EPIRB's

[SkunkBoat]

For us little guys (33 & under) I think a catII in a ditch bag is most likely going to play out as the best option.

Cat IIs come with a plastic holder but I have it in the ACR ditch bag pocket.

Cat Is have to be mounted where they will auto deploy if and when you sink fast without warning. That makes them harder to get to when you have time.

In most scenarios, you are trying to save the boat and stay in the boat but if you have to abandon ship you want the EPIRB to come with you.

 

[Ky Grady]

I agree with what SkunkBoat said and I do the same with my Cat II. It's in the ditch bag at my feet, at the helm, ready to go when it's time to get off the boat. If your boat sinks out of sight or catches fire for some reason and your Cat I hadn't deployed and is lost with the boat, you're adrift with no way of Coast Guard finding you. Rather have my Cat II with me so I can be found. PLB's and Garmin InReach are options, but most of us just have the EPIRB, so I chose the Cat II.

 

[Hookup1]

I wouldn't wait for the boat to sink to automatically activate the Cat 1 EPIRB. Grab it and activate it! Best application for Cat 1 is if you were to suddenly sink maybe in a bad inlet or a major collision at sea. Best case is mount it on the hard top and have a Cat 2 at the helm.

I have my Cat 2 mounted just inside the cabin within easy reach of the helm. Out of the weather but accessible. I also have a PEPIRB in my abandon ship bag with flares, etc..

Downside to the Cat 1's are that you have to free them so they don't go down with the ship.

 

[Seafarer_Bob]

I have one, along with a hand held VHF, flares, water, whistle, in a ditch bag that sits at my feet at the helm. It's on a 228 Grady. Looking into a Garmin InReach Mini to go along with the above gear. Hope to never have to use any of it, but very glad I have it if the need arises.

I'm also in a 228, I go up to 40 miles out in the mid Atlantic and have all of these in my ditch bag. Plus, a waterproof flash light, head lamp, a couple water bottles, chapstick, hat, several white trash bags.