Dispatches Aug. 25
Aug. 25
PLB vs. EPIRB - which is right for you?
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| Bill Sisson, editor |
Several years ago I interviewed an angler who had fallen overboard on a nighttime run offshore and whose friends didn't notice he was missing for more than an hour. The unlucky boater struggled to stay afloat and alive for more than 12 hours until he was finally spotted the next morning by a couple who just happened to be cruising past. He wasn't wearing a life jacket, and he had no way of signaling for help.
Rescue done right
When the five crewmembers aboard the 58-foot fishing vessel Seafarer were forced to abandon ship shortly after midnight April 17, the men made several good decisions to increase their chances of being rescued. (See video.)
EPIRBs: ‘If you can float, we can find you’
The offshore fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico that took the lives of three football players earlier this year stands out as three deaths that could have been prevented if the vessel had been equipped with an EPIRB.
Register to be rescued
As federal officials continue a campaign to verify information in their emergency locator beacon database, some 40 owners or users of the devices say the identification codes on their units do not match those on file.
EPIRBs — a primer
Boaters who purchase an EPIRB can increase their chances of survival if they know how the device works and where it should be mounted on board.advertisement
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