How Many EPIRBS and Liferafts Ever Save Lives ?

[Catamount]

Originally Posted by catty

I for one wonder weather one can still rely on an EPIRB to bring the required results in some areas of the world. Maybe an extra bige pump or a little experience might be a better investment.

In some areas of the world, it's never been clear that you could rely on an EPIRB to bring the required results!

[boatman61]

Ohhhhhhh..... my head hurts... Good morning CF.....
Wheres the Paracetamol....

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ohhhhhhh..... my head hurts... Good morning CF.....
Wheres the Paracetamol....

A man of your age staying out to the small hours in that state........you should be ashamed of yourself

Hopefully

[zeehag]

boaty--you are as old as i am--whatye doin stayin out so late-- was she relly that goooood looking???/ BEFORE the booze????? or wwre ye testing epirbs?? and life rafts......

roflmfao.....

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by zeehag

boaty--you are as old as i am--whatye doin stayin out so late-- was she relly that goooood looking???/ BEFORE the booze????? or wwre ye testing epirbs?? and life rafts......

roflmfao.....

ROFL.... no it was the 'Post Wedding Celebration'.... the toasts got a bit out of hand....
We were talking boats as well.... and I've remembered...
Princess Annes boat was called 'Bloodhound'... actually it was 'The Family's' boat but she was often seen on her in the Solent area.... always link the two somehow since...

[zeehag]

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by zeehag

boaty--you are as old as i am--whatye doin stayin out so late-- was she relly that goooood looking???/ BEFORE the booze????? or wwre ye testing epirbs?? and life rafts......

roflmfao.....

Thats close enough to my philosophy on life raft...a few to many beers and you absolutly need a life raft for that sea godess you picked up at the local bar...then when sober!!
in a life threatening situation you wish yous hade none...
however if on the hook in paradise dump her in the raft and the heck with it...then you say (again)these words of wisdome...done with the drinking.

[GordMay]

Royal Yacht (1962 - 1969) “Bloodhound”
➥

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

......... I notice an astonishingly large number of the events were in Australian waters.

Given that australian waters, for the purposes of International maritime rescue control responsibility encompasses 10 % of the globe, not suprising really. Think Tony Bullimore and the like. Should send a bill to the UK government

But the Aussie gov has decreed that all boats leaving the immediate inshore waters MUST carry an EPIRB. And lo, lots of callouts follow. Not too surprising, really.

Very minor point but its not the australian government its various state governments, currently - 2 mile outside protected/partially protected waters is the Qld law.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by catty

I'm not sure who you are referring to here.
Setting off EPIRBS in non threatening situations has become so common that some authorities are now sceptical that an emergency situation actually exists.

The acronym EPIRB is locally known in the Torres straits as "Empty petrol I require Boat". See report into tragedy here>>>> http://www.courts.qld.gov.au/MaluSara20080212.pdf

paying special attention to...
Sergeant Flegg’s attitude was coloured by his perception that people in the Torres Strait habitually activate EPIRBs when they are inconvenienced rather than in peril.
Sergeant Flegg gave evidence he was familiar with a corruption of the acronym used by the authorities in the Torres Strait for an activated EPIRB, to the effect – "Empty Petrol I Require Boat".

I for one wonder weather one can still rely on an EPIRB to bring the required results in some areas of the world. Maybe an extra bige pump or a little experience might be a better investment.

Regards.

Really dont think you can reasonably extrapolate an entire country's behaviour based on the observations of one demonstrably incompetent copper.

[Tan Anu]

Originally Posted by Factor

Really dont think you can reasonably extrapolate an entire country's behaviour based on the observations of one demonstrably incompetent copper.

I'm an Air Traffic Control supervisor in Brisbane Centre and we regularly relay EPIRB reports received by aircraft to AusSar for further action, we also assist them in obtaining airborne reports following satellite detections. Our traffic extends through the NSw coast north to Torres Strait the Gulf Timor Sea and west as well as out over the Tasman and Coral Seas and Pacific Ocean to beyond Nauru. All reports are passed on for evaluation promptly and many have been instrumental in saving lives. Whilst it't true we get some false alarms (trailer boats can dislodge their beacons during road transport) all are taken seriously. EPIRBs are also used by aircraft as well as bushwalkers and marine users

Regard
Tan Anu

[goboatingnow]

die thread die

Dave

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

die thread die

Dave

Or just unsubscribe.

[kolya]

I've never used mine, but I've always felt they make their own argument, if for whatever reason your boat goes down you'll be glad to have a second option, this is doubly so with small aircraft.

[Cormorant]

Here's a PLB that saved a few lives:

Boaters saved near Bahamas 'cold and hungry, but in good health'

[...]

"This was a family trip," Lynn Mandigo said this morning. "My husband went to bed Saturday night, and everything was completely dry. By the time the boys woke him up water was filling the boat."
They couldn't bail fast enough and the boat's engine and bilge pump wouldn't turn on, she said.
They had enough time to don life jackets, grab a flashlight, a cooler for extra flotation, and turn on a personal locator beacon, Mandigo said. Once in the water, they knew they had to move away from the boat, which was carrying fishing bait.
"They floated all night," Mandigo said. "I didn't know about it until the Coast Guard picked them up in the morning."
The U.S. Coast Guard in Miami heard the PLB signal and began a search by air and eventually found the three "clinging to a water cooler." Seas overnight had swells of 2 to 3 feet, Coast Guard officials told Lynn Mandigo.
"All three were cold and hungry, but in good health," the Coast Guard reported Sunday morning. By 12:30 p.m. Sunday, the boaters were back on land at the Coast Guard Station in Fort Pierce.
"These boaters survived a potentially fatal accident because they were prepared," said Capt. Chris Scraba, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami.
"They immediately donned life jackets, which allowed them to stay afloat until they were rescued, and they activated their PLB, which provided the Coast Guard precise location information," Scraba said.