Alot of great points here!!!
Being a guide, inshore fisherman & offshore fisherman, I can attest that each of my ditch bags are different for each boat.
The most
IMPORTANT thing about a ditch bag is that it
FLOATS!!!
Those chessy plastic boxes you buy @ the marine stores are junk & will quickly fill with water & sink.
Depending on the room you have in your vessel, (2) two of the best options are an ACR Ditch Bag with built-in floatation
or an orange or yellow Pelican Case.
I have recently ditched the ACR bag because there's no way to keep the moisture out in an open or semi-open boat & now have nothing but Pelican Cases as Throw-Over bags.
Before we ever leave the ramp I always advise my clients, family or hunting friends that if we are going down, grab the ditch bag because it will save our lives.
As far as what's in it, for duck hunting I carry the following:
1) EBIRB - In every documented situation where an EBIRB was deployed & the subjects stayed with it, a rescue was effected in under (4) four hours.
2) Ariel Flares (3)
3) Smoke Flares (1)
4) Signal Mirror
5) First Aid Kit
6) Knife/Leathermans Tool
7) Paracord
8) Survival Blanket
9) Flashlight (batteries out)
10) BIC lighter
11) Personal Med's
12) Whistle (which should be attached to each & every life jacket anyways)
13) Spare GPS (batteries out)
14) Moisture wicking pad/pillow
15) Zip Ties (6)
16) Electrical tape (1)
If you haven't already noticed, a properly equiped throw-over bag
EXCEEDS USCG standards for required safety equipment.
Other than a fire extinguisher, life jackets & throwable cushion, all your gear is in (1) one place.
Several other items I carry in all our bags are:
17) Celox (1)
18) Israeli Pressure Bandage
Several years back both these items were issued to all patrol officers of our police department.
I personally have used the Celox twice, once on a gunshot victim & the other on a stab wound.
Both times I watched as the Celox sucked the moisture from the wound & clotted it, stopping the bleeding.
Please make sure once you turn over the injured party to the medics that you advise them of the Celox. If they try to remove the bandage in the field, they can re-open the wound, making the problem even worse.
I've also seen this done & it's not pretty!!!
Both these items are battle tested & they do save lives!!!
Remember, you don't need a field surgical kit, just something to stabalize the person during the
"Golden Hour" after the initial trama.
We are around firearms, knives & props, all that can inflict serious injuries.
The MARPAC throw-over bag is a great system for the price but until they improve their zipper system, I would stay away from them. I tried it & less that a year, the zippers corroded & failed. Even keeping it below deck & semi-dry, I still ended up cutting into the bag & placing its contents in a Pelican Case after (1) one year on the boat.
And no life jackets because you should be wearing them!!!
