Has DSC radio made EPIRB redundant?

Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Many boat owners do not own an epirb, but I do feel that it is the best form of asking for help if the worst happens!

I talk to a lot of boat owners and it would appear that many do not own an epirb! so why? the only thing I can think of is cost! they are still quite a bit of money its a pity they cannot be retailed at a cheaper price perhaps a lot more boat owners would buy one?

I thought that this thread might bring out a few of the reasons people do not own an epirb! perhaps nobody wants to admit that with all the other costs of owning a boat an eprib is a cost too far!

Barry
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

I think you are right - cost is the main factor but i would place fuzzy thinking as the second factor. The thread is about DSC replacing the need for an EPIRB and the answer is that it clearly does not.

I also think that if you are to have a liferaft it makes sense to have a self righting one because otherwise there is a 50% chance it will inflate upside down and be near to useless and often not possible to turn back over ... yet how many pay the extra for self rughting .... very few!
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

The Pains Wessex Fastfind Plus is a revolutionary hand-held Personal Location Beacon that features a built-in GPS receiver (Global Positioning System) combined with a 406 MHz transmitter and 121.5 MHz homing signal. In the event of an emergency, an alert signal is transmitted to Cospas-Sarsat satellites and forwarded to a rescue coordination center within typically 3 minutes. The built-in GPS receiver will provide latitude and longitude coordinates to give a position to within typically 98 feet anywhere in the world.

The McMurdo / Pains Wessex FastFind Plus comes complete with lanyard and designer splashproof carry case to enable users to keep the PLB safely attached at all times.

This unit sells for around £699 in the UK, it is now half price in most of the US at US$549, so may be worth having sent over, They are also doing a deal on batteries for life but you may need a US citizen to register for that offer for you.

You can see an example of the US offer Here or Here

OH No! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif What was that crash! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif The boat has hit something, look water is gushing in we don't have long, Oh dear! the electrics are out, where is my spare battery, the leads, the spare VHF, Oh No, the aerial has been damaged and is missing, what now? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif we only have a minute or so to get off and save ourselves. WAIT!! Hold on, I bought my new McMurdo fastfind plus at the weekend, look it's on my belt, all I need to do is pull that pin out, Yipeee, we are all saved, help will be with us very soon, thanks GC1 for the info, you have saved us from certain drowning /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Please note, the Fastfind 'PLUS' has the GPS intergrated, the plain Fastfind does not (which is cheaper), so don't think you are getting a bargain you may be getting the wrong model /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Please don't be so pinikity Brendan, we are trying to promote safety here, it is the manufacturers words not mine, ask them /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif I doubt if you will find another neat ergonomic easy to use handheld unit at that price, if you know of one can you help and place a link here, and try to be a little more helpful, please /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

simple question, don't get arsey! As you seem to be quoting manufacturers sales blurb, you seem to be unable to answer the question, rather than give info from personal experience?
 
[ QUOTE ]
But if you cruised within VHF range why did you need an epirb anyway?

[/ QUOTE ]


crew in liferaft for days off Cornish coast!

Crew on bridgedeck overnight of upturned Iroquois in Solent in sight of shore. Could not raise alarm.

Crew recently on small dredger 10 miles north of Bardsey, quick sinking, went to liferaft and hit epirb, lifeboat and heli picked up signal and went straight to them. I heard this on the VHF and decided to start saving for an epirb, stunning kit where ever you are!
 
Where are your batteries?

In a cruising cat sub 30ft weight is an enormous issue. The lower down you can get them the better, from what you say I am wondering where you have sited yours and if you have noticed increased hobby horsing as you fit her out?
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Are you on a retainer?

[ QUOTE ]
OH No! What was that crash! The boat has hit something, look water is gushing in we don't have long, Oh dear! the electrics are out, where is my spare battery, the leads, the spare VHF, Oh No, the aerial has been damaged and is missing, what now? we only have a minute or so to get off and save ourselves. WAIT!! Hold on, I bought my new McMurdo fastfind plus at the weekend, look it's on my belt, all I need to do is pull that pin out, Yipeee, we are all saved, help will be with us very soon, thanks GC1 for the info, you have saved us from certain drowning

[/ QUOTE ]

Once we get past the product placement we find you really have the same spots eh? We, are not all idiots, we know where our life jackets are, all named and fitted as they are used in the tender. Crew jackets numbered and fitted before leaving the mooring, but thank you for pointing out that we do not even know where they are earlier.

And as for epirb and thanking you, the inventor and sole importer of epirbs to the UK, thank you thank you thank you, with out you and your promotion I would not know what to do at sea, er, the Solent. I know where my h/h is, if my mast comes down I switch to the spare antenna, if my main radio goes down it takes one adaptor and my h/h is connected to the main antenna.

I have two electric systems on the boat, not the normal way to do it, but each hull is separate, so the chances of losing all power are halved.

Happy, it is this type of post that caused your long holiday last time and banishment from ribnet. Buying everything in the safety section of the chandlers web site does not mean you are the voice of safety and safety equipment.

For example, it is quite easy to rip a vhf out of its home and hold the wires onto the battery terminals if you are having power supply problems. Max time, seconds if I am crapping myself.
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Ships woofy - are you saying that there is no need for an epirb if you have a VHF and near to the coast? Just want to clear things up as it getting foggy around here :-)
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Excuse me, you may be Mr Perfect with everything numbered, well my jackets are too, but a lot who read this may or do not have this type of knowledge. Perhaps you could have put your info up in an educational way rather than take it personally, it was not directed at you, just more generaly, so starting thinking the 'bigger picture' and don't be so paranoid /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Quote "For example, it is quite easy to rip a vhf out of its home and hold the wires onto the battery terminals if you are having power supply problems. Max time, seconds if I am crapping myself".

Are you being serious or have you been on some dodgy red wine tonight /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif There is NO WAY that you would get my fitted VHF out of its properly fitted flush mounting kit at the helm. taken to the rear of the boat, open the engine hatch and connect it to the batteries, when you have found the correct wires, and then find you have no lead for the aerial because that is ripped of and hanging under the helm. Oh! And while you are trying to hold it onto the batteries with two hands with the batteries covered in gushing freezing sea water, with no aerial and the boat is listing, then try and make a call, errr.. you are on another planet mate /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Get real here, I was trying to talk safety, you are talking circus acts, and for real people utter and total nonsense /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif All IMHO of course.

I will just pull the pin in my EPIRB thank you very much, and concentrate on saving the lives of my crew and myself. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I do think you are thinking YOU, there are more than just you who read the forum and have different systems, so as I said DO NOT take it personal, just please see the bigger picture and think of others /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

I think it is a mixture of the two, you could have lot's of knowledge and no equipment or lot's of equipment and no knowledge so a bit of a strange question really. Oh, I guess if you were very lucky you would have loads of each, but remember there are some new boaters out there with none of each /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

So would you prefer to go to sea and have an emergency with no knowledge and an EPIRB (but at least knew how to activate that) or loads of knowledge about EPIRB'S and not have one? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I must say for new boaters the ease of use of an EPIRB in the correct circumstances is probably worth years and years of knowledge of a radio ham knocking up a makeshift radio in 2 minutes in an emergency /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

A direct answer to that is both!! They are not mutually exclusive so why even ask that question? Please spell it out because I must be missing something here.
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

"a radio ham knocking up a makeshift radio in 2 minutes in an emergency "

That is pie in the sky stuff and cannot be relied upon - there is no substitute for the right equipment nor is there any substitute for the right knowledge.

I am totally confused as to what issue is being raised here ... it cannot be that if you have knowledge you do not need the right equipment as if that was the point it would be stupid. Nor can it be that if you have all the right equipemt you do not need knowledge ........ so please someone spell out the point that is being made so that i can understand the issue.
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

No I am starting to think an epirb is essential last resort kit.

I would also though, suggest maybe not if you stay local, we know what that means. If epirbs started going at the same rate as solent maydays the seriousness of an alarm picked up at Kinloss for example would start to degrade. If that happened then like a dsc in the Solent they might not be worth owning.


But a h/h by the companion way door is essential, if you have to abandon in a hurry.

Oh God, I don't know. I want one, I will be buying one after Christmas, but I intend to sail away.

Bottom line, an epirb will be essential kit for ME. how's that.
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Its no use fighting it now ... just come to accept it and you will feel much better .... its so easy ..... spend the money and you will be just that teeny bit safer...... its all so easy ... just let go and dream of EPIRBs.

(PS share the dreams ... please...)
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Should I get real or should you.

I know all the systems on my boat, I built them. I can pull them to bits in seconds, that is how I designed them, now to you and many you may look at some items on board my boat and suggest how ugly you can see wires. But, it is a friggin boat, the trends of modern builders to build everything in to a mold is inherently dangerous and stupid.

My VHF is flush fitted and neat and tidy on a panel. I can get it out very quickly by quick removal of the panel, ok, it is in the saloon not at the helm. But my point still stands, not being able to get at your boats equipment quickly is daft and in some cases dangerous.

And, for you to start lecturing new boaters who you believe do not have this knowledge is a little rich. I would never write on any forum suggesting people do not know stuff unless those people came forward and said, I don't know this stuff. To do so would make me a smug git who judges everyone as an idiot and I only know a few on these forai that do that.
 
Re: Yes I agree, boat owners should have an epirb!

Well done Woofy, see you feel better already /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I am impressed with your professionalism re your kit anyway.

I have learnt nearly everything I know from here and people I have met on here, I think you are being paranoid, I have loads and loads to learn before I get a bigger boat and go further, that is why I am learning slowly and in small stages, I can't be the only one still learning can I?

Can we be friends now
super.gif


If the modern ergonomic EPIRB is a problem for you, they may be able to do a special order one with the wires hanging out for you /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Are wires all over the place in a "friggin boat" not a hazard, just wondering /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
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