EPIRB- Change of mind

[Brezzin]

Saturday I was heading from Mystic CT to Shelter Island NY for the night. It's a pretty easy sail and always in site of land. Well on Saturday I hear Mayday from a sinking 40 footer on channel 9. You can hear the High water alarm in the background. Pretty frighting stuff. The skipper was pretty scared but did OK considering the situation. He clearly gave his position and answered all the questions. But their were so many people that wanted to help that they stepped on all his transmissions. Plus their were yahoos who were calling other yahoos oblivious to the mayday call. It was plainly ridiculous.
After a while the transmissions stopped. I figure the batteries got cooked or they abandoned the boat. Don't know the rest of the story.

I had figured that being a coastal cruiser that my money was better spent on other things and the $$$ spent on EPIRB would be better used elsewhere after all I'll always be in VHF range. Yep, maybe in range but no guarantee of getting anywhere. After hearing the nonsense including the tow boats racing each other for the salvage, I'm going to get an EPIRB and hookup my DSC capable radio into the GPS. (one of those things I always wanted to do but never got around to it). Atleast my position will get out OK.

[sailingdog]

Using a DSC-equipped VHF makes a lot more sense than trying to call for help on CH. 16, at least in areas where it is fully implemented. Many of the better DSC-equipped VHFs will allow you to indicate what kind of assistance is required or what kind of emergency you are experiencing.

[Idiens]

And the DSC MOB button will send your coordinates - when connected to a functioning GPS.