PLB Pocket for Lifejacket

[windlipper]

Santa brought me a McMurdo Fastfind PLB. I know that the occasion I forget to carry it with me will be the time I fall overboard on a solo sail.
Seems sensible therefore to have it attached to my lifejacket. Like most lifejackets there is no adequate pocket for this purpose.
McMurdo say to use one of their accessories, like belt pouch, universal pouch or neoprene pouch without recommending any one of them.

Anyone successfully attached the PLB to a lifejacket?
Cheers all.

 

[duncan99210]

Our lifejackets are combined lifejackt and harness. The belt of the harness can be undone from the buckle and threaded through a loop on a belt pouch or similar. I don't carry a PLB but do have a knife and mulitool on the belt which hasn't caused any problems moving about the boat.

Dive kit probably offers the best route for finding a suitable pouch - try here http://www.simplyscuba.com/SearchResults.aspx?Reset=1 . No connection with the site - just used it occassionally in the past.

 

[smeaks]

I recently aquired a mcmurdo gmax plb and utilse the belt pouch that I locate on the lj buckle strap. I attach the lanyard to the lj aswell incase it falls out when I tumble. Does the fastfind float? I read somewhere the pouch for it added buoancy and that it was the pouch that floated not the fastfind. In which case I think I would invest in the accessory pouch.

 

[FishyInverness]

I don't believe the FastFind is Buoyant - The Buoyancy Pouches available are little pockets that give buoyancy but no way of attaching them to anything.

The universal pouch can be attached to harnesses, etc, and the belt pouch kind of does what it says on the tin. You can also get Lanyards for the fastfind.

A Neoprene Mobile Phone case with attachment sleeve would do the job just as well though, I use a Body Glove one to secure my VHF Handheld to my lifejacket harness.

 

[bbg]

FWIW, here is the way I do it when sailing solo.

PLB stays on my person at all times - religiously - no exceptions. Normally in a pocket. If there is something to clip it to (belt loop, or D ring in fouly pocket), I thread the lanyard through and then put the PLB through the loop to attach. It doesn't float.

If I'm wearing something without pockets, it goes around my neck and then stuffed inside my T shirt.

I did a 10-day solo sail this summer and it was never noticeable. I would not attach it to a lifejacket, because I don't always wear one. I have found they get uncomfortable after about 18 hours. But I always have the PLB on me.

 

[Coaster]

The two of us each have a McMurdo Fastfind 210 in a pouch on the integral safety harness of our lifejackets which are Kru Sport Pros. The pouch sits comfortably at one side, largely beneath side mesh. A lanyard is fastened to the harness and to the PLB.

We find these lifejackets easy to put on and comfortable to wear over a variety of clothing.

 

[JimC]

A bit of thread-drift I know, but would you consider one of the new handheld vhfs with inbuilt GPS and GMDSS to be a viable substitute for a PLB for coastal sailing?

 

[Coaster]

A bit of thread-drift I know, but would you consider one of the new handheld vhfs with inbuilt GPS and GMDSS to be a viable substitute for a PLB for coastal sailing?

Not for us as we are often in quiet areas where other vessels and the Coastguard are not always within masthead VHF range, let alone trying to contact someone using a handheld VHF at sea level.

 

[windlipper]

Pouch for PLB

Coaster, Your idea of the pouch attached to the harness, seems like a good idea. I would think it needs to be secure yet easy to access. What pouch have you used?
Cheers

 

[smeaks]

FWIW, here is the way I do it when sailing solo.

PLB stays on my person at all times - religiously - no exceptions. Normally in a pocket. If there is something to clip it to (belt loop, or D ring in fouly pocket), I thread the lanyard through and then put the PLB through the loop to attach. It doesn't float.

If I'm wearing something without pockets, it goes around my neck and then stuffed inside my T shirt.

I did a 10-day solo sail this summer and it was never noticeable. I would not attach it to a lifejacket, because I don't always wear one. I have found they get uncomfortable after about 18 hours. But I always have the PLB on me.

the gmax is a little bigger but does float. though needs to be clear of water to send a sig

 

[mcframe]

I've got a McMurdo pouch on one side of my LJ - PLB is transferred from top of companionway (two screws and a bit of yellow sail-tie webbing, with hex number and Falmouth phone # on a bit of Dymo tape on bulkhead behind it) to LJ if I'm solo; other side of LJ belt always has a Crewsaver pouch with day/night flare in it it.

I don't carry a personal H/H VHF when solo, knives & torches are a different matter. (i.e always carried, but we all do that anyway)

 

[William_H]

PLB carriage

I would think that the best place for a PLB is high on the chest near the shoulder. It would be best if the PLB can be activated from there and left amounted for actual operation.
So the problem becomes What does the lifejacket look like when inflated. Could a pouch be attached to the protective cover of the LJ or would it all be covered by the inflated bladder. Could it be glued to the bladder.
I use foam type buoyancy vests so no problem. if I carried a PLB olewill

 

[Coaster]

What pouch have you used?

When we bought the PLBs their McMurdo pouches were provided free. They are simple flexible plastic fabric pouches, each with a Velcro fastening flap and a small hole at the other end. The latter corresponds with the PLB lanyard attachment point. With ours we have each lanyard flaked inside the pouch so that there's a minimum of line outside to snag.

I've taken this image from the Fast Find website which McMurdo seems to have set up specifically to extol the virtues of their PLB products. The pouch is rather less bulky than the photo suggests.

 

[nigelmercier]

PLB stays on my person at all times...

I agree, mine stays on my "Batman Utility Belt"

 

[Bilgediver]

I would think that the best place for a PLB is high on the chest near the shoulder. It would be best if the PLB can be activated from there and left amounted for actual operation.
So the problem becomes What does the lifejacket look like when inflated. Could a pouch be attached to the protective cover of the LJ or would it all be covered by the inflated bladder. Could it be glued to the bladder.
I use foam type buoyancy vests so no problem. if I carried a PLB olewill

This is sound advice as the emergency bleep might get through surface spray but the GPS if fitted may not get a position. Seems you have to hold the PLB at arms length high in the sky and in the UK be in the sea and not on a lake or mountain inland .

The other thing to realise is that the PLB should be included to the ships licence at Ofcom but more importantly MUST be registered at the MRRC like an EPIRB otherwise it will be a waste of space and may be treated as a rogue signal. The registration process means giving details of contacts ashore etc.

Unfortunately administration around the world still hasn t caught up regarding the number allocations to these and Handhelds with DSC but this should not delay the chopper getting off the ground.

I am amused to see that these things were technically deemed illegal if used onshore or on onland waters though some bent the rules and obtained them under marine licensing conditions I believe the jobsworths have fixed this anomally now and that on land calls are not initially treated as false alarms.