Following up on my to do list for this season

G

Gerald N

Active member
Bought a float coat today after having three hunters pass in my hunting area last season I have decided I need to take more precautions. Still to do:
Strobe, decent first aid kit, smoke flare, whistle for float coat, ......? Thought about a radio but need to do more research on water proofing and if anyone monitors as the marine radios seem to have a few mile range if my memory is right. Any exeperience here with them?

Spend to much time by myself on the water in a small boat in the back waters of marshes that are hard to access and out of sight.
 
ACR makes some nice small cheap strobe lights with a flash light function. I have a bunch of their Firefly Plus strobe/flash lights. I have had them for years and they all work fine. http://www.acrartex.com/...-and-distress-lights

First aid kits tend to be very basic unless you get one of the larger kits or pack and build your own to suit your needs. I use a pelican case for storage of First aid equipment and some other stuff.
Orion flare kits; there are smaller kits but I have one of these on each boat. It comes with a whistle and day time distress flag, also add a paper chart and good quality compass to your kit incase your GPS stops working: http://www.orionsignals.com/...its/product/100.html

Icom M36 handheld VHF. I use mine everyday at work. It stays on the charger overnight and is used throughout the day for 8 to 10 hours and I have not had an issue with loosing a charge after a full day of heavy use. Range is limited to line of sight but I have been able to converse over a few miles between me and another handheld unit. If there are any obstructions between the two radios communications can be spotty at best. : http://www.boatinginstruments.com/...HchsECFTDl7AodlCYAog
 
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Went to West Marine and looked at the handhelds. Told they will be on sale october... That will be the next purchase... Not sure about the float coat yet. How are they to shoot in a layout type boat. My four in one bunches up alittle... Use a inflatable while underway... Compact first aid kit a must... I use a vacuum sealer on alot of stuff that is not used much. Will do a chamois shirt and t shirt, had a mishap hunting with a few members of the forum and had to go in early, I'm still learning, oh well...
 
Question on the marine radio. Seeing how they are line of site range and being surronded by residential dwellings, how useful is the radio in the absence of commerical marine traffic. Most of my haunts are poorly traveled estuaries in the winter with no boating traffic in some, aside from duck hunters, and others distant in the deeper reaches closest to the harbor.

Your radio seems to fit my bill of goods for durability but want to make sure someone is on other end.

Thanks again for the link.
 
Question on the marine radio. Seeing how they are line of site range and being surronded by residential dwellings, how useful is the radio in the absence of commerical marine traffic. Most of my haunts are poorly traveled estuaries in the winter with no boating traffic in some, aside from duck hunters, and others distant in the deeper reaches closest to the harbor.

Your radio seems to fit my bill of goods for durability but want to make sure someone is on other end.

Thanks again for the link.
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Chris,

I don't know the exact area you are referring to so I would suggest contacting the local authorities and find out if the HH VHF will be a reliable way of communicating with them from that location. If you know someone with a HH VHF ask to borrow it and go on a scouting trip then get a radio check while your out there. That way you will know for sure that it will work in that area.
 
Question on the marine radio. Seeing how they are line of site range and being surronded by residential dwellings, how useful is the radio in the absence of commerical marine traffic. Most of my haunts are poorly traveled estuaries in the winter with no boating traffic in some, aside from duck hunters, and others distant in the deeper reaches closest to the harbor.

Your radio seems to fit my bill of goods for durability but want to make sure someone is on other end.

Thanks again for the link.
Click to expand...



Chris,

I don't know the exact area you are referring to so I would suggest contacting the local authorities and find out if the HH VHF will be a reliable way of communicating with them from that location. If you know someone with a HH VHF ask to borrow it and go on a scouting trip then get a radio check while your out there. That way you will know for sure that it will work in that area.
Click to expand...

Regardless of the day-to-day utility. A VHF is a direct link to SAR folks. If you are lost or injured, a waterproof communication device that will allow you to directly communicate with a rescue boat or chopper would be very useful.
 
[/QUOTE]

Regardless of the day-to-day utility. A VHF is a direct link to SAR folks. If you are lost or injured, a waterproof communication device that will allow you to directly communicate with a rescue boat or chopper would be very useful.[/QUOTE]




Tod,

That is a good point and one of the reason I don't leave the dock with out a radio. I also carry a spare so if someone leaves the boat they take the spare radio with them. It has come in handy more than once.
 
Another item you may consider is a dye marker. It's more related to open water, but it's a perfect addition to your night strobe. I have one attached to each PFD.

orion-dye-marker.jpg
 
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