A convenient safety knife that is quick to grab in an emergency

What is the issue?

Emergencies that require a line to be cut may happen very quickly aboard a vessel. It can take time to get that vital knife to the point where it is required to save a situation.

Why address this?

As in most crisis situations, preplanning and preparedness can cost very little and make a dramatic difference to the outcome of an emergency.

How to address this?

Fix a sheath knife in a convenient location such as in the companionway, illustrated below, where it is quickly accessible in an emergency.

Convenient located sheath knife for the everyday and emergencies
Photo: Tony Gibson

We carried a large diving knife under the spray dodger for our circumnavigation. However, it was too big and clumsy to use day to day and just sat there forgotten about. Being of a low-grade stainless steel, it developing a coat of rust eventually. As I never used it, I doubt that I would have automatically thought to reach for it in an emergency.

A convenient everyday knife that serves many purposes will be more likely to be used
Photo: CC0

Consequently, a more useful knife that will be reached for on a daily basis so as to become a muscle memory reflex, situated in the above location that is also more protected from the elements would be a much better approach. A boat whistle in the same location would beadvisable.

With thanks to:

Michael Harpur, Yacht Obsession.

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