A grab bag is an essential piece of safety equipment for bluewater cruising and offshore racing alike. In the event of an abandon ship, the grab bag may be the only item you have time to take with you before climbing into the liferaft, so should contain all essential items for your survival. While some racing rules stipulate the contents of a grab bag, there is no such definitive checklist for cruisers. Here we list some of the essentials and other items you might want to include.