump in with out lifevest and the Ditch Bag. I will have 2x Parachute flares, 6x Handheld flares, 30ft floating rope, mirror, air horn, serrated knife, gps, hendheld vhf, waterproof torchlight, can smoke maker and 2 foam lifejacket to keep the bag afloat.
What else should be in the bag ? Thanks.

 

[solosail]

EPIRB
Small medical kit
bottles of water
sun protection
hope you never use your your ditch bag

 

[Ken13559]

EPIRB
Small medical kit
bottles of water
sun protection
hope you never use your your ditch bag

We'll be in waters of Straits of Malacca (Malaysia).
Don't have EPRIB but I can do bottle water and sun protection. Medical kit kinda difficult to use when bobbing on water I guess.
Hope I don't have to use it. My boat was almost T-bone by a Chinese coastal ship one night last year. I managed to turn my boat with 2 boat length to spare. That was frightening.
Thanks. :dance:

 

[Bill Roosa]

You don't have a dingy? what are you using to get to shore?
A dingy is much prefered to floating in the water and if you are biringing it along it makes sense to at least try and use it to advantage.

 

[seadaddler]

Something

Can you get a cheap pool toy raft or some thing in case of going in water for floating in ditch bag and a floating pool noodle in ditch bag.
When I sailed from NY to Florida I rented a liferaft for the trip and can also rent eprib,have a safe trip.
Nick

 

[Benny17441]

Are there any life raft rental companies in your vicinity? Is this an onshore or offshore regatta in the straights of Malacca? I'm surprised that if you were racing offshore that the organizers are not making it mandatory to carry a life raft. If that is the case would not count on them to keep track of the position of the participants either. I'm afraid life jackets may only buy you a few hours before exposure sets in.

 

[Steve W]

I'd at the very least, get one of those really inexpensive Sevylor inflatables. I just looked at their website and there's a 2-person inflatable with oars for $50! It would certainly be big enough for 2 of you and a ditch bag. Hell, if there are 4 of you, $100 is still cheap insurance!

Beats the hell out of floating around in your life vest with feet dangling. Think USS Indianappolis!

S

 

[Ken13559]

Its an onshore race. We won't be more than 2 miles offshore and pretty of shipping and fishing boats. Water is about 28degC. Those pool inflatable boat sound easy enough to prep. USS Indianopplis? You referring to the crew being shark food? yuks!