EPIRB advice please!

[duppamiller]

With the demise of the 121.5 EBIRB less than a year away, plus the decreasing priority of 121.5 activations, I've decided to replace ours with a 406 - question is which one!

I'm thinking that built in GPS is a good idea and that ACR and McMurdo have most of the market share, so must be doing something right.
I'm also conscious that our liferaft doesn't have a hydrostatic release (nowhere to safely put one) so would like to keep the EPIRB in the cockpit from time to time, in case of a sudden catastrophe.
Most of our sailing is in the Bristol Channel, roughly half and half racing/cruising plus the odd trip further a field usually on charter/delivery.

Current favourite is to go with a PLB type unit as it could be kept in the cockpit without getting in the way and we could take it with us on charters/deliveries.
Alternatively could go for a full size unit with brackets in both the cabin and cockpit, which would give more battery life and/or power output at the expense of convenience.
Final option would be a full size unit with hydrostatic release, but i get the impression that the casing isn't designed for regular removal so it may end up down below most of the time.

There's not much in it on price, but they're not cheap so I don't want a turkey - has anyone got some pearls of wisdom?

 

[npf1]

A few thoughts:

You can change the battery on a McMurdo PLB yourself and the new battery costs costs approx £60.

ACR Epirbs have to go to a service centre for a new battery which costs around £200/£250 depending on the model.

Buy from the dealer with the most up to date batteries in their units. I looked at one on offer in a well known chandlery and the battery only had around 30 months left on it, instead of 60.

 

[skipperneil]

Just bought McMurdo Max PLB. In dodgy weather you can always carry a PLB with you, especially important if alone on deck in potentially poor conditions with no or limited crew.
Will be setting out on a round the UK trip soon, single handed with the wife hence PLB for reasons above. It maybe that the sound of an approaching helicopter will wake her up and notice ive gorn. Hope not to find out...

 

[Allan]

Single handed, with the wife? Does she know you wrote that?
Allan

 

[skipperneil]

Oh yes, she has the main role as self confessed ships cat. Mind you she does keep the coffee coming which is pretty important.

 

[duppamiller]

Well the forum has spoken - 67% voted for the PLB - thanks also for your McMurdo recommendations.

Force 4 are doing the 'Fastfind MaxG' for £350 - so that's what I'm going to get!