Annapolis Boat Show - Deals on EPIRBs?

[MondayNever]

Hi all,
I am considering stopping by the Annapolis show for a day before my wife and I fly down to Tortola to begin cruising on our new-to-us boat. We need to buy an EPIRB and I'm wondering whether it makes sense to buy online or wait until the boat show. Are there typically deals to be had from electronics vendors? If so, are the discounts significant?

Thanks!

- Will

[radar_x]

I always find deals at boat shows to be hit or miss.

With electronics though, I almost always find better deals online. Have you checked out amazon? Seems like quite a few epirbs on there: http://amzn.to/1NXmKrK

LOVE the blog btw!

[4arch]

I don’t remember vendors having EPIRBs (or really any electronics other than maybe a PLB or handheld VHF) for cash and carry at the Annapolis show anytime recently. I've not been impressed with the electronics “deals” at the show anyway. There will probably be some upcoming Labor Day sales at online vendors that will beat any deal you'll get at the show. Shop around.

Also when you register your EPIRB with NOAA you might as well do it when you’ll still have a US mailing address to receive the registration sticker. It usually only takes a couple of weeks.

[MondayNever]

Thanks for looking at the blog! Lots more photos and stories to follow.

Thanks for the feedback on the shows. I'm guessing that the discount would have to be >25% to beat online pricing, so I suppose I'm not surprised about your experience.

Next question, then:

Does anyone know of any current sales on EPIRBs that can beat the ~$400 I'm seeing most places?

[avb3]

Originally Posted by MondayNever

Thanks for looking at the blog! Lots more photos and stories to follow.

Thanks for the feedback on the shows. I'm guessing that the discount would have to be >25% to beat online pricing, so I suppose I'm not surprised about your experience.

Next question, then:

Does anyone know of any current sales on EPIRBs that can beat the ~$400 I'm seeing most places?

$400 is cheap. That's about 1/2 price from a couple of years ago. Don't even think about stalling, just buy it. It's your safety.

[TheOffice]

Defender will have an online sale about that time. No need to travel.

[MondayNever]

Originally Posted by 4arch

I don’t remember vendors having EPIRBs (or really any electronics other than maybe a PLB or handheld VHF) for cash and carry at the Annapolis show anytime recently. I've not been impressed with the electronics “deals” at the show anyway. There will probably be some upcoming Labor Day sales at online vendors that will beat any deal you'll get at the show. Shop around.

Also when you register your EPIRB with NOAA you might as well do it when you’ll still have a US mailing address to receive the registration sticker. It usually only takes a couple of weeks.

Labor Day sales are a great idea. I also hadn't considered the wait time on a registration sticker. Thanks!

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by TheOffice

Defender will have an online sale about that time. No need to travel.

This is what I do, many vendors will have boat show pricing, online.

But then, I've never been to a boat show, I know better

[bletso]

I have found the only good thing about the boat show is the hands on displays of new products, or existing ones. As mentioned the sales are really hit and miss. You get to see a lot of the competitors equipment and can compare features and then go on line for the dealer with the best price. I find it easier to sort out the hype from manufacturers than recommendations from dealers who push what they have the best margins on. Yes, I am cynical, you get that way as you age.

[MondayNever]

Originally Posted by bletso

I have found the only good thing about the boat show is the hands on displays of new products, or existing ones. As mentioned the sales are really hit and miss. You get to see a lot of the competitors equipment and can compare features and then go on line for the dealer with the best price. I find it easier to sort out the hype from manufacturers than recommendations from dealers who push what they have the best margins on. Yes, I am cynical, you get that way as you age.

I get the benefit of being able to handle competing products prior to purchase. With an EPIRB, though, I only care that the "oh s**t" button works. So thanks for all the advice fellas, labor day sale it is.

[travellerw]

Let me show you a little math to take the sting out of the price..

$500 (average EPIRB price)

Life of an EPIRB is 5 years (based on warranty) so $500/5 = $100/year. $100/12 months = $8.33/Month.

Seriously.. $8.33 per month.. Frankly I have no idea why we still hear of boats without them.

[Colin A]

Defender usually has some sort of sale in Sept for Newport boat show (with online deals) Not sure if they will have EPIRB's on sale thou.

[CarlF]

Defender is sure to have a great deal between for Labor Day, Newport, or Annapolis. The Defender sales will also start several days before the show so you can order it and have it shipped before you leave. If you buy something at the show, you pay sales tax which is likely to be more than the cost of shipping.

Do you have a 2nd offshore communications system (SSB, Satphone)? You should certainly have an EPIRB as it is the right tool if you are stepping up into a life raft. But an EPIRB is not so good for more common problems like engine failure, news of a family emergency ashore, or a crew member with a high fever.

For that, I carry a Delorme Inreach. It allows two way text message communications to a rescue center or to anyone with an email address. Costs $300 from Amazon and about $20/month for service (and only pay the months you want it available)

I always carry mine when I go offshore - on any boat. There are other good solutions but they are all much more expensive.

Amazon.com: DeLorme AG-009871-201 inReach SE: GPS & Navigation

[MondayNever]

Originally Posted by CarlF

Defender is sure to have a great deal between for Labor Day, Newport, or Annapolis. The Defender sales will also start several days before the show so you can order it and have it shipped before you leave. If you buy something at the show, you pay sales tax which is likely to be more than the cost of shipping.

Do you have a 2nd offshore communications system (SSB, Satphone)? You should certainly have an EPIRB as it is the right tool if you are stepping up into a life raft. But an EPIRB is not so good for more common problems like engine failure, news of a family emergency ashore, or a crew member with a high fever.

For that, I carry a Delorme Inreach. It allows two way text message communications to a rescue center or to anyone with an email address. Costs $300 from Amazon and about $20/month for service (and only pay the months you want it available)

I always carry mine when I go offshore - on any boat. There are other good solutions but they are all much more expensive.

Amazon.com: DeLorme AG-009871-201 inReach SE: GPS & Navigation

Hey Carl,
I've been contemplating a SPOT or InReach. Still trying to figure out cost/benefit. Most of the places we're visiting, we'll probably end up wanting to buy a sim card for our phones, so we'd have communications that way. We may end up wanting 3g data to put up blog posts, etc. However, if we're mainly relying on poaching wifi for the latter, perhaps an InReach with the text messaging feature would undermine the need for a cell phone.

I've spent 3 months at a time cruising in the Caribbean on a couple of other occasions and went the sim card route.

I'm pretty torn. Really don't want to dig into the curising budget for a tool that we may not need. Maybe I'll hold off for a while and if we feel like we're lacking, we can ask one of our friends to bring an InReach with them when they visit.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by MondayNever

Hey Carl,
I've been contemplating a SPOT or InReach. Still trying to figure out cost/benefit. Most of the places we're visiting, we'll probably end up wanting to buy a sim card for our phones, so we'd have communications that way. We may end up wanting 3g data to put up blog posts, etc. However, if we're mainly relying on poaching wifi for the latter, perhaps an InReach with the text messaging feature would undermine the need for a cell phone.

I've spent 3 months at a time cruising in the Caribbean on a couple of other occasions and went the sim card route.

I'm pretty torn. Really don't want to dig into the curising budget for a tool that we may not need. Maybe I'll hold off for a while and if we feel like we're lacking, we can ask one of our friends to bring an InReach with them when they visit.

If the poop hits the fan, you will want the EPIRB. Nothing else will work.

It seems inconceivable to me that anyone would go offshore without one. You can't buy cheaper insurance.

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