Father and his kids missing at sea

[transmitterdan]

EPIRBs are available for rent in the US. This family could have had one for the trip spending less than $100. Too many people are unaware of this great service BoatUS provides. Spread the word...please.

[transmitterdan]

For those who refuse to have an EPIRB out of fiscal (or other equally silly reasons) please consider the extra search time (not to mention cost) your "money saving decision" could entail. Whilst we have taxpayer funded search and rescue each of us should think long and hard about the selfish attitude laid bare by the refusal to have an EPIRB on board. Knowing the exact location of the boat or survivors greatly reduces the SAR resources required to find you.

[vjm]

I would appreciate it if everyone could manage to keep their comments polite and not personal.

Thanks.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

For those who refuse to have an EPIRB out of fiscal (or other equally silly reasons) please consider the extra search time (not to mention cost) your "money saving decision" could entail. Whilst we have taxpayer funded search and rescue each of us should think long and hard about the selfish attitude laid bare by the refusal to have an EPIRB on board. Knowing the exact location of the boat or survivors greatly reduces the SAR resources required to find you.

Gosh!

[powsmias]

Officials Identify Men Killed After Boat Capsizes Off Catalina Island | KTLA

[tuffr2]

What equipment do you need to receive these signals? Like if I were out there helping in a search.

Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[tuffr2]

Yikes...seven people in a really small boat not meant for the ocean. I have a 15' boat the capacity plate says 6 people or 900 lbs. My boat is a different boat if I have 2 people vs 4 people. With 7 people it would be extra low in the water with much less free board.



Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

What equipment do you need to receive these signals? Like if I were out there helping in a search.

Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

There is no consumer receiver that can receiver 406MHz EPIRB signals. They are received by satellite and relayed to ground stations. Also, some SAR aircraft have 406MHz receivers that can be used to locate the beacon when they get close.

Some 406MHz receivers emit a homing beacon signal on 121.5MHz which is an international emergency locator frequency. There may be companies still selling direction finding receivers on 121.5MHz but the reality is that a civilian will have a very difficult time receiving and locating with these.

One good idea is to have an AIS system that can receive distress alerts from other craft. AIS messages include the GPS coordinates of the vessel in distress making it much easier to find them.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

For those who refuse to have an EPIRB out of fiscal (or other equally silly reasons) please consider the extra search time (not to mention cost) your "money saving decision" could entail. Whilst we have taxpayer funded search and rescue each of us should think long and hard about the selfish attitude laid bare by the refusal to have an EPIRB on board. Knowing the exact location of the boat or survivors greatly reduces the SAR resources required to find you.

While I agree about the general concept of why $200 (with rebate) PLBs are great and that it may become mandatory like other places...

Do you know if the USCG budget for SAR has changed in the last 10 years or so?

Because if not, it was always budgeted for as far back as the 1980's. Didn't matter if the case lasted 10 minutes or 10 days...the costs were balance with other mission categories...which over a year was pretty easy.

So that money is going to get spent whether flying on a SAR case, or another training flight, or longer fisheries missions...etc..etc..


But ultimately, lessening search times is usually a good thing...

[zeehag]

100 usd can be a dividing line between success and failure. it can be the dividing line between surviving and starving. it is a LOT of money.
making mandatory stuff on a boat is giving more control to a government over something we do to get away from being so strictly governed.
please
did epirb actually help aegean? cheeky rafiki???
why would it save john brokeass?? all it does is give nanny the secure feeling not felt by the indivdual knowingly setting out on a hailmary death march to repairville misadventure.
and , as he was on one of these runs for repair, why the HELL would he be seen as having enough money for an epirb, when he was prolly counting pennies for the run to the repair yards. food first. and water to drink.
i know
a radio with good range would have helped. but......
no, he was not and wont be the only ever on this planet sailor setting out without adequate vhf.
hell i think we didnt have vhf the entire time we were learning to sail my uncle´s engineless and electricity free boat on a busy waterway. was a raceabout. still is a raceabout.
**** happens. we donot make it out of here alive.
we also fukup.
not a single one of us is perfect.nor immortal.
could perhaps his choice of using open gom be due to the fact the outboard engine may have been unreliable and icw is a bitch to sail, as winds are blocked and eddy nicely for going no where??? yes i have been there sailing in that location.
and six foot seas and growing is a bad situation in gom. btdt. experienced fear. returned to port we sailed out from, ft myers beach, next to sanibel island. can be wicked FAST there. i have sailed both sides sanibel island.
r i p lil family.
have they found the boys yet?

[a64pilot]

I just came off of vacation and apologize if this has already been discussed as I have not read every post, we were out there in the area where they went down sailing to Venice from Key West, on the day they went down.
It was uncomfortable, I furled the Genoa and took a deep reef on the main, leaving the Staysail up and slept, leaving the wife and Daughter to stand watches, it wasn't weather that worried me enough to keep me from sleeping, nor bad enough to keep me from sleeping.
It wasn't weather that should sink a boat, it was exactly the weather that had been forecasted, CG did keep repeating weather was bad on 16 and all boats should seek shelter immediately, hours before the weather got bad too. Of course you would have to have had a radio to receive the warnings.

I'm afraid their boat may not have been all that sea worthy, nor the crew prepared.

On my trip, I was astonished at the number of ill equipped boats that were crewed by people that apparently had no idea at all of what they were doing.
I consider myself a newby, someone who really doesn't have much knowledge or experience, but many people I met I think had essentially no experience at all, just bought a boat down South and moved aboard, hoping I guess for the best.

I pulled a couple of small boats with my Dinghy off a grounding in Garrison Bight, nice people, but the condition of those boats, their ground tackle etc., they weren't at all prepared for a squall at anchor, much less any kind of storm.

[Davy J]

making mandatory stuff on a boat is giving more control to a government over something we do to get away from being so strictly governed.

While I agree with this statement, the flip side of the coin is, it is the actual government you are asking to pick you up and be rescued...........

For example, EPIRB sales might increase, if say, the CG instituted a policy of which they would only launch a SAR if there is a PLB or EPIRB. If not, SOL.........

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Davy J

While I agree with this statement, the flip side of the coin is, it is the actual government you are asking to pick you up and be rescued...........

For example, EPIRB sales might increase, if say, the CG instituted a policy of which they would only launch a SAR if there is a PLB or EPIRB. If not, SOL.........

A little different than when they stopped towing idiots out of fuel. They still responded and arranged for a tow boat co. at the owner expense. I can't see not responding to a May Day? You don't have an EPIRB tough ****?

[vjm]

Originally Posted by Davy J

For example, EPIRB sales might increase, if say, the CG instituted a policy of which they would only launch a SAR if there is a PLB or EPIRB. If not, SOL.........

Now that is a policy I can endorse.

[vjm]

Originally Posted by Cadence

A little different than when they stopped towing idiots out of fuel. They still responded and arranged for a tow boat co. at the owner expense. I can't see not responding to a May Day? You don't have an EPIRB tough ****?

Why can't they respond to mayday calls, but not to reports that someone without an EPIRB is missing/late?

In the first case, someone is asking for help. In the second case I think that person has made it clear they don't want SAR help.