EPIRB's

[SeaVee]

I like InReach as additional layer after EPIRB, PLB, plus it’s nice to be able to communicate with your buddies when your out of VHF range to see how the bite is where they landed.

 

[Ryhlick]

I'd be interested to know which liferaft, how it is stored, and how it is inflated. Also, have you (or anyone) tried a practice ditch in lumpy conditions just to see if it works?

Also interested brands / models of all the stuff.

Lucky,
Here is the life raft I have Ocean Safety Standard Offshore 4 Person Liferaft- Valise Packed. I purchased it at BOE Marine. I stow it where the porta potty goes to help keep it out of the way, but very accessible. I only bring the porta potty when the kids are on board, otherwise I have a sweet 5 gallon bucket I live in Hood River OR, on the Columbia river where it gets very windy and rough. We have practiced several MOB drills, but have not deployed the life raft. If you deploy it, it will need a professional repack. The raft has a very easy to see ripcord to pull if you need it. Great peace of mind when you're more than swimming distance off the beach.

 

[luckydude]

Lucky,
Here is the life raft I have Ocean Safety Standard Offshore 4 Person Liferaft- Valise Packed. I purchased it at BOE Marine. I stow it where the porta potty goes to help keep it out of the way, but very accessible. I only bring the porta potty when the kids are on board, otherwise I have a sweet 5 gallon bucket I live in Hood River OR, on the Columbia river where it gets very windy and rough. We have practiced several MOB drills, but have not deployed the life raft. If you deploy it, it will need a professional repack. The raft has a very easy to see ripcord to pull if you need it. Great peace of mind when you're more than swimming distance off the beach.

If you (or anyone) were buying one now, would you buy that one again?

I surfed youtube for a while, what I'd really like to see is one of those deployed in really snotty conditions and see people manage to get into it.

Another thing that I'd like is some way to put stuff in it and repack it. I'd like to pack it with a change of clothes and some towels. Our ocean is cold.

 

[Ryhlick]

I would buy it again, it was priced well and it is stocked well with supplies. I'm sure it would be a bit of a struggle to get in, but hopefully we will never need to find out. You might vacuum pack some clothing items and keep it in your ditch bag as opposed to messing with the life raft.

 

[wspitler]

For cold water you need an exposure suit (required on most commercial fishing vessels now), but a change of clothes will not help much. If it's rough there will be a lot of water in the raft. Getting into a raft from the water isn't easy, even in fairly calm conditions, but the colder the water the better the motivation. On the other hand, the colder the water, the stiffer your muscles. In the CG we were required to wear an exposure garment depending on the combination of water and air temperature and we expected a fairly quick rescue since they checked on us every 15 minutes for helicopter missions. The rafts have a lot of survival equipment normally included, but it is very rare for survivors to be required to survive for an extended period. A good EPIRB or PLB is your best bet for a quick rescue! A good Type I PFD is able to keep the head of an unconscious person above the surface even after hypothermia has disabled them. Unfortunately, not that many boaters carry Type I PFDs.

 

[Hookup1]

I just ordered a ACR Global fix V4 & Resqlink 400 Survival Kit from Hodges. Unfortunately there are no stores nearby when you get in trouble.

 

[Meanwhile]

I boat out of Oregon, which means cold water survival. I have a 6 person raft on the top. I brief everyone how to deploy the raft by pulling a chartreuse pull and lifting it out of a cradle.

I've taken the commercial trainers course and while in a gumby suit you must right an overturned raft, then enter the raft. I'm overweight and older. It was a bug tussle to get in the raft while in a gumby suit. I was tremendously overheated. Other drills included a circle of crew in gumby suits splashing to be seen, and a line of crew to move toward land.

This experience really opened my eyes as to the difficulties with entering a raft. If you buy a raft without a well designed entry, you may well fail.

When I had a raft repacked at Englunds in Astoria, OR, they were careful to show all aspects of the raft. They would pack the raft with extras if you provided them (PLB, radio).

I highly suggest if you get the chance to practice with PFD on boarding a raft, take the opportunity. Make you own practice with an outdated inflatible PFD in a swimming pool. Practice at throwing a ring. Anything is better than going offshore with no practice.

 

[kirk a]

I bought a Viking 4 man offshore raft from LSRE in RI, in the valise version. I highly recommend perusing their website, and then giving them a call. This is all they do - rafts and survival. Even if you buy elsewhere, they are a great resource.

 

[Papa J]

If your worried about $400-600 on a piece of equipment that could save your life and other then you should probably not be boating and find another hobby

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

My friend in the slip next to me were talking one day and the subject of EPIRB's came up. He told me he has one on his boat and it gives him a better sense of security when going out front. I mainly am in the 5 to 10 mile range offshore when I do go out but would possibly go 15 to 20. With a single engine I am not really comfortable doing the 80 miles to the canyon. My question is, what is the consensus on EPIRB's and do many people have them in their 20 to 30 foot boats?

I have an ACR RescueLink 406 PLB and added a Garmin In Reach with SOS as well. Two years ago those boys took their 19 footer out of Fort Lauderdale . They got into the Gulfstream just a few miles offshore and their boat was found capsized floating near Bermuda. The boys were never found. a few years prior some NFL players took their 19 footer bottom fishing out of Tampa Bay. They anchored off of the stern in about 70 feet of water 50 miles out on a winter day. The weather caught them and they couldn't get the anchor free. The boat turtled and only 1 guy survives. I called the coast guard about the accident and wanted the details of how it happened. In the Lts comments to me he said had they had a epirb or plb they would all be alive. They would have been rescued in an hour.

So, do you think your life and the life of your crew is worth $300? That Tampa Bay Bucs accident was all I needed to carry an epirb . I would encourage everyone who leaves an inlet regardless of how far off they go to buy a PLB of some kind.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Obviously an offshore boat needs an Epirb. No argument.
In a perfect world, we'd have plbs on all of our offshore PFDs, and MOB beacons, and a remote kill switch

If you are a small bay and coast boat its hard to justify that expence. If you venture out to 10-15 miles regularly, you need something.
A plb is a poor mans epirb.

I think the inreach is a good sub for a plb.
It does the same function as a plb (push a button satelite SOS with gps position) plus it can leave a crumb trail of positions during your trip that are available to your loved ones and SAR.
and you can communicate two ways.

I bought an in reach last year. I got the explorer model as I like to hike and mountain bike . it's a great all around device plus it's got charts and topos on it too. They make a marine one specifically with their G3 vision charts and they make one called in reach mini which interfaces with all their blue tooth enabled plotters. I like the fact I can send and receive messages anywhere . if I get in trouble ,like an engine malfunction or slow leak ,something that clearly puts the boat in danger over time , having the ability to tell people, hey we are in trouble,but safe at the moment, here is the problem while also sending the exact coordinates is pretty amazing tech . I have used it so far to say,hey fish in the box, fire up the grill .lol.

 

[Blaugrana]

Any thoughts on this???

EPIRBs | West Marine

Shop emergency position indicating radio beacons (epirbs) at West Marine including category 1 and II beacons and more. Buy online, pick up in store!

www.westmarine.com

 

[Hookup1]

I just bought a ACR Global fix V4 & Resqlink 400 PIRB Survival Kit from Hodges. There are no stores nearby when you get in trouble.

Search results for: 'acr2349 acr globalfixtrade v4 amp resqlinktrade 40'

www.hodgesmarine.com

I loaded the bag with flares, lights, batteries and VHF in hard case. EPIRB inside cabin on aft bulkhead next to helm. Ditch bag goes under the seat while we are out.

New Horizon VHF 1850 NEMA2000 interface to GPS for DSC.

If fishing far from shore, especially in cold water, I would consider a life raft and the inReach.

 

[Blaugrana]

I just bought a ACR Global fix V4 & Resqlink 400 PIRB Survival Kit from Hodges. There are no stores nearby when you get in trouble.

Search results for: 'acr2349 acr globalfixtrade v4 amp resqlinktrade 40'

www.hodgesmarine.com

I loaded the bag with flares, lights, batteries and VHF in hard case. EPIRB inside cabin on aft bulkhead next to helm. Ditch bag goes under the seat while we are out.

New Horizon VHF 1850 NEMA2000 interface to GPS for DSC.

After all of this I would consider a life raft and the inReach.

Was just looking at the same when I came across that EPIRB with AIS. Wasn’t surewhich route was better.

 

[Captain Crunch]

When you are at west marine looking at the $500.00 price. Ask yourself,how much would I pay for this if I found myself and my loved ones in the water?

 

[Blaugrana]

Understood - Not so concerned about the price as no matter what route I go, it will be in the 500-800 or so range.

I’ve only focused on ACR but I don’t think any of their products include AIS. So is an EPIRB w/ AIS the better way to go?

 

[Keeldad]

Bought the ACR Globalfix last year. We generally stay within about 20 miles but that’s still a long way out there if everything goes south quickly. In the big scheme of things, if you can afford the boat, the tackle, bait and fuel to be 20+ miles out, you can certainly afford an EPIRB.

 

[Punchline Cap]

Finally got mine a few weeks ago. Got the ACR EPIRB with the ditch bag, beacon strobe light, mirror and whistle. Bought a Stanley waterproof rechargeable spotlight and started looking for a handheld waterproof radio. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Dhirsh]

Water only needs to be over your head to drown. Buy an epirb. I live in Fl but still cant get over how many stories there are of people in other states that get lost hiking and nobody finds them for days. Its literally the cheapest life insurance you can buy.

 

[Blaugrana]

Looking to buy one of the EPIRB kits, but see most come with Cat 2 rather than Cat 1 EPIRB. I thought the 1s are better but BOE Marine has an article stating the contrary...

“We recommend that a boat has a Cat II EPIRB before getting a backup Cat I EPIRB. In case of fire it is likely the Cat I epirb would burn up before the boat sank. If the captain keeps a Cat II EPIRB handy he can easily deploy it when the time comes.”

EPIRB Vs PLB Comparison, Which is right for you

EPIRB vs PLB, the two are compared to see which is most suitable for boaters

www.boemarine.com

Do you guys agree with that statement?? CatII is the better option?