Quote:
Originally Posted by jason taylor
Surely a few seeds do not take up space. Nor does an ax or entrenching tool.
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There's a movie about passengers from a starliner marooned in a lifeboat.
A lifeboat system has a problem, and one of the passengers asks a crewmember why there isn't a backup.
The crewmember replies that they're in a lifeboat. It IS the backup.
At some point lifeboat gear has to reach a cutoff, or you eventually put lifeboats on the lifeboats.
Things on a lifeboat will be useful under as many circumstances as possible. They will be small, light, inexpensively made and minimalist. Keep in mind they will probably NEVER be used and are just there to check a box on an inspection.
A tarp can become a tent, a tend can't really become a tarp very well. What if you need a tarp? The lifeboat would have a tarp and some cordage rather than purpose made tents.... ect, etc, etc.
Knives are useful under almost any circumstance, but keep in mind there may be security concerns about hijacers breaking into lifeboats to obtain weapons. Knives, axes and so on may not be present. There is a fire ax on each US flagged airliner... locked in the cockpit.
Seeds are useful only on worlds with appropriate conditions AND a rescue time that extends into months. Unless those are both highly likely there won't be seeds on a lifeboat.