Which PLB?

Alpha22

Alpha22

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I'm considering buying a PLB for next season. I boat alone quite a bit and think it would be a sensible addition in the unlikely event of me having to ditch. I only boat coastal, usually in sight of land, mostly in daylight.

I've narrowed my choice down to either the McMurdo Fast Find 220 or the Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB1.

I'm leaning towards the RescueMe PLB1 as it can be tucked inside my lifejacket......

Is there anything I have missed.... any recommendations?
 
I doubt there's anyone here who's used one in anger :)

I have the McMurdo, which was the best choice at the time I bought it, but if buying again now I would probably pick the Ocean Signal. Mostly just because it's a little smaller, otherwise there's not much in it. They all do the same job, and we have to assume they do it equally well - no data available on that.

Pete
 
Things i look for are;

- size - smaller for me better
- battery life and exp date - i view these things as "life'd" as tech moves on
- strobe
- (minor) fix Time, sometimes a function of GPS (new chips fix faster and use more data)
 
Alpha22 said:
I'm considering buying a PLB for next season. I boat alone quite a bit and think it would be a sensible addition in the unlikely event of me having to ditch. I only boat coastal, usually in sight of land, mostly in daylight.

I've narrowed my choice down to either the McMurdo Fast Find 220 or the Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB1.

I'm leaning towards the RescueMe PLB1 as it can be tucked inside my lifejacket......

Is there anything I have missed.... any recommendations?
Click to expand...

I chose the Ocean Signal plb1 as it would fit inside my lifejacket and also has a long battery life of 7 years.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
PLBs need the aerial to have "sight" of the satellite. I.e. they don't work covered by water.

I can see the attraction of a PLB integral to the lifejacket but I would not personally be happy with how the rescueme attaches.

I also take my PLB with me when on other peoples boats, often abroad, and not having to remove it from an LJ makes that easy. ( many issues over plane and ferry travel with LJ's due to terror laws).

We are also conditioned these days to think small is better. I would be concerned about the size of the rescueme and my ability to operate it with cold or gloved hands.

For all these reasons I prefer the mcmurdo one.
 
Alpha22 said:
I'm considering buying a PLB for next season. I boat alone quite a bit and think it would be a sensible addition in the unlikely event of me having to ditch. I only boat coastal, usually in sight of land, mostly in daylight.

I've narrowed my choice down to either the McMurdo Fast Find 220 or the Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB1.




I'm leaning towards the RescueMe PLB1 as it can be tucked inside my lifejacket......

Is there anything I have missed.... any recommendations?
Click to expand...

Its now Q4. I am waiting for news of product release.

Might be a better option?

http://seaangel.at/index.php?route=common/page&id=2906
 
Comrade Red said:
PLBs need the aerial to have "sight" of the satellite. I.e. they don't work covered by water.

I can see the attraction of a PLB integral to the lifejacket but I would not personally be happy with how the rescueme attaches.

I also take my PLB with me when on other peoples boats, often abroad, and not having to remove it from an LJ makes that easy. ( many issues over plane and ferry travel with LJ's due to terror laws).

We are also conditioned these days to think small is better. I would be concerned about the size of the rescueme and my ability to operate it with cold or gloved hands.

For all these reasons I prefer the mcmurdo one.
Click to expand...

The Ocean Signal PLB1 comes with a special attachment to fix it to the oral inflation tube of the lifejacket. If a plb is fitted to any other part of your lifejacket or in a pocket or pouch, once your lifeacket has inflated you will not be able to see anything other than the inflated bladder and the inflation tube. Therefore with any other location the plb will have to be found by feel only which will not be easy if you are being tossed around in the water. I have not had a problem flying with my lifejacket with plb attached providing they are in my checked-in bag.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
My FastFind was used in anger a few years ago. I got a call from the RCC within 30 minutes. Mate was rescued on his way north from the Azores. He also had a Spot and they got the message too but did nothing about it!

And yes I know the P stands for personal but I figured it was more use to him than me as I left the boat and went back to work so I left it on board.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
My FastFind was used in anger a few years ago. I got a call from the RCC within 30 minutes. Mate was rescued on his way north from the Azores. He also had a Spot and they got the message too but did nothing about it!
Click to expand...
That is pretty damming of Spot. I was going to buy one so my shore based folks could track us, but it would nice to know their help button worked!
 
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