02 BT Feb 2018 for archive

BOAT BOAT TRADER TRADER ADVERTORIAL EDITORIAL
chandlers and they normally carry a shelf life, I
was shocked when I saw how many out of date
fl ares were handed in at a boat show amnesty,
so check and note the dates for replacement.
You should look to spend about £100 for
decent quality fl ares and Mailspeed Marine
online have a great selection.
Life Jackets should be worn at all times if the
weather conditions dictate, that goes for every
member of the crew. Modern life jackets are
so comfortable that you can forget sometimes
you are actually wearing one.
So, I’m sorry I don’t wear the argument that
they are uncomfortable. There is no excuse not
to have one per member of crew that leaves
harbour. They are rated differently for different
types of sailing, seek advice from your local
chandlers and doing research on the internet
can be a great source of knowledge in securing
the correct one for you.
As a keen angler that is often afl oat in the
winter months chasing big cod I prefer to wear
a fl oatation suit as I feel more comfortable
and they are incredibly warm. For peace of
mind they are excellent value and with it you
get a built in whistle, fl ashlight and a signalling
device. I bought mine for just over a £100 from
my local tackle shop and quite a few friends
followed suit and bought one as well.
A fi rst aid kit should be present on all boats
at all times. Anything that is used should
be replaced immediately and again the
more products stored within it the better.
Again, I would recommend visiting your
local chandlers and you will fi nd an array of
different manufactured fi rst aid kits. I would
always add to it somewhat by including sun
cream with a high factor level and after sun
cream to reduce any burning. They range in
price from as little as £20 upwards and should
include seasick tablets, pain killers, a range
of products to deal with minor accidents like
wound dressings and plasters. I always have
Savlon cream in my kit as an antiseptic cream
that also serves well when used on insect
bites.
A life raft is an item that ultimately saves lives
and the more you spend the more you get.
It is an item that every boat should have on
board and they should be regularly inspected
for deterioration. Most chandlers carry a
stock of life rafts to suit all ventures and all
budgets. You should discuss with the supplier
your needs, how far you are travelling and
where as these factors will determine the
type of model you require. I was particularly
impressed watching live demonstrations
of the Seago self infl ating life rafts at the
Brighton Boat Show last spring. If you need to
scupper your boat then the life raft needs to
be stored so it’s easily accessible enabling you
to access it with safety and ease. You can quite
easily spend up to a thousand pounds on a
self infl ating life raft and they come in different
sizes to accommodate the amount of people
using it.
Keeping warm is another issue that can
often be diffi cult without the right clothing or
equipment. If the boat belongs to you then I’d
always keep a spare set of suitable clothing for
the time of year in case of getting wet or damp.
Once wet and if the temperatures are low then
it is only a matter of time before you will start
to feel the elements.
Trust me, it can be very diffi cult under those
scenarios to get warm again unless you have
a dry set of clothing to switch to. Hats and
gloves are as important as other garments
during the winter and it is also wise to have a
sleeping bag on board for the emergency of
being out unexpectedly at night.
Let us hope no one needs to use their survival
equipment and I hope people understand that
it is money well spent as soon as you need to
use it. This is not a defi nitive list of essential
items but items that are often overlooked.
“A survival kit is a package of basic tools and
supplies prepared in advance as an aid to
survival in an emergency.”
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