Personal EPIRB

[Mollers]

Reminds me of reading this http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/i...266239&s=books

An Australian CG operative monitoring his screen, used to a couple of EPIRB activations a month, suddenly had 12 on one screen.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Reminds me of reading this http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/i...266239&s=books

An Australian CG operative monitoring his screen, used to a couple of EPIRB activations a month, suddenly had 12 on one screen.

Excellent book that.

[willk]

Originally Posted by gibbo500

Willk, i take it that once activated they can be used again? Not that i want to have to use it once...cheers

Yes, but they have to be returned for service first, seal, battery and test I guess.

The CG tell me that EPIRBs and PLBs set the system off big style when one gets deployed. They'll send everyone if they can't contact you straight off to confirm a false alarm. You don't want to meet the RNLI and a Sikorski with your name on it just 'cos you fell out of yer tender at the slip. So no automatics.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by willk

Yes, but they have to be returned for service first, seal, battery and test I guess.

The CG tell me that EPIRBs and PLBs set the system off big style when one gets deployed. They'll send everyone if they can't contact you straight off to confirm a false alarm. You don't want to meet the RNLI and a Sikorski with your name on it just 'cos you fell out of yer tender at the slip. So no automatics.

Thats my point though after been told auto lifejackets are the best its no point floating face up and unconscious with a PLB in your pocket that hasn't gone off.

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by gibbo500

Thanks guys, i think i will definitely look at purchasing, it probably seems expensive especially this time of year...

The non GPS version is quite a bit cheaper, if you are not doing blue water cruising then it would almost certainly be a big plus. 160 squids ought to do it.

[C2 RIBS]

You can various prices for them and the boat show in London might be a good place if you can wait,
E Bay have this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mcmurdo-Fast-F...item3ca5e4084c

[chewy]

Originally Posted by malthouse

The non GPS version is quite a bit cheaper, if you are not doing blue water cruising then it would almost certainly be a big plus. 160 squids ought to do it.

Have you a link to that?

[willk]

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

E Bay have this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mcmurdo-Fast-F...item3ca5e4084c

Worth noting that the seller is in the Channel Islands and VAT will most likely be added by HMC, delaying delivery and bumping the price up

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by chewy

Have you a link to that?

http://www.fastfindplb.com/en/

Is probably the best info, but the GPS and basic versions are the same in every respect except one sends a homing signal and the other sends a position signal.

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by willk

Worth noting that the seller is in the Channel Islands and VAT will most likely be added by HMC, delaying delivery and bumping the price up

A good point, unless they do what we do and send them from within the UK and include VAT - the eBay page should make that clear.

206 pounds inc vat and delivery is good, 206 + VAT is not such a good price.

Bear in mind that if several of you can get together it should be no problem to get half a dozen at a very good price indeed.

[willk]

Originally Posted by malthouse

A good point, unless they do what we do and send them from within the UK and include VAT - the eBay page should make that clear.

They don't and it does, it's in the "very small print indeed" . He copped a neg for it too, which wasn't very sporting of the buyer, but hey, it's fleabay!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by chewy

Thats my point though after been told auto lifejackets are the best its no point floating face up and unconscious with a PLB in your pocket that hasn't gone off.

Chewy I don't think there are any 406 MHz PLBs available with an Auto activation on water option (as opposed to EPIRBs with a "float free" function) - I would guess this is possibly a type approval issue to minimise the number of false alarms. I think there are 121.5 MHz systems that will auto trigger - but these no longer trigger a CG SAR response directly - so someone needs to be looking for you first.

The difference compared to a L/J is if you accidently trigger an auto L/J it costs you about £15 to rearm it and all is well (e.g. if you forget you are wearing it whilst recovering the boat, leave it in the bottom of the boat as Mollers did, or even in a locker). If you accidently trigger a PLB you get a lifeboat/helichopter etc. Whilst in some cases you will be aware you've triggered it and can call the CG to appologise - in the three examples I gave (and they are not exhaustive) you may well not realise its been triggered and have your radio off so not respond to the CG asking whats wrong.

Your chances of survival if unconscious with a PLB in your pocket but not transmitting are still higher with an auto LJ.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Your chances of survival if unconscious with a PLB in your pocket but not transmitting are still higher with an auto LJ.

But if its not transmitting its pointless.
What I'm getting at is you need to be conscious to activate it, I'm not discussing the pros and cons of auto and manual lifejackets or did you post on the wrong thread?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by chewy

But if its not transmitting its pointless.
What I'm getting at is you need to be conscious to activate it,

Yes you need to be conscious to activate it and no there is no risk of you accidentally triggering it on your swim to/from the boat. But you had already been told that when you said:

Surely if an auto lifejacket is the best suited to normal users then an auto PLB would be best too?

and

Thats my point though after been told auto lifejackets are the best its no point floating face up and unconscious with a PLB in your pocket that hasn't gone off.

I'm not discussing the pros and cons of auto and manual lifejackets or did you post on the wrong thread?

I could have sworn you were drawing parallels... ...I was trying to emphasise that there is a difference. Yes it would be nice if a PLB auto-triggered for the occasion that you are unconscious in the water but to make that pracitcal you need to eliminate the false alarms. With a PLB only manually activated, you are in a very bad situation if you end up unconscious as you go overboard. With a LJ you probably are dead.

[willk]

It's probably fair to say too that a lot of "unconcious" MOBs are only stunned, as it were, and will come around in a couple of chilly moments... if they are still afloat.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Polwart

With a PLB only manually activated, you are in a very bad situation if you end up unconscious as you go overboard. With a LJ you probably are dead.

Explain?

[willk]

the word "manual" is missing between "a" and "LJ"

He's been sniffing the French Polish again....

[JABS]

Originally Posted by malthouse

They are a cracking piece of kit, small and light - really easy to carry and use.

You should be able to get one for about 215.00 inc vat and delivery.

From Malthouse Marine, Martin?

If so, sign me up!

[chewy]

Originally Posted by willk

the word "manual" is missing between "a" and "LJ"

He's been sniffing the French Polish again....

Can you confirm Polwart made a mistake my fine Irish friend?

[willk]

Originally Posted by chewy

Can you confirm Polwart made a mistake my fine Irish friend?

He has Begob! He hasn't put this havering in the Bilges yet!