Ladies and gentlemen, we’re getting close! The warmer temperatures are reminding us that the beach season is soon approaching. It’s frustrating that they’ve been sporadic so far, I know some of the flowers in the garden are a bit confused, but that’s only because they can’t read the calendar. The past couple of Tackle Tuesday’s have been preparing you for 2024’s beach season. Sometimes we need a reminder on how to play nice in the sandbox so in Volume 21, we discussed Beach Etiquette; going over the do’s and don’ts of driving and fishing on our beaches. The most recent Tackle Tuesday, Volume 22 we had a portable compressor showdown and learned various terms and information for when you're looking to purchase a compressor. Today’s Volume is part three in that series and we’ll talk about the required equipment needed in order to be compliant with the local passes, along with some extra things that will help you out. Hawaiian: e hoomakaukau mauPolish: zawsze bądź przygotowanyChinese: 时刻做好准备Hebrew: תמיד להיות מוכןPortuguese: esteja sempre preparadoRomanian: fii mereu pregatitRussian: всегда быть готовымSamoan: ia saunia i taimi umaIrish: a bheith ullamh i gcónaíItalian: essere sempre preparatoJapanese: 常に準備をしておくLatin: semper paratusCzech: být vždy připravenDutch: wees altijd voorbereidFilipino: laging handaFrench: sois toujours prêtGerman: Seien Sie immer vorbereitetGreek: να είσαι πάντα προετοιμασμένος…..…..Always Be PreparedHere’s the thing, when it comes to the items needed to satisfy the requirements for the pass, a lot of people tend to buy equipment that's “good enough”. I’ve seen trucks pull up next to me on the beach and a group of five gets out and there are 3 freshwater rods stuck in the sand, or one surf rod with the price tag still on it. I’ve helped people who are stuck and they either have no shovel, or one that is meant for the sandbox. Those same people have difficulty spending $40 on a proper fishing rod but have zero hesitation spending $400 on a cooler. There are times in life to go the cheap route and then there are times that you shouldn’t skimp. As I’ve mentioned in the past, the most expensive isn’t always the best, but as Volume 22 mentioned buying Mickey Mouse equipment isn’t the best either. I know you’ve heard me say “protect your investment”, I think we can all agree that your vehicle is a pretty big investment. It's not worth damaging it, or possibly not being able to recover it because you purchased poor quality equipment or tools to bail yourself out. Whether you get stuck below the high tide line and the ocean swallows your rig, or you need Bang’s Towing to come get you, either way it will turn out to be an expensive outing. It’s much cheaper to spend a little bit more on your gear in the hope that you can avoid a situation like that. If you look on the back of your NY State pass or at the literature you received when purchasing your Suffolk County permit you will see that in order to be in compliance you need to have a bunch of equipment with you. The last volume we went over one of the required tools (for Suffolk), the portable compressor, but there are a lot more needed. I’m in a New York State of mind…Per the New York State Permit you are required to have the following equipment:Shovel- one of those small foldable shovels really won’t get you too far. Sand gets in the hinge and makes it difficult to open, or they rust. If you don’t have the room for a full size shovel, one of those garden shovels that are like 3’ long from a local hardware or tool store are better for the job. If you’re really stuck and are buried up to your chassis you’ll appreciate that longer handle when you are digging close to the hot exhaust. Rope or Tow Chain-most people go the route of one of those thick heavy duty bright yellow tow straps. That is sufficient in order to satisfy the rules, but you need to make sure what you purchase is good enough for the job at hand. The strap that you purchase should be rated to 3x the weight of your vehicle. Additionally there is a difference between a tow strap and a recovery strap. Besides their material construction being different; recovery straps are usually manufactured from high strength nylon, while tow straps are usually made of polyester. Both are very durable, but they have different characteristics. The main difference between the two is elasticity. Recovery straps are a bit flexible and absorb some of the impacts of a recovery procedure by providing an additional tug due to kinetic energy. A tow strap on the other hand is very stiff with almost zero give. Portable Toilet- Yes you are supposed to have one and yes a 5 gallon bucket will suffice. They sell bags that have a substance that will gel or clump up when wet. Please take your bags home with you and don’t just dig a hole or dump the waste on the sand. Jack and Jack board- Maybe you got a flat, your tire came off the bead or maybe you’re stuck and your rig is buried so you need to get yourself out of the hole. These are all scenarios where jacking up your rig might be needed. It is important to have a substantial board, with some width and thickness to rest your jack on so it doesn’t sink into the sand when using it (same principle as airing down), so keep something with a little substance on hand. Also, if your rig is modified with larger tires or a lift kit, now the stock jack may not be adequate. For $125 you can purchase an inflatable jack. Essentially it's a heavy duty balloon that inflates via a hose attached to your rig's exhaust and it will lift your rig up. I’ve never personally used one, or seen one in action first hand but they seem pretty good and could be a safer and easier solution to your standard jack. Another option is what’s referred to as a farmer’s or hi-lift jack. I’m sure you’ve seen them but may not have known what they are called. Beware of these, if used improperly they can be dangerous, however they can double as a winch if need be.Full size spare- Self explanatory. If you get a flat, adding a “donut” spare isn’t going to get you far. It won’t have the footprint needed to drive through the sand. Side note: if you are on a paved road and change to the donut spare, they are never fully inflated out of the trunk, make sure you check the pressure and inflate it before hitting the road. Tire size: Your tires should not exceed 35”x12.5”, and should be aired down to ½ their max pressure before entering the beach. Side note: for a very long time the max size was 33”x12.5, For years LIBBA petitioned to have the size increased to 35”, the state finally listened and it's been at 35” for the past few years.Tire gauge to register a minimum of 5 PSI- It’s a required piece of equipment, they are small, cheap and easy to store. The excuse that you can just look at your dashboard won’t work. I recommend a nice backlit digital one, they are accurate, easy to use and see at night. Fishing Rod, reel, line, bait, hooks, lures- these are required for each person in the vehicle that is 12 years or older. Remember this is a four wheel drive access permit for the purpose of fishing only. FYI: Any person over the age of 16 is required to have the Marine Registry license.Side note: if you have the state Surfing Permit you need to possess a surfboard per person and it is valid only during daylight hours. If the sun has set, you are technically supposed to leave the beach. Below is what is required per the Suffolk County Outer Beach permit:Jack, Jackboard, Shovel, Rope, chain or snap line, Fire Extinguisher, Spare Tire, Tire Gauge, Flashlight, First Aid Kit, and Portable Air Compressor or Air Tank. Mostly the same things with a few additions and one major subtraction; fishing gear. The Suffolk County Outer Beach permit is NOT for fishing or Surfing only. You are allowed access to their beaches to just relax and chill out. Smith Point sometimes has portions of the beach designated for Fisherman only, but other than that you are free to enjoy the beach within the rules. Note: Suffolk’s outer beach pass also allows dogs, as long as they are on a leash with a maximum length of 6’. The State permit allows dogs in designated areas on a max 6’ leash only at Napeague, Hither Hills and Montauk. In addition to all of the items that the state and county require, LIBBA recommends that you also have a minimum of one red flare, a USCG approved fire extinguisher, plastic pail, and a GMRS radio. I’m confident most people have a plastic pail, especially if they are bait fishing. The fire extinguisher is pretty self explanatory and is an inexpensive item that can be stored under your seat and will be a big help if things go sideways. BJ’s periodically has two packs on sale for less than $30. Having a radio isn’t new, but GMRS might be a new term to some of you. It stands for General Mobile Radio Service, and has become more mainstream than CB radios. Within Courtesy Patrol we have a Radio Communications Division. Be on the lookout for future announcements. If you have any questions and would like to get involved please reach out. Some other things that you might want to consider is a tide chart, or an app on your phone that tells you the tides. The way our beaches have been battered by storms the past few years, there are some beaches that you really have to pay attention to the tides, Sore Thumb is a great example. If you arrive at lower tide and travel all the way West, if you’re not paying attention and the tide comes in you might be “stuck” there for a while. Also realize that the tide rises faster than you think it might, and it is always higher around a new or full moon so plan accordingly. So there is a listing of the equipment that is required on our beaches. On Saturday April 6th LIBBA will hold our annual Beach Driving Class. Come on down to see the above mentioned equipment as well as other things that would be good additions to have with you. We will discuss and go over various tips and tricks to beach driving, as well as proper recovery techniques and equipment. Please meet in the Northwest corner of Robert Moses Field #2, for a 9am start time. After the class we’ll take a ride on to Democrat Point so you can try out your new skills. Those that are new to beach driving are strongly encouraged to attend. There will be a wealth of knowledge shared with many beach driving veterans on hand to answer any questions you may have. In addition to the Driving Class we will have a Surfcasting Clinic, where our members will go over various topics including how to read the beach, what lures and bait to use and techniques on how to use them. An added bonus this year will be a guest speaker on Fly Fishing from the beach. As always LIBBA dogs will be served. If you decide to come, please find me and introduce yourself. I hope you enjoyed the read!Joe Pellegrini “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” -Benjamin Franklin