EPIRB

[Stormer]

Does anyone have suggestions about EPIRBS? Seems to me that there are either manual or automatic deployment and those that have an internal GPS and those that don''t. They also seem to range in price from about $700 to about $1,100. What are the real differences?

If you are in trouble and set off an EPIRB w/o GPS vs. one with GPS - how much longer can it take help to determine your position?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[DelmarRey]

How much is your life worth? Wouldn''t you want to be rescued ASAP. If you had a pirate attack an EPIRB with a GPS, and all the bells and whistles, sending out a distress signal would be very convenient?
As far as safety goes, if your going offshore or trans-ocean, personal life comes first. Ask anyone who has been adrift in a lifeboat.
Insurance can replace the vessel. And insurance likes to see as much safety gear as possible!

[ocean_lady2003]

I still have a simple, old manual one stored together with the em-pack in the locker next to the life raft and hope never using this thing.

Main difference between one without GPS ore one with build in GPS or GPS interface is, that the ones connected to the GPS or build in GPS send your actual position, meaning providing the rescue center with boat type, name of vessel and position. Action can be taken straight away.
The others transmit only a blank signal followed by boat identification data. To aquire your position via Satellite in an em could last up to 40 minuts.
While you are sailing close to a coastline, having one with GPS you could be back home while having the other one the rescue center still doesn''t know where you are.

Manual ore automatic, well, the manual one, you have to turn it on. The automatic one activates it self while the boat goes under.

Buying a new EPIRB, now I would for one with GPS interface. 40 minuts in an em can be a very long time. To me, it doesn''t need to be a automatic one but that''s philosophie I think.

For more info have a look at the following web site. There you''ll find every thing you need. http://www.howstuffworks.com/question351.htm

Hope I could help you a bit with this one.

Happy sailing!

[fourknots]

Check this out:

406 EPIRBs can locate you within about 9 square miles, with each additional satellite pass increasing accuracy. Still not good enough? There is another 406 type EPIRB that uses a GPS, whether built in or interfaced with your ship’s GPS that can pinpoint your location to within a few boat lengths. Since these "GPIRBs" send a new signal every 20 minutes with updated position reports, rescuers can calculate drift and save time and resources locating a distressed mariner.


If you''re going to get one, get a GPIRB and don''t forget to register it.