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EPIRB or PLB for coastal cruising

8K views 35 replies 16 participants last post by  jackdale 
#1 · (Edited)
I can't decide which of these two devices is best for my intended purposes - mid-Atlantic coastal hopping, no more than 100 miles offshore. I don't want to spend the money for both.

The benefits of the PLB is lower cost and ability to clip to my life jacket or harness for a fall overboard. The disadvantage is shorter battery life when activated and need to keep antenna above water for transmission.

The benefit of an EPIRB is extended signal, automatic activation, and ability to function by floating in the water by itself. The downside is initial cost.

Your thoughts?
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
As with Life Rafts, the value of the difference between the devices, and their relative costs, cannot be evaluated as clearly while standing on a showroom floor as they can while standing in waste-deep water in one's cockpit. Buy both. They are cheap insurance. For example, see GPS Store
 
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#11 · (Edited)
Make sure turn it off when you are visiting the Gentlemen Club. :p

Kidding aside, I have my SPOT II, and loving it. There are many new devices come out recently that have lots of functions than SPOT. Practice Sailors have a couple reviews on that. Some of them provide two way communication too.

I like the device that allows user to change the battery. With 3 AAA battery, SPOT will last at less 3 days. If I turn it off and only on when I need to transit, I bet it will last a month. One thing I like about SPOT is they send an acknowledgment if your transmission is received.

After reading the book "A storm too soon", I lost the confidence of EPIRB. But I am sure I will still get one for the boat. :)
 
#9 ·
S/V HyLyte has it right. You'll be out of VFH range and you should have a PLB for those on watch and an EPIRB for the vessel. What is your life worth or that of your spouse/GF. I'm former AF Rescue and those with working beacons were found quickly. With no active signal or radio calls to go on we just start a search pattern based on your last know location. At 500' and 3/5 seas a person is very difficult to spot, at 6/10 seas extremly doutful.
 
#14 ·
My PLB is attached to an inflatable pfd with a harness. My PLB would go over with me.

In rough conditions, at night, and offshore I am tethered.
 
#17 ·
Ok fair enough :) what if you were solo? For anyone who has never fallen overboard at night, solo, in rough conditions let me paint a picture for you. I slipped on my tether and fell overboard on the windward side of the boat. The immediate shock of the cold water was followed by the knowledge that my foulies were sure to be my demise. My strength was zapped from the cold water " I am very fit" the foul weather gear was like a huge water brake and had me pinned to the stern quarter, the boat healed and I slipped lower on the hull, when the boat righted I was dragged under and not strong enough to pull my self above the water line, this happened several times. It felt like I was being dragged under water behind a ski boat doing 40 knots. To this day I don't know how I got out of this mess but I can assure you even if I could have located and set off my plb I would have drowned long before anyone found me. YOU CANT BUY SAFETY repeat YOU CANT BUY SAFETY. :)
 
#18 ·
barefoot - do you have a knife when you are tethered? Is your tether a quick release?

In 30 years, and 36,000 miles I have never had an MOB.

I know safety cannot be purchased. I teach safety all the time.
 
#19 ·
I have a quick release but no knife that is accessible . In my situation I couldn't have cut the line or I would have lost the boat, even if I had a knife I doubt I would have been able to use it, my hands and face were cut to shreds from a dirty bottom and I had substantially reduced dexterity in my hands to to the cold water. There are no words that can describe the force of the water pinning me against the boat. I'm glad I was solo because I'm sure I was screaming like a little girl while being pinned under.
 
#20 ·
Why did your boat not come up into the wind and either heave-to or go into irons?
 
#22 ·
OK - I do not have access to a vane, but I will not routinely use an autopilot if I am single handing. I will use one to reef if I do not have room to to heave-to.

I also like a little weather helm. A "balanced" helm just feels dead to me.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I made a 60 mile passage yesterday singlehanded. The autopilot steered for all but 20 mins. It would have done that too if I had not decided I could do a better job in the acceleration zone of the North of Bequia.

Had I been hand steering all the way I would have been significantly more fatigued and more likely to make mistakes.

I would be concerned if not using a means of self steering was being put forward as good practice in sailing schools esp when sailing shorthanded.
 
#26 ·
Holy cow! I've been looking at some of the different PLB's and they're almost a disposable product with the cost of a five year battery replacement. Looks like ACR is following the Volvo business model. Sell the product cheap, then ding 'em later for the parts/service.
 
#28 ·
Why not an Aqualink?

Res Qlink is not designed for water

The ResQLink+ is a buoyant PLB but is not intended for operation in water
Intended operational environments include on ground and above ground including held in hand
 
#29 · (Edited)
I bought the ACR 2881, you recommend the ACR 2882. I don't see any difference significant to my intended purpose, except the 2882 is more expensive. The only practical difference is the ability of the 2882 to send a text message saying I am o.k. Surely you don't believe the 2881 was not intended for marine purposes?

Neither of them are EPIRBs. Although they both float and are both waterproof, you have to wear them with the antenna out of the water.

Here is the product description from Defender/ACR:

"...Small and mighty, the ResQLink+ is a full-powered, GPS-enabled rescue beacon designed for boaters, pilots and water-borne sportsmen...[emphasis mine]"
 
#30 · (Edited)
"...Small and mighty, the ResQLink+ is a full-powered, GPS-enabled rescue beacon designed for boaters, pilots and water-borne sportsmen...[emphasis mine]"
As is the quote from my post

The ResQLink+ is a buoyant PLB but is not intended for operation in water
Intended operational environments include on ground and above ground
including held in hand
Near the bottom of the specs.

The Aqualink is also COSPAS/SARSAT approved. The ResQLink+ is not. (They will still rescue you.)
 
#31 · (Edited)
I believe you are misinterpreting the statement is not intended for operation IN water - that is the difference between an EPIRB and a PLB. Although it floats and it is waterproof, you cannot drop it in the water and expect to be saved. You have to wear it, with the antenna above water, just like every other PLB.

If it were designed to be operated IN water it would be an EPIRB. ON the water is different from IN the water.

It is designed for marine or terrestrial use.

As I have said several times on this listserv, I am not so gullible as to pay $100 extra because something has "Marine", "Aqua", or "Yacht" in the name.
 
#34 ·
The main difference between a PLB (24 hours) and and EPIRB (48 hours) is battery life. Some EPIRBS are manual, they have to be released and triggered.
Auto or Manual EPIRB?

But it is your choice.
 
#32 ·
I also bought the ACR 375 but I got the older, non-buoyant model. It's a little smaller, which means I'll wear it. Nonbuoyant so I have to be sure it's tethered to me. I put it in a case which attaches to my vest/harness. The only thing I don't like about the design is no integral attachment method to wear it. The firefly strobe has built in rings so you can attach it to your vest or body- the PLB doesn't, which I think is an oversight.
 
#33 · (Edited)
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