EPIRB Versus PLB ?

[Jon magowan]

I’m thinking it’s time I invested in one of these safety devices. Typically my sailing is coastal, within the Uk and near Europe and certainly not oceanic.

Initially I thought I should get an EPIRB, then I thought, hang on, wouldn’t a PLB be much more versatile? As a MOB you can activate yourself or as an observer of MOB you can activate your own personal PLB to alert the CG. The big advantage being that the rescue services can go directly to the MOB. I can’t really see any disadvantages with the PLB over the EPIRB. (Incidentally me and my crew always wear lifejackets unless we’re tied up or at anchor).

Am I missing something?

Very interested to hear your views.

 

[Stingo]

Have a read of this thread:
MOB on the ARC Rally

 

[dunedin]

Have a read of this thread:
MOB on the ARC Rally

Not sure that is relevant as was an MOB (for which an EPIRB is not an option anyway) and was mid ocean, whereas the OP is specifically talking coastal cruising.
For what it is worth my thinking for coastal was PLB, which fits in pocket when solo. When battery theoretically expired by date, but was showing near full on test mode, kept the old one as spare in the dinghy in case needed when not on board, or if sudden fire or similar.

 

[Stingo]

It was more for the technical info in that thread which you obviously missed.

 

[Tranona]

For coastal cruising neither are really necessary so it depends on whether you think you will end up in the water or if still in the boat other better means of communication are no longer available. For many a PLB gives a greater sense of security. If you look at what reports there are of MOBs they almost always happen in what might be called "extreme" conditions that you are unlikely to encounter in coastal cruising. EPIRBs are more valuable for people who sail offshore and out of range of VHF.

So buy which you feel makes you happier.

 

[Plum]

I’m thinking it’s time I invested in one of these safety devices. Typically my sailing is coastal, within the Uk and near Europe and certainly not oceanic.

Initially I thought I should get an EPIRB, then I thought, hang on, wouldn’t a PLB be much more versatile? As a MOB you can activate yourself or as an observer of MOB you can activate your own personal PLB to alert the CG. The big advantage being that the rescue services can go directly to the MOB. I can’t really see any disadvantages with the PLB over the EPIRB. (Incidentally me and my crew always wear lifejackets unless we’re tied up or at anchor).

Am I missing something?

Very interested to hear your views.

There is no doubt in my mind that a PLB is the best option of the two as I sail mostly singlehanded, coastal and north-sea. However, if you ever need to activate it yourself when you are in the water then I strongly recommend you get one that fits inside your inflatable lifejacket attached to the oral inflation tube. Once in the water and your lifejacket inflates you will find it very difficult to located the PLB in a pocket or pouch due to the restriction of the inflated lifejacket. In UK waters if you do not find it quickly the cold water will start to affect the feeling of your fingers making it even harder to locate it. The inflated jifejacket restricts your head movement and line of sight downwards. With it on the inflation tube it will,be right in front of your face ready for you to activate and not reliant on you holding it out of the water while the signal is being sent. The picture below is not the best, in my case the PLB on the inflated lifejacket is much more in front of my face with the inflation tube very close to my mouth, of course!

 

[RunAgroundHard]

For coastal sailing DSC VHF is superior to alerting rescue agencies than EPIRB and PLB. There are holes in VHF coverage in some areas due to the lay of the land blocking signals. These are rare, more likely poor installation of VHF station is a bigger risk.

PLB* requires the antenna to be held vertical or it will give intermittent transmission as it wobbles about its axis. EPIRB is better in this respect.

If you own a boat buy and EPIRB, if you crew on other boats buy a PLB.

I started off with a PLB, then bought an EPIRB. I keep both batteries serviced. Before that I upgraded an old VHF to a DSC VHF.

* I am referring to a PLB that used the Cospas-Sarsat network, not an AIS only PLB.

 

[bergie]

Depends indeed where you cruise. In Finland they nowadays recommend just using your mobile phone (with the 112 app) in case of distress.

For Baltic sailing we carried a handheld DSC-VHF as our "poor man's EPIRB". Now that we're on the Atlantic we have additionally:

• EPIRB
• Garmin Inreach
• AIS MOB in each life vest

With the in-vest PLBs there seem to be quite a few false alarms, especially as you might not see that it has activated yourself. We've seen SAR personnel have to go ship-by-ship checking them twice this season, once in Szczecin and once in Oban.

 

[Sandy]

Hello @Jon magowan

I went for the Ocean Signal rescueME PLB3 for a number of reasons:

1. I do a lot of single handed sailing and if I go for an 'unplanned swim' the AIS alarm should walk everybody up with an AIS receiver within five nautical mile radius;
2. The CG will be informed that I've departed from the boat and it is sailing over the horizon at five knots and will be looking to wake up the nearest lifeboat and helicopter crew. I suspect there will be a call to the local hospital saying I am inbound and need a bed;
3. It has a homing beacon to assist SAR assets.
4. From time to time I do deliveries and as the PLB3 is tucked inside my lifejacket is always with me; and
5. If I go for a bimble in the mountains out of mobile phone reach and need assistance I can use the kit.

A couple of points, they are expensive, the documentation that comes with them was written by somebody from Mars who has little idea how to write simple instructions for mere mortals to understand - I have raised this with Ocean Signal.

 

[noelex]

Hello @Jon magowan

I went for the Ocean Signal rescueME PLB3 for a number of reasons:

This is the best option, as it integrates a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with an Automatic Identification System (AIS) distress alert in a single unit. The synergy between these two technologies effectively mitigates their respective shortcomings. In the event of a multi-crew vessel, a PLB affixed to each life jacket is superior to an EPIRB in my opinion. However, if budgetary constraints permit, the optimal solution would be to fit an EPIRB, PLBs, and AIS distress beacons.

 

[Plum]

With the in-vest PLBs there seem to be quite a few false alarms, especially as you might not see that it has activated yourself. We've seen SAR personnel have to go ship-by-ship checking them twice this season, once in Szczecin and once in Oban.

Same has happened with hh DSC vhf so that should not influence someone's purchase decisions. Anyway the OP was not asking about DSC VHFs

 

[Boathook]

When I finally got rid of the flares I invested in a epirb which is registered to the boat. My lifejacket has a plb attached to the inflation tube and that is registered to me. Also have a dsc vhf.

 

[Roberto]

1. I do a lot of single handed sailing and if I go for an 'unplanned swim' the AIS alarm should walk everybody up with an AIS receiver within five nautical mile radius

Hello,
IMHO it's very optimistic thinking, in particular if singlehanding so relying upon other people equipment. A lot of AIS receivers do not give any meaningful warning of AIS alarm reception, many just show an additional target with its own 972xx.. mmsi, some have a visual alarm only -either people around you are continuously looking at the screen or they will not notice anything strange, sometimes people sailing in congested waters will switch off alarms, sometimes people will simply acknowledge the alarm to stop the buzzer and do nothing else, etc etc. Plus of course, other boats must have an Ais receiver. Fwiw I have two ais receivers (one integrated with vhf, the other via the transponder), none of them natively sends an alarm with 972s mmsi reception, I can only see it through Opencpn for example.
As to 5 miles range, highly unlikely even with very technical antennas on high sites (coastal stations). Let's not consider wet/submerged beacon antenna and the like.
Imho they are really devices for use with a nearby mother ship, personnally I would give single digit probability of them being useful with any other radio station around.

 

[Thresher]

It was more for the technical info in that thread which you obviously missed.

Especially the bit about PLB's being ineffective in a rough sea..

 

[Sandy]

Hello,
IMHO it's very optimistic thinking, in particular if singlehanding so relying upon other people equipment. A lot of AIS receivers do not give any meaningful warning of AIS alarm reception, many just show an additional target with its own 972xx.. mmsi, some have a visual alarm only -either people around you are continuously looking at the screen or they will not notice anything strange, sometimes people sailing in congested waters will switch off alarms, sometimes people will simply acknowledge the alarm to stop the buzzer and do nothing else, etc etc. Plus of course, other boats must have an Ais receiver. Fwiw I have two ais receivers (one integrated with vhf, the other via the transponder), none of them natively sends an alarm with 972s mmsi reception, I can only see it through Opencpn for example.
As to 5 miles range, highly unlikely even with very technical antennas on high sites (coastal stations). Let's not consider wet/submerged beacon antenna and the like.
Imho they are really devices for use with a nearby mother ship, personnally I would give single digit probability of them being useful with any other radio station around.

Can you think of any other way that I might attract attention alone on a dark and stormy night 200 miles offshore?

AIS is one way of attracting attention, somebody might actually be doing what they are supposed to be doing and keeping watch. I've always been aware that commercial OOWs are on top of their game and my own AIS set up wakes the dead when an alarm goes off.

At least with the 406 MHz signal the CG will be aware of where I am. They should be able to locate my lifeless body, unless I've become a light snack for some orcas*.

I have tested the PLB3 without the antenna being extended and can 'exclusively reveal' that it works.

* Please note that I have a very black sense of humour and no offence is intended.

 

[dunedin]

Especially the bit about PLB's being ineffective in a rough sea..

When Rambler 100 capsized in the Fastnet Race the EPIRB failed to work - as stuck under hull? The crew were only saved because a couple of them had PLBs in their pockets, which they were able to activate.

 

[Metalicmike]

Can you think of any other way that I might attract attention alone on a dark and stormy night 200 miles offshore?

AIS is one way of attracting attention, somebody might actually be doing what they are supposed to be doing and keeping watch. I've always been aware that commercial OOWs are on top of their game and my own AIS set up wakes the dead when an alarm goes off.

At least with the 406 MHz signal the CG will be aware of where I am. They should be able to locate my lifeless body, unless I've become a light snack for some orcas*.

I have tested the PLB3 without the antenna being extended and can 'exclusively reveal' that it works.

* Please note that I have a very black sense of humour and no offence is intended.

Hope the orcas get to you before the great whites

 

[Sandy]

Hope the orcas get to you before the great whites

Have Great Whites been reported in North Atlantic waters?

 

[Metalicmike]

Have Great Whites been reported in North Atlantic waters?

One was sited off the English coast this summer.

 

[Stingo]

Have Great Whites been reported in North Atlantic waters?

Only in fiction eg Steven Spielberg's Jaws movie