PLB recommendations

[Adrian62]

Looking at buying a PLB Thinking about the ACR resQLink are they any good or what alternatives should I consider

 

[gregcope]

Think about size and battery life. Battery life varies around the 6-7 year mark. Most PLBs are small, but do not float without help. Some have floatation pouches. Worth checking the battery expiry date as to where it falls in the year and how old it already is.

We have a mixtures of McMurdo FastFind 220 and Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1. The latter are smaller and have a 7 year battery life over the 220's.

 

[MarkCX]

I’d second the RescueMe PLB1. Compact with long battery life. Mine’s secured to my lifejacket (which I’m always wearing at sea) with a lanyard, so floating isn’t an issue. As for whether it works well... I hope I never have the need for direct experience. Reviews seem good though.

 

[[3889]]

This was the inside of my ResQlink at age 3 1/2 years.

I found out there was a problem when the Spanish CG rang me at an ungodly hour after it self actuated. Always worn inside my LJ so barely exposed to weather. I got a replacement after resorting to talk of the Consumer Contract regs.
I have an Ocean Signal now which seems to keep the water out.

 

[Fmurchu]

Have the fastfind 220 fixed to lifejacket. Most important thing is know how to work it correctly.

 

[Skylark]

....... or what alternatives should I consider

I looked at buying a PLB a while ago and decided against it, I bought an AIS personal beacon instead. I'd buy a combined AIS/PLB out of choice but I don't believe that anyone makes such a thing (or didn't when I bought mine).

My logic in buying an AIS beacon is that the mother ship and any other in the vicinity will be alarmed by a MoB. Range, especially in a lumpy sea, is quite poor but the plotter should show a last known position and track.

A PLB has no such issue with range but will not notify the mother ship of the MoB. Likely response time by emergency services is many hours.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Has anyone looked at the Garmin inReach SE+ Satellite Communicator?
It seems to have the capability of a PLB and includes a dedicated tracking service:
"In case of emergency, trigger an interactive SOS message to GEOS, a professional 24/7 global monitoring center."
and the ability to send and receive text messages.
It obviously doesn't have the advantage of an AIS based system, but at first sight it might be better than EPIRB.
The downside is that it need subscription.
Anyone considering it?

 

[duncan99210]

Has anyone looked at the Garmin inReach SE+ Satellite Communicator?
It seems to have the capability of a PLB and includes a dedicated tracking service:
"In case of emergency, trigger an interactive SOS message to GEOS, a professional 24/7 global monitoring center."
and the ability to send and receive text messages.
It obviously doesn't have the advantage of an AIS based system, but at first sight it might be better than EPIRB.
The downside is that it need subscription.
Anyone considering it?

It isn’t a direct replacement for a PLB or an EPIRB. It adds an additional step into the alert process: message goes from the Inreach to Garmin, from Garmin to the your regional MRCC which is where the action to initiate rescue takes place. It also doesn’t keep transmitting once activated, so you’d need to resend the distress message to keep your position updated. Finally, the battery isn‘t that great. However, it’s a good bit of kit for keeping in touch on long trips as it’s a two way device and paired with a tablet or phone via Bluetooth it’s very easy to use and not ridiculously expensive.
Also I think your confusing PLB with AIS based Man Overboard Beacons. A PLB (and EPIRB) links to the search and rescue satellite constellation, sending a distress alert and position information. An AIS MOB (like this one MOB1 - Ocean Signal) sends a short range VHF alert to other AIS receivers in the area: no linkage to satellites at all. The idea of the AIS MOB is to allow your own boat to recover you rather than alerting the search and rescue authorities (although that may happen if you’re close to land).

 

[MarkCX]

The AIS MOB1 is a good solution if you’re always within VHF range of other vessels/coastguard or not sailing short-handed ( I don’t know what the range is though, small antenna in the water). Until recently I would sail single-handed and not see another vessel all day locally - So PLB was a better choice. That’s now changed with all the wind farm vessels in the area now, so AIS beacon is an option.

Edit:
Just checked. AIS 1 watt, DSC 0.5 watt. Range up to 5 miles depending on conditions.

it would be interesting to hear of anyone’s actual experience with an AIS beacon, either rescuer or rescuee.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks MarkCX for the clarification, the boat has a float free EPIRB and I have a PLB, which really needs replacing. The fix VHF also has a active AIS.
I'd really like a combined AIS and PLB, but as I understand it these aren't available as yet, although the technology is, I believe, ready to go. It's been held up by a lack of international agreement, somewhere in the great bureaucratic jungle, for reasons that don't understand.
I'm just casing around for alternatives, I sail single handed for about 50% of the time.
I'm reluctant to by another PLB if a combined PLB and AIS is likely to become available in the relatively near future.

 

[MarkCX]

I agree. A combined unit would be the best of both worlds. Hopefully when my PLB battery is ready for replacement, there will be a choice of such gadgets ?

 

[Skylark]

I'm reluctant to by another PLB if a combined PLB and AIS is likely to become available in the relatively near future.

As I mentioned in post 6, I was in the market less than a year ago and would have preferred to buy a combined PLB/AIS beacon. I wrote to several of the major manufactures of these products but none gave me the feeling that such a thing would come to market anytime soon.