A few safety essentials to keep in mind this tuna season.
Catching tuna in any vessel is incredibly rewarding, but I can attest firsthand how rewarding catching tuna can be in your own boat.
Like me, you might not have a large sportfish to head offshore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t safely get in on the action this season! Before you leave the dock this season on your next tuna trip this season, don’t forget these safety essentials in preparation for your next offshore trip.
Communication Device
Communication is key on the offshore grounds, regardless of boat size. Not only do you want to communicate to fellow boaters and fisherman to gather intel in real time, but it’s essential that you can safely and effectively communicate to other boaters, search and rescue, and folks back on land if needed. There are numerous examples when communication can be key; hopefully proper communication can even prevent accidents in the first place. Real time weather updates, information on missing person etc. can all be made easily available when proper communication is accessible.
A VHF radio – built in and/or handheld – is great, but modern technology has also allowed for some great additions to keep seamless communication all trip long regardless of how far offshore you’re headed. Small handheld devices like Garmin inReach make texting a breeze to both fellow boaters offshore and people back on land. There are several different models, some smaller than others but all can easily fit in your pocket and use Bluetooth to connect to apps on your phone. When I first started fishing offshore, a Garmin inReach was an essential piece of safety gear, not to mention the added benefits it has when offshore fishing in terms of finding life, locating fish, staying on a hot bite etc.
The “ultimate” form of communication on today’s offshore grounds is probably Starlink. I’ve seen it added on large and small boats alike (we recently added it on the Blackfin 272 DC), and it completely changed the game from both a safety and fishing perspective. I totally understand that many people don’t want to check their email offshore, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to effectively communicate with people back on land or fellow boaters if a problem should arise.
Foul Weather Gear
It might not seem like a Coast Guard required safety item, but it can be essential when it comes to keeping a bad situation from getting dangerous and life threatening. Even in the warmer summer months, weather conditions can change for the worse, often with little to no warning offshore. In a small vessel miles away from its home port offshore, exposure to the elements can quickly take a turn for the worse. Hypothermia can set in during unexpected conditions.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, heat exhaustion can be equally as dangerous and should be taken very seriously. In order to best prevent these types of weather-related ailments, especially when on a small boat (think center console without a full express style cabin) having proper clothing can allow you to get home safely and focus on keeping your boat and crew safe all the way back to the harbor. Depending on how far you are headed offshore, runs 3 hours-plus one way, so it’s key to be prepared for the ride regardless of what Mother Nature throws at you.
Life Raft
When fishing offshore on a small boat, storage space is precious and many boaters on smaller vessels struggle to find proper space to store all their gear. That said, find room if you can for this piece of equipment as it could be the difference between life and death. Nowadays, life rafts are not only reserved for the large sport fishers headed to the canyons. And while not a legal Coast Guard requirement for many recreational anglers, it’s an easy piece of gear to keep onboard that you hopefully never put to use (but you’ll be happy to have it if you ever need it).
Life rafts range in size and type, but for small boaters frequently hitting the inshore/midshore grounds for tuna a soft sided four- to six-person life raft can be a perfect addition to your safety essentials. They also make plenty of hard-shelled cases that I’ve seen mounted to hardtops etc. but I personally think the ease of a soft sided life raft on a small boat allows one to easily store it wherever is most accessible without adding hardware to your vessel (think in deck storage locker, head compartment on center console etc.). Just make sure you maintain proper working condition for your life raft by having the device “repacked” as needed to ensure it’s ready to use should the situation ever arise.
When it comes to fishing offshore on a small boat, it’s always better to be over-prepared for when it matters most.
Contact the author @eastendangler or eastendanglers@gmail.com.
