Erik's B.O.A.T.

[Erik]

Hello,

I've been inspired by the B.O.A.T. (Bug Out Altoid Tin) thread. While many examples were shown with somewhat larger containers, I chose to stick with the original B.O.A.T. concept, which used an actual Altoids tin. I have made this part of my EDC (every day carry). I slip it into my pants/shorts pocket every day along with my keys, wallet, etc.

I have seen some people suggest a similar kit for first aid, but I know it's impossible to put a real first aid kit together in anything near this size. On the other hand, all kinds of useful survival things can fit into the tin. Of course, I still have my full-sized bug out bag in my PAW closet.

Feel free to express your thoughts on this B.O.A.T. My only request is that you please don't suggest I add anything. There is simply not one scrap of room left in the entire tin. On the other hand, feel free to make a case on why I should swap something out or remove it in exchange for something else!

Here it is:



A standard Altoid tin. I was out of room for paracord, so I wrapped ten feet of it outside the tin. The paracord is secured with rubber bands, which also keep the lid tight.




The tin is completely full with items that might be valuable to a person stuck in the woods. The tin closes just fine.




Here is a list of everything in the B.O.A.T.:

Alcohol Prep
4 Bandaids
Mini-Bic
Fishing line - This is wrapped around the lighter. There's quite a bit of it there, though I haven't measured the amount. Suffice it to say that even a few more feet of line would keep me from closing the tin, due to the thickness it adds to the lighter.
Duct Tape - I found there wasn't enough room for an entire credit card's worth of duct tape. Therefore, I cut the credit card in in half. There's a fair number of feet of tape.
4 Lead sinkers
5 Fish hooks - They are sitting on a tiny piece of paper and covered in tape to keep them secure and my fingers safe.
Tiny pocket knife - I scoured an entire flea market to find the smallest multi-knife I could. This one is slightly thinner than a mini swiss army knife and has a screwdriver head, a knife blade, and scissors.
10' paracord - Normally wrapped around tin.
Thread - Again, I don't know how many feet I wrapped around that match, but it's definately enough to do a few repairs.
Sewing needle
Safety pin
Compass - I bought a $4 compass multi-unit from the Wal Mart camping section. Upon getting home, I ripped the thing to pieces to get the compass out.
Mini LED light - This is being replaced in a day or two with a Photon 1 light of the same shape. You can see the Photon 1s from two miles away.
2 Quarters - Because you never know when you might need to make a phone call or anything else that involves vending.
P-38 can opener - You can buy these on Ebay for $1 each, and that includes shipping.
Magnifying glass - Useful for starting fires. Also a component from the demolished compass multi-unit.
4" twine - You'd be amazed how much tinder you can get just by unravelling a few inches of twine.
2 Rubber Bands - Used to hold the paracord on and keep the tin closed. Rubber bands are very useful for a variety of things.
Wire saw - Also an Ebay purchase, for $4.99 plus shipping. This thing will cut through wood, metal, bone, or whatever.

That's all, folks! I would appreciate any comments, criticisms, or suggestions!

-Erik

[Ovationman]

What about a couple of water purification tabs?

[Erik]

What about a couple of water purification tabs?

That suggestion is perfectly valid if you can suggest what I should remove to make room for them.

-Erik

[Ovationman]

I dont think the Magnifying glass would be that usefull but thats just me. Anyway a few tabs wraped in something dont take up much room.

[phil_in_cs]

You may be aware of this, but at wally mart in the craft area you can get 100 or so tiny ziplocks for a buck. They work great for items like the water tabs.

This looks like something that would be a great project to do with a kid. Not just to assemble the stuff, but to learn to use each piece of it.

[JIM]

Remove the first-aid stuff and make a seperate tin for FA.

Then remove the BIC-lighter with a couple of matches (because you should already have a BIC in your edc/pockets.

Replace your twine with dental-floss and add the water-purification tablets and a ziplock-bag. And if that doesn't fit.. get a bigger tin

I'll post my PSK in a couple of days, maybe you'll get additional ideas from that (without trying to sound cocky).

[Erik]

Remove the first-aid stuff and make a seperate tin for FA.

Then remove the BIC-lighter with a couple of matches (because you should already have a BIC in your edc/pockets.

Replace your twine with dental-floss and add the water-purification tablets and a ziplock-bag. And if that doesn't fit.. get a bigger tin

I'll post my PSK in a couple of days, maybe you'll get additional ideas from that (without trying to sound cocky).

I *MIGHT* be able to be talked out of the magnifying glass, but I like the multipurpose fire. Then again, maybe I'm overdoing it...

Jim, I don't normally carry a lighter, so I don't want to remove it from my tin. I'd trust the lighter over the matches. The lighter has more reliability and a higher quantity of uses.

Zip Lock bags won't fit. They're too big and I want to keep the tin Altoid-sized. The only packaging I have is a tiny scrap of Saran Wrap to keep the lead sinkers together.

The dental floss will not be as easy to light as the twine, once the twince is uncurled.

I don't want to make a separate FAK tin, because it would be completely useless. It is nice to have a wipe and a few bandaids available, as there are small wounds that occasionally need to be covered. Ask me about ZCon 2007 and the crawfish.

I am considering replacing the magnifying glass with water purification tablets.

-Erik

[tilt]

You know, if you like the magnifying glass idea (I do too...), you may consider swapping it for a small fresnel lens.

I picked one up at the mapsco store a while back that might be just a little bit big dimensions-wise, but could be trimmed with scissors to be an exact fit without degrading the magnifying/fire-starting ability a bit.

It would also be of benefit because it would reduce overall item thickness down to, say, a piece of paper that fits in the bottom of your tin, instead of an oddly-shaped magnifier.

Just my thoughts, I know a lot of folks (that do survival for a living) that swear by the fresnel lens...

[ninja-elbow]

Get some reflective/chrome/foil tape and stick it to the inside of your lid. A little mirror comes in handy for checking how bad the laceration on your forehead is and signaling and so on. Takes up a wee-bit of room (thickness of material being used).

I too would suggest dumping the lighter and going with matches but you're set on that so forget it. What fire tools do you EDC other than the lighter in the tin?

edit: I also removed my little knife from my BOAT and replaced it with a utlity razor taped on top of the reflective tape to the inside of my lid.

[Woods Walker]

What about a couple of water purification tabs?

That suggestion is perfectly valid if you can suggest what I should remove to make room for them.

-Erik

One of those 4 lead split shots should about cover it. Oh nice kit. Looks good.

[Allen]

Erik,
You have an impressive amount of stuff packed in there.

A nonlubricated Condom can be used in a
Dire Emergency as a water bladder, or to repair a busted canteen.

If anybody needs to save Money, Kroger's has Altoids for 1.00 this week

[Allen]

Can You print out a small map of the area where You are most likley
to need the BOAT ?

[IllicitDreams]

Erik... ditch the wire saw, it doesn't really work all that well, and will break when you need it most.

Here is another example of a BOAT I made sticking with the Altoids tin.







It has:
Pocket knife
Firesteel
Vaseline Cotton Balls
Strike Anywhere Matches
Re-lighting Candles
Pen
A couple sheets of Post-it Notes
2 Katadyn Chlorine Dioxide Tabs (Water Purification)
Whistle
Snare Wire
Fishing Line
Sinkers
Hooks
Photon Light
Duct Tape (wrapped around the pen)

I'm not done with that one yet and there is still room in it.

[Erik]

I see a lot of great suggestions here. Some I agree with and some I do not.

Ninja-elbow, I like the foil idea. Perhaps I shall add that. I do not carry fire tools in my EDC. I carry only keys, a wallet, and a cell phone. With this tin, I now carry much more.

Allen, I have two cutouts from the Rand McNally Road Atlas of my area in my wallet.

Keep up the good suggestions, folks.

-Erik

[Yaivenov]

Get some reflective/chrome/foil tape and stick it to the inside of your lid. A little mirror comes in handy for checking how bad the laceration on your forehead is and signaling and so on. Takes up a wee-bit of room (thickness of material being used).

Couldn't you just polish out the inside of the lid for that? Also, since its not waterproof to start with, what about punching/drilling a tiny little hole near one end of the lid. I'm thinking signal mirror.

[ninja-elbow]

Get some reflective/chrome/foil tape and stick it to the inside of your lid. A little mirror comes in handy for checking how bad the laceration on your forehead is and signaling and so on. Takes up a wee-bit of room (thickness of material being used).

Couldn't you just polish out the inside of the lid for that? Also, since its not waterproof to start with, what about punching/drilling a tiny little hole near one end of the lid. I'm thinking signal mirror.

I tried that once over a decade ago. It did not work for me. It was more likely a lack of my skill than it was an issue with the polishing idea itself. A great idea if one could get it to work.

I got the idea for the mirror tape from a survival gear book I read. The stuff I use is from an auto-parts store.

[ninja-elbow]

Ninja-elbow, I like the foil idea. Perhaps I shall add that. I do not carry fire tools in my EDC. I carry only keys, a wallet, and a cell phone. With this tin, I now carry much more.

Yeah, carry the tin-lighter.

[Milkboot]

I think Phil might be talking about the lil crack baggies or the way they ask for them at the store down here "stamp baggies" since thats all that will really fit in them, but we all know they are putting crack in them lol

[Towanda]

Maybe you could make room for a couple water tabs by removing the split rings from the wire saw? You could use a couple of small sticks for handles when you need to saw something.

[Kyle Vapen]

Have you actually used the wire saw on anything?

On a Survivor Man episode he had one of those and it broke in about 5 secs

[ninja-elbow]

I broke the two I've ever had within seconds of first use. One was in the "Rambo" days of 1985, the other was a cheapy I got 2 years ago. I just don't trust them but both were cheap. Maybe there's some good ones out there?

[Molon Labe]

I was having the same thoughts about the wire saw. I've never had good experiences with them. Of course I was trying them out on iron wood and diamond willows, but hey, if they work for you then go for it.

Ask me about ZCon 2007 and the crawfish.

-Erik

You seriously got attacked by a pissed off sewer lobster? I think it's time for story time in Off Topic.

ETA- spelling correction

[colinz]

The only times I have managed to make a wire-saw work effectively are when the wood being cut is small enough to be snapped by hand. Which kinda defeats the purpose of having a wire saw in the first place.

Although, you can reliable saw the head off dead animals like rabbits, possums, hares, etc. Don't ask, it's a looong story.

[Erik]

I was having the same thoughts about the wire saw. I've never had good experiences with them. Of course I was trying them out on iron wood and diamond willows, but hey, if they work for you then go for it.

Ask me about ZCon 2007 and the crawfish.

-Erik

You seriously got attacked by a pissed off sewer lobster? I think it's time for story time in Off Topic.

ETA- spelling correction

I don't want to derail my own thread, but yes, I was actually attacked by a crawfish. The first full day, I managed to gouge my knee. It wasn't too bad an injury, but it compromised the skin and was bleeding. No biggie. I didn't even put a bandaid on it. Later that day, I was bathing in Manbath at the last ZCon when I felt a sharp pain right below my knee. I pulled my knee out of the water to find a large crawfish attached to it, ripping big pieces of flesh off of the wound with its claws so it could eat my flesh.

That's right, I was literally being eaten alive by a small lobster.

I ripped the thing off and tossed it back into the water. A few minutes later, fish were pecking at the wound. I shooed them away. Then, even greater pain. The crawfish was back! I ripped the thing off and scrambled out of Manbath.

Before I went back in, I was sure to have a bandaid over the wound, which was now several times larger and much more ugly. The bandaid kept the little bastards off, but I still have a nasty scar on my knee to this day.

So yes, I do have a few bandaids in my BOAT and they're staying.

-Erik