Boating safety essentials

Safety at sea starts with having a reliable and seaworthy boat, but also involves carrying the correct and appropriate boating safety gear.

Whether you plan on boating in smooth, sheltered, or open (offshore) waters, you need to be prepared for an emergency situation.

By law you must carry certain safety gear items on your boat. This mandated gear may differ slightly between Australian states and territories – but the fundamental gear, the kit that could one day save your life, is consistent across the board.

So what do you need to carry onboard each time you hit the water? What are the safety gear essentials?

Let’s kick things off with the single most important item – your life Jacket or personal flotation device…

There needs to be a personal flotation device (PFD) or life jacket kept onboard your boat for every occupant. There are four main life jacket types.

Level 50 and 50s life jackets are your entry-grade PFDs used for smooth water activities like sail boarding and water skiing.

For general boating applications, you will need a life Jacket that is Australian Standard rated (AS 4758) to Level 100, Level 150, or Level 275.

The latter is a specialty life jacket used mostly for commercial offshore applications.

Most people these days buy inflatable life jackets but bear in mind that these must be regularly serviced.

There is also the option to buy traditional, cheaper foam life jackets, but these are very bulky and uncomfortable to wear for any length of time.

Related: What type of lifejacket to I need to buy?

There are three main types of radios used in the marine environment. They include the line-of-sight 27MHz CB type radio, the more powerful VHF radio, and the long-range (and expensive) HF-SSB radios used mostly for commercial applications.

For the majority of recreational boat owners, only the first two are relevant.

27MHz radios were very popular with boaters a decade or so again, but their use is now being slowly phased out in favour of the VHF radio.

VHF radios cost a little more, but they have a wider range (20nm or so), along with the option for built-in safety features such as Digital Selective Calling and a built-in GPS so that a distress call can be sent out at the press of a button.

Note, however, that VHF radio users must gain a VHF radio operator’s marine proficiency licence.

Related: What VHF radio do I need for my boat

In Australia, vessels travelling more than two nautical miles from shore are generally required to carry onboard a 406MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).

Traditional GPS location-equipped, bracket-mounted EPIRBs have now been joined by special float-free models for specific applications.

When activated (manually or automatically on contact with water), an EPIRB sends out an emergency signal to search-and-rescue authorities to pin-point your position.

All EPIRBs must be registered with AMSA.

As a back-up, you might also consider a PLB – or Personal Locator Beacon – that can be kept in your pocket or hung around your neck.

PLBs are commonly carried by racing yacht crews whilst working on an open deck, for example.

Related: Why your next EPIRB should be a float-free one

Most jurisdictions require boaters to carry onboard two day-time orange hand-held smoke flares and two red hand-held flares as a bare minimum.

Sea-going vessels may also be required to carry a pair of parachute or rocket flares for long-range distress signaling – up to 10nm during the day and 25nm at night.

Note that distress flares have an expiry date and will need to be replaced.

Check online for the specific distress flare requirements for your state and boating application.

Related: Victoria eases flare rules in marine safety makeover

A fire onboard a boat can be potentially life-threatening as there is no means of escape, other than to jump overboard.

So, regardless of whether or not you legally require one, having a quick-release, bracket-mounted dry powder fire extinguisher onboard is recommended.

Most chandleries and some adventure stores will have fire extinguishers, metal fire buckets and fire blankets readily available.

Check with your local marine authorities for the mandatory and/or recommended fire-fighting equipment for your boat.

Related: What to do in a boat fire

Carrying a water-proof torch or lantern and a mirror signaling device onboard will be required in most jurisdictions for most boating applications.

Torches/flashlights can range from pencil-thin, personal pocket models through to large, bulky (but therefore easy to find) long-life heavy-duty examples such as the classic Eveready Dolphin floating torch.

Paddles and/or oars are commonly required to be fitted to craft up to 6.0m long. Beyond that size, of course, a paddle will be ineffective.

In small tinnies and open boats, however, having a sturdy paddle onboard can get you out of a jam should you encounter mechanical problems.

In most states, you will be required to carry a purpose-designed bailer and/or a bucket with a lanyard attached.

Plastic bailers are ideal for small boats and tinnies as they are specially shaped for the purpose, easy to hold and easy to use.

In larger vessels, a bucket and lanyard should be fitted, along with a mechanical (whale gusher) or electric automatic bilge pump.

These eight boating safety gear essentials cover much of the safety gear and equipment you should or need to carry onboard your boat – but this list is by no means exhaustive.

I would also consider carrying/fitting a 12V spotlight, first aid kit, V-sheet, drinking water (these last two are mandatory in some jurisdictions), paper navigation chart, hand/held GPS plotter, a fog horn, and a fixed boat compass above the helm station.

I would also have my mobile phone with me – but please note that a mobile phone of course requires a good signal and is no substitute for a VHF radio in a distress/emergency situation.