Ditch kit

A kit of safety gear that you carry on you body in the event you get separated from your boat. The kit may be in the form of a waist pack or put in a Nalgene bottle.

This kit relies on the paddler knowing what to do with each item and being able to survive in the wilderness for at least 24 hours. This cannot easily be learned from this web site or from a book. Many community colleges offer wilderness survival courses, as do some outfitters and outdoor companies. If you are serious about wilderness tripping in a sea or whitewater kayak, it would be worth your while to take such a course. At minimum, you should find a good book on wilderness survival and read it carefully.

If you get separated from your kayak, you are likely going to be wet. If it isn't the hottest period of summer, you're going to want to get out of your wet clothes and dry them. This means you'll need a fire. Making a small fire and surrounding it with a wind shield and reflector made from aluminum foil will get you warm faster than trying to build a big fire. You'd better be wearing quick-dry clothes.

If the weather is cold, the ditch kit should be supplemented by some warm clothing. That will significantly increase the volume of the kit.

A compass without a map is of limited value. The problem is that the ditch kit is independent of where you ditch; a map is location specific. So, you need to add the map on the day of the paddle.

Note the items on the PFD. If you don't have it on your PFD, make sure it's in the Ditch kit.

• Ditch Kit
  1. Some parachute cord or other light but strong line.
  2. Fishing line - clear nylon, 35 pound test with hook or lure
  3. Small roll of duct tape
  4. Multipurpose tool (stainless steel version) or Swiss Army Knife
  5. Water purifier (iodine or chlorine dioxide - see Purification)
  6. Foldable water container (like Platypus zip-lock bottom, 1 liter) for purifying water
  7. Aluminum Foil
  8. Space blanket, large garbage bag or tube tent
  9. Hiking compass
  10. Waterproof container with matches or other ignition source (see Fire starter)
  11. Fire starter
  12. Energy bars or other compact food.
  13. First aid kit
  14. Sunscreen in a tiny bottle.
  15. ID, health info and health insurance number
  16. Map of the area
  17. Money (see if you can jamb it in the waterproof match case).

• On PFD
  1. Rescue knife (on front tab)
  2. Whistle
  3. Marine VHF radio
  4. Strobe (on back shoulder tab)
  5. Small flares
  6. Signal mirror
  7. Smoke signal and dye marker

See also: Emergency equipment