Saftey gear

[Killin' It]

Does anyone have a list of the Saftey gear needed, if boarded by the USCG. Thier website is being a crab and wont load.

I was going to double check my inventory Sunday and make sure I am up to snuff.

[EdB]

Life jackets

Throwable device

Flares, check date to be sure they are not expired

Distress flag for daytime

Sound device/Horn

Fire extinguisher

Navigation lights

Back fire flame arrestor

Engine compartment ventilation system

Good link here:

http://boat-ed.com/mi/handbook/toc.htm

[Hotdog71]

Here's another link

[Killin' It]

Where do I find Distress flag for daytime

[tangled mess]

west marine

[tgafish]

Where do I find Distress flag for daytime

Dave your red flare counts as a Daytime distress signal. You don't need a flag

[OldCool]

You can find them at Meijer or Walmart often time on clearance. It's where I found mine for $2.00

[EdB]

TGA is right but it's a good idea to have one should you be disabled and burn up your flares.

[sherman51]

hey guys

may i suggest you get the flag. we had an oil leak last year from our remote oil filter line. lost all our oil. it was nice to be able to just hang up the flag. it didnt take long before we got help. its worth it to just have it for piece of mind, and not because you have to have it. have a great season.

....sherman....

[Killin' It]

I was looking at replacing my PFDs as well.

I have an anchor, by law do I have to keep it on board at all times?

[mj6131]

I was boarded by the CG at St. Joe about three weeks ago. Something to bear in mind: not only do you need the PFDs, they need to be usable. He checked sizes, pulled on all the straps, showed me on the label where the "coast guard approved" label was. Your throwable needs to be "immediately accessible", in other words, out on deck somewhere, not in a locker. They did not look at the anchor.

(We passed, by the way)

[Nailer]

I was looking at replacing my PFDs as well.

I have an anchor, by law do I have to keep it on board at all times?

I believe you need an anchor and enough line to get to the bottom.

[Pitmaster]

I'm more than slightly rotund around the middle and have decided to purchase my own PFD. Chest size is several inches smaller than waist. I find most of them to be to tight and not fit my gut very well and uncomfortable to wear. Is there a PFD made that I could wear while fishing on a boat and while wading.

Any suggestions of places to purchase one and look at them in the SW MI/NW IN area? Say Kalamazoo towards the Illinois border.

Thanks,

[Killin' It]

I now will pass inspection.....

[Paulywood]

You might want to look into an inflatable unit. They should fit you better. West Marine usually has a pretty decent selection, but they aren't the cheapest. Cabela's and Bass Pro have them also. I'm not sure about the marine places on the west side, you might have to call.

I'm more than slightly rotund around the middle and have decided to purchase my own PFD. Chest size is several inches smaller than waist. I find most of them to be to tight and not fit my gut very well and uncomfortable to wear. Is there a PFD made that I could wear while fishing on a boat and while wading.

Any suggestions of places to purchase one and look at them in the SW MI/NW IN area? Say Kalamazoo towards the Illinois border.

Thanks,

[Far Beyond Driven]

You need an anchor, about 7 times times the depth in line, and with the zebra mussels on the bottom a couple feet of chain in front of the anchor saves the rope and gets a better bite.

On an east wind, if anything happens, get the anchor set right away before you drift through the pack. Trolling for browns on a west wind, if anything happens, you have about 2 minutes before you're in the surf. Most days no big deal. If it's breaking on the bars, you're pretty much dead.

I've helped pull boats or what was left of boats out of the rocks in St. Joe as they didn't think they needed an anchor. Also know a guy who got to watch his tender boat drift away while layout hunting in Lake Erie as they didn't have an anchor. Pretty sick feeling when you're all by yourself on Lake Erie and your mother ship floats away....

Just because it's not required, doesn't mean you don't need it. Now that I've got a couple little kids, I pretty much can count on three fingers the number of boats I'll ride on out in Lake Michigan, two of which are mine.

[sjk984]

We carry an anchor at all times. with 100' of rope. But I also carry a sea anchor and that has saved my on 1 big occasion. It allowd us to float bow into the b=waves while I had to work on the motor. I have no doubt that had we been turned beam or stern to the waves we would have been in very bad shape. With the 100' of rope out we were just bumbing bottom in 60' I now carry sea anchors/drift sox on both our boats.

[Killin' It]

Anchor is now in the boat too:)

[Far Beyond Driven]

You can untie the back rope on a trolling bag and let it swing around to keep the pointy end into the waves too.

We overheated in 6' trolling for browns one year, didn't set the anchor right away, as I messed with the engine we ended up over a bar and spanking the I/O on the sand with each roller. Finally had to just fire up the engine even though it was at 220 and run down the beach until I found a break in the bars and could get back out to deeper water. Looked down and the heat had dropped - was a bad impeller. #$@# merc impellers, buddy with an OMC never has this issue.....

[ALLEYES]

I have 150" of line attached to my anchor and another 150' coiled up if I need it. Your anchor will not hold in over 100 fow with 150' of rope.

Sea anchors are cheap and invaluable in high seas with no way to get an anchor to bottom. Every boat should have at least one. I carry two.