Primary Safety Equipment

Offshore Liferaft (for at least all crew memebers)
Automatice Lifejackets with hydrostatic release c/w inbuilt harness and strobe (if more than 8 on board one extra lifejacket is recommended)
Corresponding amount of lifelines preferably with
Inflatable Horse Shoe buoy (preferably 2) and light
EPIRB (with MMSI programmed)
Soft Wood plugs fitted to each skin fitting + a packet of loose extra ones
Fire extinguishers (one in each cabin + saloon)
Flares (a box contaning 3 Red Hand flares, 3 parachute flares, 2 orange smoke)
Radar Reflector + spare
Binoculars
Horn
Torches and spare batteries (check them prior to trip)
Jack stays (fitted)
Emergency boarding ladder
spare nav lights
Dan Buoy
Hack Saws with spare blades
Wire cutters
ready to use' 12V pump with hoses attached on both ends

 

Grab Bag c/w

EPIRB
Hand Held VHF
1 rocket flare, 1 parachute flare, 2 orange smoke
waterproof plastic case with all passports
H/H GPS
Signalling mirror

 

Chandlery Equipment

7 litre buckets with 2 metre lines
Boat Hook
Light kedge anchor
anchor rope
10m chain for spare anchor
Spare sheakles and pulleys
Rolled up hose pipe with plastic reel
Bosun Chair
20 litre Jerry Cans
Fuel siphon
Sail Ties

 

Engine Spares including

Oil filter
Fuel Filters
Engine oil and coolant
V Belt
Impellor

You should always seek professional advice in these cases, however if you do not feel any out of the ordinary vibrations then there is no cause for emergency. Check the propeller shaft cutless bearing immediately for signs of damage.

Both.

In the majority of cases, this will be a simple accumulation of growth around the impellor. Carefully remove the transducer and clean off the barnacles.   Most through-hull fittings are equipped with flap-type valves that prevent large amounts of water flooding in when you remove the transducer.

The main risk with half-full fuel tanks is condensation and subsequent water ingress. Keeping the tanks full will minimise the amount of air within the tank and hence avoid excessive condensation.   Furthermore, on sailing boats, when motor sailing, there is a risk of drawing air into the fuel system of the boat is heeled over and the tanks are low on fuel.