Life raft survival

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Jan 25th, '08, 16:27

Was having a talk with a customer today about surviving floating about in the ocean for up to a couple weeks.

Now granted most life rafts have emergency beacons and sometimes there's enough time to use the radio, cell phone or what ever.

Certainly making "flight plans" is a good idea also so if your over due, someone will start looking.

But I remember back to the last trip Pat and I made to Mexico. A few days behind us another SF torpedo'd a wave, peeled the foredeck back and it sunk within minutes.

No time for radio, passports, life preservers, etc. The crew was in the water for about 8 hours till someone spotted the wreckage and looked for them. After 8 hours, hypothermia had set in after all if the water temp is below body temp, your losing heat.

Now the thing we talked about was if you had a self inflating raft or had time to heave a raft over but had no time to call for help you were dependant on the supplies in the raft to live on. Most have water and food packest for a few days and rain catchers for additional water.

Now for additional food source you have the sea.

Keeping a rod and reel on board is not practical but having some line and lures is.

Now you can use some Sabiki hooks to try and catch bait and then fish for heavier game with the bait.

What would be an average line weight to keep on board and what types of lures would give you the best chance of catching managable fish without a rod and reel if you couldn't get any bait fish and didn't have any food source to bait the line with?

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Jan 25th, '08, 18:06

15 pound. bucktails. jigs

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Jan 25th, '08, 18:33

In WWII the survival kits had handlines (no monofilament in those days) that were fairly thick so as not to cut your hands. I also remember a red & white striped weedless "Rex" spoon, and an easy to assemble treble grappling hook
that might have been meant to be used as a gaff. If I am not mistaken, also a feathered lure that was later called "Jap feathers". I agree with Brewster. any weighted bucktail and/or diamond jig. Also suggest that a knife not be forgotten as part of any emergency kit as eating a fish without one is a bit difficult. As far as line weight and type goes, something easy to handle that won't rot in storage, nor tangle easily in the confines of a raft. Dacron 50-80 lb test? Walter

CaptPatrick · Post by **CaptPatrick** » Jan 25th, '08, 18:48

Any type of jig or spoon, small to medium in size & silver in color is a good small fish magnet. The best tool to manage line is the Cuban Yo-Yo. Easy to manage long lengths of line, highly castable, & good hand protection.

I've personally man handled some large fishes with the yo-yo...

randall · Post by **randall** » Jan 25th, '08, 19:33

if you want an eye opening tale of survival read "The Raft"...an amazing true story

http://www.amazon.com/Raft-Courageous-S ... 1557508275

will make you appreciate modern electronics....wont help you catch fish

JP Dalik · Post by **JP Dalik** » Jan 25th, '08, 20:08

Having had the opportunity to bob around in a life raft for a few hours I can tell you this.
If its 8 men in an 8 man raft don't bring any tackle because after about 2 days you'll eat 2 of the weakest guys just to make more room.
Most rafts come with some type of fishing tackle in them. Brewster is correct the Sabiki and 15 - 30 lb test is fine. You can catch mahi and bait that will make the weakest person in the link happy you have them on board.

Bottom line if you fish with 6 guys buy a 10 man raft. Or lots of Sabiki rigs.

randall · Post by **randall** » Jan 26th, '08, 09:08

hey.. tell us a little more....what happened?

jspiezio · Post by **jspiezio** » Jan 26th, '08, 09:16

JP Dalik wrote:Having had the opportunity to bob around in a life raft for a few hours I can tell you this.
If its 8 men in an 8 man raft don't bring any tackle because after about 2 days you'll eat 2 of the weakest guys just to make more room.
Most rafts come with some type of fishing tackle in them. Brewster is correct the Sabiki and 15 - 30 lb test is fine. You can catch mahi and bait that will make the weakest person in the link happy you have them on board.

Bottom line if you fish with 6 guys buy a 10 man raft. Or lots of Sabiki rigs.

You can not start a post like that and then not fill in the details. Come on JP, share with the rest of the class.

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Jan 26th, '08, 10:53

A good friend of mine holds the record for singlehanded survival in an inflatable raft.. he spent 76 days drifting across most of the Atlantic alone. His name is Steve Callahan, and he wrote a book titled "Adrift". He survived by catching fish, mostly by spearing them. A good read to be sure. Your local library should have the book, and it is often on the shelves of marine supply stores.

randall · Post by **randall** » Jan 26th, '08, 12:32

the airmen in "the raft" survived 56 days...and it wasn't easy...hats off to your friend

scot · Post by **scot** » Jan 26th, '08, 16:17

after all if the water temp is below body temp, your losing heat.

76 Degrees F is the cut off. If you exercise in water above 76 degrees you will gain body heat...if you exercise in water below 76 you will loose heat as you expend energy.

So if the water is warm (76 or above) exerecise will keep hypothermia from setting in. If it's cold be as still as you can to save heat.

jspiezio · Post by **jspiezio** » Jan 26th, '08, 21:15

I was watching Ship Shape today. The episode discussed how to install on board air conditioning. The raw water intake was installed through hull, with no seacock and run through a plastic bowl strainer.

Maybe I'm too cautious, but does that not seem smart to any one else on here?

CaptPatrick · Post by **CaptPatrick** » Jan 26th, '08, 22:37

My opinion of John Greviskis is, errr, ahhemmm, cough, well..... Let's just say it's way less than complementry.

Watch Sh!tshape TV at your own peril if you take JG seriously, or just for perverted fun if you don't.

One thing I can say freely is: The guy is a jerk & I'd rather watch Seinfeld re-runs.

Know what he did before becoming a "Boat Expert"? .........Infomercials.......... Think Billy Mays...

jspiezio · Post by **jspiezio** » Jan 26th, '08, 23:44

Watch Sh!tshape TV at your own peril

Capt Pat, tell us what you really think! Since you know more about this stuff than I ever will I defer to your judgement. And after the installation that i saw them doing today (during my wintertime stairmaster workout) I have no reason to doubt you.

I was really shocked that they would compromise a vessel's safety like that. Infomercials, huh? that seems about right......

I won't even describe the transducer mount they performed. Watch and compare it to your flush mount install and it makes you realize how well you have to know the folks working on your boat, and why when they're good you should take care of them.

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Jan 27th, '08, 08:26

and why when they're good you should take care of them.

Now thats just funny.

jspiezio · Post by **jspiezio** » Jan 27th, '08, 08:36

Bruce wrote: Now thats just funny.

Bruce- your clients don't do right by you?

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Life raft survival

Life raft survival

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