What's in your go bag?

If the worst were to happen (the boat sinks) your life raft and go bag are immediately your new best friends. So what's in your go bag? Mine will contain:

- Strobe light

- Three self-contained handheld aerial safety flares

- Three handheld smoke flares 

- Signal mirror

- Waterproof whistle

- 3-foot x 6-foot orange distress flag

- LED floating flashlight

- Container of orange water-activated signal dye

- Handheld, waterproof VHF radio with alkaline battery pack

- Handheld GPS navigator

- Leatherman Super-Tool

- Personal Locator Beacon (or 406 MHz EPIRB for your boat)

- Small medical kit with aspirin and seasick pills

- One 16-oz bottle of water

- 100ft of 1/8" line

- Water maker

- 12 protein bars

- Reflective blanket

- Sunblock

- Rescue kite

Keep some waterproof bags with the ditch bag to allow a quick gathering of additional items if time allows.