What price "What if"?

[awol]

Unlike many of the (ex) captains of industry on here I cannot really afford a boat. I obviously wasted too much time enjoying myself when I was younger and now I fear the effects of a pandemic, an incompetent government and global greed are going to erode my spending power even more. My latest quandary comes with my EPIRB. Bought first when I was crossing Biscay back in 2005, rebatteried, replaced with a 406MHz version and now due for rebatterying again. Sartech, who appear to have a monopoly, want £180 to replace 10 off CR123A LiMnO2 cells though they assure me it gets a full functional test as well. I can source OEM cells for about £25 but would need to solder their connections (I've no qualms). Or I can put it back in its holder at peace with the knowledge that the cells have at least a 9 year shelf life, there is a test function and if it doesn't work as advertised that probably would have been the case anyway during the last 6 years. Apart from the fact that I actually have the thing - I certainly would not go out and buy a new one or even a PLB - what is the raison d'être for carrying it. So what is the "what if" I need it for?
As an aside - I have just coughed up the best part of a ton to update the activators and lights on 6-off lifejackets - someone could check before a race. My liferaft and flares are in-date. The DSC radio works with test calls to the CG. ..... and in my 8th decade, I frankly don't give a damn, though there are others who do seem to care.

 

[lustyd]

and in my 8th decade, I frankly don't give a damn

This seems at odds with everything else you wrote, you seem to have more safety gear than most cruise ships!

 

[awol]

This seems at odds with everything else you wrote, you seem to have more safety gear than most cruise ships!

Life jackets are for the rules and crew - I seldom bother. Liferaft is for peace of mind at home and flares are for the rules. I have, for my sins, scrutineered boats prior to a race and some of the out-of-date crap has to be seen to be believed. It was all in date once!

 

[Frogmogman]

I can easily believe what you say about the out of date crap, but have also experienced the other side of the coin.

A scrutineer at the Swan Cup in Sardinia one year insisted that we obtain an extra liferaft, as ours was an 8 man, and there were 9 of us on board. This was for a week of inshore racing, around buoys and local rocks, with races of no more than 4 hours, with hundreds of boats within spitting distance. Nobody was going to be getting onto a liferaft, and even then, it wasn’t going to be an issue if we were a bit cramped for a short while.

Luckily, we managed to borrow one from a cruising boat in the Marina, but it was a load of weight we didn’t need, and one more thing to trip over.

In response to the OP, I’d say that in this country, I’d probably get the batteries changed, as it is a requirement for French flagged boats that are equipped to “hauturier” standard (more than 60 miles from a port of refuge) to be equipped with an EPIRB, and it’s just the sort of things the authorities love to pull you up on if you are boarded. As your installation isn’t required by the administration, it’s up to you, really.

 

[Yngmar]

Sartech, who appear to have a monopoly, want £180 to replace 10 off CR123A LiMnO2 cells though they assure me it gets a full functional test as well. I can source OEM cells for about £25 but would need to solder their connections (I've no qualms).

The battery cells are almost certainly not soldered but spot-welded with nickel strips. Soldering will at best only destroy the battery, at least for lithium cells (before someone cries fire: they aren't lithium ion rechargeable ones). You can get a very basic spot welder for under €20 these days (might be crap though): 11.52￡ 38% OFF|DIY Mini Spot Welder Machine Automatic Trigger Portable Handheld Desktop Welding Power with Pen for 0.1mm 0.15mm Nickel Plating| | - AliExpress

Or just hang the EPIRB on the wall and let it be. It sounds like you'll probably not need it, but hanging there decoratively it'll reassure everyone else who thinks otherwise