EPIRB anyone ?

[MarkWildey]

How many people out there carry an 406MHz Epirb and should this be considered essential equipment for offshore trips. This year I made about 10 trips across the channel, and further, with only one of these on company.

In my pockets I have a H/H vhf, phone and a 121Mhz EPIRB but should I also have on the boat the bigger EPIRB.

I have seen these units for around £500, but do you know a cheaper outlet. I guess its one of those things that seems quite expensive until you need to use it, when it becomes very good value.

Regards

Mark

[Petrov]

I use EPIRB and there is some small ones on the market but remember that you have to put a strap around otherwise it will fly out from the holder when you jumping in the waves, it`s better to use it with the manual button, otherwise you will have some helis over your head.
Remember also that it can take up to 2 1/2 hours before they can find your position, depending on were you are offcourse.
I use a silor and i paid around 950 €uros for it.
But Sweden is a expensive country so you will probably find cheaper ones in UK.

Good luck.

[fatboy500]

Hi Mark,
I use a Mcmurdo Fastfind plus EPIRB. It's a manual activation, handheld unit within built in GPS and 406/121MHz.
As you say £500 sounds a bit steep but you only need to use it once. It's small enough to carry on your person and I use mine whenever I'm ribbing or kayaking. In fact I've just bought a pressurised case so I can take it diving with me. (A dive trip out I was on out to Mexico a couple of years ago managed to misplace a diver and took a good hour to find him, nearly 2 miles away !)
Got mine from Sartech (www.sartech.co.uk) and they give a 10yr guarantee on the unit.
I believe the current locate time is within 1 hr but this is expected to drop to 'near instantaneous' when the new GEOSAR satellites come on line.

Useful link http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/Index_Frame_English.html


Hope this helps,
Bren

[fatboy500]

One other thing to bear in mind is that the 121Mhz facility is being withdrawn in 2009.

[MarkWildey]

Bren

Thanks for the information.

I'll probably get one at the boat show in Jan.

Thanks again

Mark

[Garygee]

Hi folks

Yes carry one, a 406 & 121Mhz McMurdo one.
Dont think the 121Mhz only ones are up to the job other than PLB functions. i.e they will help people find you once they know roughly wher you are but are not very good at intitiating a search in the first place.

Think EPRIB's are more suited to where you likly to be out of VHF range of other people, not sure if this means the channel.

Anyway I think for any long ofshore trips even at 500 quid they are worth it.

As far as cheaper outlets, just wait a few weeks until the boats show is on. Most people will do boat show prices over the phone even if you dont go to the show.

Regards Gary