Vessel Emergency Contact Sheet for "Sharing"

This Emergency Contact sheet (for Hold Fast) is designed to be both a quick-reference guide and a safety net. Mine is laminated, framed and posted where it can’t be missed — right at eye level on the outside of the head door, visible the moment you come down the companionway. It’s also shared digitally with crew, family, and friends. That way, if something happens while you’re offshore — even if the boat is found adrift — the critical details are immediately available to anyone who needs them.

The sheet is organized into four main sections:

1. Captain’s Contact Information

This section lists all the ways to reach me personally. It starts with the basics — phone number, email, and Instagram handle — and then goes into redundancy with three different satellite communication options: Iridium Go (local and international numbers) and Garmin InReach. That ensures no matter where I am in the world, there’s always a way to make contact.

2. Vessel Information

Here, all the details someone would need to identify Hold Fast are provided. This includes the year, make, and model (a 2006 Hunter 44DS), physical description (white hull, tan canvas, black bottom paint), and exact dimensions. It also includes the unique identifiers that matter in a rescue: the MMSI, call sign, USCG documentation number, and hull identification number. On top of that, it lists the beacon IDs for the EPIRB and personal locator devices, so authorities can confirm and track emergency signals tied specifically to my boat.

3. Life Raft

This is short but critical. It specifies the brand, capacity, and deployment method of the life raft (a 4-man Revere Regatta, hydrostatically deployed, with a bright green canopy). That’s exactly the kind of detail search-and-rescue crews look for when scanning the water.

4. Emergency Contacts and Tracking

Finally, the sheet lists family contacts (my mom and dad), so there are trusted people on land who can be reached if I’m not. It also provides a live tracking link through PredictWind, so the boat’s exact position and movements can be monitored in real time.

In short, the sheet covers three purposes:

- For crew: gives them all my contact details and backup contacts if something happens, and also something they can share with their family and friends while they’re on board the boat.

- For rescuers: provides vessel ID, safety gear info, and beacon codes to confirm they’re responding to the right emergency.

- For anyone ashore: makes it easy to track me and reach family if I’m out of reach.

Extra: Again, as I’m single‑handed the majority of the time, if someone finds the vessel and me on it incapacitated, I have laminated in my chart table a list of the medications I take daily, as well as a copy of my Last Will and Testament.

Float Plan: No matter where I am on the planet, or where I’m going — whether it’s a multi‑thousand‑mile ocean crossing or just hopping 15 miles from one island to another — I always alert someone before I leave and when I arrive. As I’m single‑handed the majority of the time, this habit is critical. Sometimes that’s a family member, sometimes it’s someone local, but it’s always someone. If you’re in the States, you can even file a float plan with the Coast Guard. Even for a simple day trip, I make sure someone knows I’m heading out. It’s just good practice.