2024 EPIRB prices

[sepharad]

Am I wrong or has the price of an EPIRB increased between 50 and 100%?

I was hoping to get an ACR EPIRB GlobalFIX V4 and it has been replaced by V5 which is about $300 more.

I do not really want to spend $900 for a replacement for my old unit.

Suggested cost conscious alternatives for coastal cruising?

[5BTM]

400 Canadian pesos from binnacle.com

[pjShap]

The Personal Locator Beacon is not an exact alternative to an EPIRB. It's smaller and lighter, with less battery life. Ocean Signal's RescueME EPIRB1 has a 10-year battery storage life, 48-hour operating life, and lists for $600. Their rescueME PLB1 has 7-year battery storage life, 24-hour operating life, and lists for $350.

[rls8r]

The short answer is "yes" - EPIRB prices have risen since the ACR v4 was the current model.

On the other hand, the features of the various EPIRBs have also been expanded to include, among other things, Return Link Service and in some models, AIS broadcasting. For a good summary of the differences between the models see this comparison chart.

You can pick up an ACR v6 (which is close in functionality to your v4) for about $650 - $700 (and perhaps for even less at a boat show).