Do I Need an EPIRB?

[chef2sail]

Once you've tried the standard web ladders, you'll get it. Boarding practice is part of Day 2 of the Safety at Sea program.

Yes I have taken this and was amazed at how hard it was with the nylon wed to climb up.


I wouldbe looking for a 4 person as itys just my wife and I and mounted in front of the mast. We are only a 35 footer and dont have the space behind the cockpit

Thanks for the link.

Dave

[MarkofSeaLife]

Originally Posted by CarbonSink62

I know it is well over the horizon; my Navy training said that the horizon is 9 mi away if you are six feet off the water. My antenna is 33 feet off the water.

I took a stab at 20 miles; how far off am I?

Ken

Actually very close but you forgot to add the height of the receiving antenna. And I don't think your Coast Guard worried about how many tax payer dollars they spent. I think the got big ones.

If the CG tower is 200 feet high add your 33 feet and its 18 nms to the horizon. But by that time even VHF can bend a bit so it's longer.

If the CG tower is on a hill so it's 433 feet then that's 25 nms

But my AIS picks digital up regularly at 40nm and sometimes up to 100nms on a 53 ft mast

Anyone know how tall the CG towers are?


Mark

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by jameswilson29

Which model?

A Standard Horizon HX851 and a McMurdo Fastfind 210 will cost you about $500 together.

[CarbonSink62]

Thanks again to all for the info; I had her buy me a Standard Horizon GX2150 VHF;

a Garmin GPS is now on my wishlist;

I'll feel much better about using my Netbook as my chartplotter knowing that my VHF is an 'always on' backup GPS.

If I get mowed down by a merchant ship, I won't have time to press the big red button. I'll learn to live with that.

Ken

[MarkSF]

Are you aware that the GPS, AIS, and DSC features on the GX2150 rely on a GPS being connected via NMEA 0183?

The VHF does not work as a backup GPS because it has no GPS. It uses position data from another device (like your Garmin)

[CarbonSink62]

Yes. I will buy a Garmin 18x GPS and hardwire it to the VHF (I see now that this wasn't clear in my post). It should serve as a backup GPS if I program a waypoint for the harbor entrance and maybe my mooring. Even without that, it will deliver latt & long; I always have paper charts.

I worry about being over reliant on the netbook because, well, Windows.

The VHF will also give me SOG and COG; I'll have to put on my glasses to see it...

[IslanderGuy]

This is one thing I just don't understand. You can get VHF with AIS, but needs a GPS attached, you can get VFH with GPS, but no AIS, but you can't get VFH with GPS AND AIS? I've looked all over, but haven't found one yet.

My phone has GPS, my Camera has GPS, but they can't stick a GPS chip in a VFH along side the AIS hardware... just seems silly.

While I'm ranting why does an AIS transmitter cost so much money? It's just a digital VHF signal, like DSC isn't it? You can receive and display AIS on a <$300 dallor device that can send digital VFH signals, and has your GPS position (fed in from another GPS cause it won't fit in the VHF with the AIS chip) but to send that GPS signal out over the digital VFH airwaves is going to cost you another $700 for a transponder? Seems like a crock to me. I guess it's all still new enough they need to recover the research costs, and as time goes on, they'll likely get more integrated, perhaps I'm just to impatient.

But seriously, if anyone knows why this is I'd be very interested in a technical answer.

[CarbonSink62]

I think the first question is easily answered; the VHF needs input from a GPS to do its job (range to this; bearing to that; etc). Since the radio lives below deck it will need a GPS antenna in addition to the GPS 'chip'. Since most boats already have the GPS data available, the manufacturers don't bother to include any GPS functionality with the radio. Most likely the extra circuitry would be wasted when the skipper hooks up his existing chartplotter (via NMEA 0183).

It's a guess, but I think it's a good one.

Ken

[downeast450]

Originally Posted by chef2sail

You can have both PLB and VHF w dsc for 700 who says you have to chose.

Those of you who boat in colder waters than I do most of the time, do you all carry liferafts?

Question, when you cruise Maine do you all have liferafts? Do you have survival or imersion suits?
Do you have anything special in the raft to keep you warm?

Dave

Dave,

The reality of most coastal Maine "cruising" is extended day sailing. It is also true that most boats enjoying our beautiful coast do not have life rafts. A typical day's sail can easily get far enough from shore to be out of sight of land. That and or darkness / fog / storm conditions coupled with frigid water temperatures put the small boats in a critical rescue time zone regardless of how far from land they are.

All of the safety gear being discussed here deserve careful consideration. Some are not optional. VHF radios, both fixed and hand held should be aboard any boat that leaves the dock. DSC should be a minimum for the fixed radio. One without it should be a "spare". PLBs are an amazing bit of technology. I am looking for a source of the Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB to add to Christmas stockings (mine and the Admiral's). Anyone know where I can buy a couple? We carry two immersion suits, hand held VHF's and individual PLBs. We tow an inflatable and the boat has radar etc. No AIS transmitter yet!

Immersion suits and PLBs should keep us alive long enough for the rescue and show them where to find us. If I had neither and had to make a decision that was within the OPs budget I would opt for the suits.

Down

[BarryL]

Originally Posted by IslanderGuy

This is one thing I just don't understand. You can get VHF with AIS, but needs a GPS attached, you can get VFH with GPS, but no AIS, but you can't get VFH with GPS AND AIS? I've looked all over, but haven't found one yet.

That's a great questions. Especially since once company, Standard Horizon, makes those combos.

DSC VHF radio with a GPS
Welcome to StandardHorizon.com
That model doesn't have the AIS receiver.

The AIS version doesn't have integrated GPS. It's not really a big deal because connecting the two is pretty simple. And now there are VHF radios with NMEA 2000 interfaces so it's really just plug and play.

Barry