Tricking out the Med Kit.

Our first aid kit needed a full overhaul. The kit that came with the boat had meds that expired in 2006, a few bandaids – and a skin stapler. That was it.

We had brought some basics aboard with us, more bandaids, triple antibiotic ointment, cortisone cream and a slew of medicines. While this had served us well for living at the dock, we wanted the security of having more available should we need it.

With a big trip around the corner, it was time to flesh it out a bit more.

To come up with what we wanted in our kit we consulted a few different sources.

• The Voyagers Handbook
• Voyaging with Kids
• Cruisers Forum
• Fellow Cruisers Blogs

There was a lot of good information out there. Much of it was aimed at offshore voyaging, which we will do someday, but for now there was a lot of higher level stuff we decided we didn’t need.

Among the things we decided to not stock right now were most of the surgical supplies (suturing kits, hemostats, injectable lidocaine) and many of the prescription medications. Mostly things that one might need to be able to do if injured in the middle of an ocean. Since we will be coastal cruising for this whole trip, we will be able to access land-based medical help if it is needed.

It took me all night to figure out the best way to organize everything in the bags/containers that I had available. I tried to group things in a logical way to make using the supplies as easy as possible.

Once everything was organized it looked much neater….

From left to right we have:

Medicines – White Basket –
Tylenol (Childrens liquid and chew-able and Adult pills)
Ibuprofen (Childrens liquid and chew-able and Adult pills)
Cold & Medicine (Childrens liquid and Adult pills)
*Not Pictured (in another white basket)
*Benadryl (children’s)
*Claritin (children’s)
*Sudafed (Adult)
*Coldcalm (children’s and adult)
*Mucinex(childrens)
*Netti-pot and saline packets

Travel First Aid Kits (bags are still on their way)
one will go in the cockpit, and one in the dinghy/ashore bag
Bandaids
Tylenol (kid and adult doses)
Triple Antibiotic
Bacitracin Zinc Oxide
Hydrocortisone Cream
Sunscreen
Antiseptic Wipes

Extra Supplies:
Things that came in large packages and will be stored for replenishing
Tongue Depressors
Rubber Gloves
Cotton Balls
Gauze Pads

Small Bags in the Middle of the table:
Foot Care – Foot fungus creams
Sea Sickness Care – Sea Bands and Dramamine (kids and adult)
Dehydration Care – Pedialyte powder packets
Ear, Nose and Throat Care – Otoscope, Tongue depressors, Nose Drops, Ear Drops

Sprain, Strains and Trauma – Orange EMS bag
Braces – ankle, knee, elbow, wrist
Ace Bandages
Instant Ice Packs
Trauma Sheers
Gauze Rolls
Finger splints
Triangle bandage
Emergency Dental Kit
Rubber Gloves
Skin Stapler with 35 staples (came with the boat still packaged)
Ibuprofen (child and adult)

Wounds & Burns – Blue EMS bag
Witch Hazel solution
Hydrogen Peroxide
Wet Wipes
3×3 gauze pads
Epsom Salt
Rubber Gloves
Cotton Balls
Stretch Gauze bandages
Bag Balm
Syringes (for wound cleaning)
Betadine
Medical Tape
Tylenol (child and adult)

First Aid – clear first aid kit box
Bandaids (Large, Med, Small, Steri-strips, Dot, etc.)
Triple Antibiotic Ointment
Bacitracin Ointment
Hydrocortisone Cream
Mole-skin
Gauze Pads
Medical Tape

First Aid Books
Wilderness Medicine Field Guides – 2
*Wilderness and Rescue Medicine Textbook (not pictured)

Other things we have aboard that aren’t pictured:
Sunscreen
Aloe Vera
Bug-spray

I think we are well prepared for any of the most common injuries and sicknesses that might occur on our month long trip. We plan to be within 20 miles of shore every day, and anchored/moored/docked every night. While we will not always have cell phone coverage, we have both a short and long range radio aboard should an emergency occur.