Solo Sailing: PLB or EPIRB?

[thinwater]

If you sail out of somewhere around Annapolis/Deale (I like in Vienna, VA) and just plan on a trip around the Delmarva, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Just be careful. Tether up when needed and don't go out in bad weather.

I sail solo most of the time, and this time of year a PLB would only help you if you are in a dry suit (hypothermia will get you first). I doubt a PFD would help much either. Jacklines when needed and move carefully.

Some stuff about Delmarva trips (about 6 of them).

Sail Delmarva: Search results for delmarva

[Dr. D]

Thanks all for the great input!

[Lingberg]

For us, an MOB1 PLB in each life jacket. Notifies boats of MOB via AIS. But we are not solo and rarely outside of AIS range of other vessels.

We also carry an InReach. Some disadvantages vs. an EPIRB, but works for us RE: cost, messaging and tracking capabilities, while still providing emergency response. Plus, it’s portable. As to cost, the subscription can be turned on and off with the sailing season.

[thomm225]

It appears the Coast Guard VHF antenna at Cape Henry is at the top of the 164' Cape Henry Light Tower which gives them quite a long range maybe 40 miles or more for TX and Rx.

The Harbor Pilots have a tall tower also so your VHF radio would probably be heard by them even if you were 30-40 miles out.

Plus there is lots of traffic in that area that would probably hear a May Day from a VHF in the lower Chesapeake Bay extending out 30-40 miles or more

Plus the Navy flies helicopters regularly straight out toward the East on most days repeatedly for training

Also sometimes they (the H53's) are pulling the mine sweeping sleds in the lower Chesapeake Bay.

Good luck dodging them.

I've sailed around them 3-4 times but they seem to come your way no matter where you go as they are covering a certain area.

[Timlich]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

This season (well, maybe the season,....) I hope to get out of the Chesapeake Bay and out on the Atlantic, going beyond cell coverage. I have neither a PLB nor EPIRB. I plan to be tethered most of the time, so going over the side is not my major concern, though it should always be a concern.

OK, as I plan for most of this sailing to be solo, which equipment would cover me for most situations?

I sail both solo and with my partner. We carry an EPIRB and we also have PLB’s fitted to our life jackets. I sail coastal as well as ocean passages. We also tether to the boat - always on nightwatches and/or when out of the cockpit and ALWAYS when I’m solo. Tethering is controversial for the simple reason that if you go over the side tethered, it’s very difficult to get back onboard if the boat is underway but I know I’d rather have that slim chance rather than watch my boat sail away from me. (There’s excellent research and articles online about the ‘best’ methods for tethering) EPIRBs and PLBs alone won’t save your life especially if you’re in the middle of the Atlantic but they are ‘first point of connection’ to a potential rescue/recovery procedure and again, I’d rather be attached to something rather than nothing. The point I’m making is there is nothing that will guarantee total safety but the more measures you take to mitigate the risk of disaster, the further away from actual disaster you hopefully will find yourself. My onboard motto is always - “Safety First”

[boatman61]

I carry a Spot3, if I have to bail I hit the emergency button and this sends a general alert plus messages to 5 contacts saying "Mayday, Soccoro, Ajuda Mi" and a request to contact the rescue services (RNLI, Portugal, Spain etc) and alert them and pass on the link that tracks my position.
Advantage is the batteries can be replaced so a 12pack will keep me transmitting for around 300hrs continuously or any multiples of that if I just transmit for 1hour in every 4hrs.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

This season (well, maybe the season,....) I hope to get out of the Chesapeake Bay and out on the Atlantic, going beyond cell coverage. I have neither a PLB nor EPIRB. I plan to be tethered most of the time, so going over the side is not my major concern, though it should always be a concern.

OK, as I plan for most of this sailing to be solo, which equipment would cover me for most situations?

Since you will be offshore, solo, and always tethered get an EPIRB.

If you feel insecure about being solo offshore then get a PLB.

Having both covers all bases but doesn't guarantee anything you do that may be stupid. Check the weather forecast, be alert, and enjoy yourself.

Good Luck.

[sv_pelagia]

FYI...

ZOLEO "SOS" to use Global Rescue

https://www.zoleo.com/en-ca/newsroom...de-partnership

Toronto, Canada February 13, 2023 — (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today ZOLEO Inc., an award-winning global messaging company, and The Global Rescue Companies, the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation, and travel risk management services, announced a partnership through which Global Rescue will provide 24/7 emergency response coordination services for ZOLEO[emoji2400] subscribers globally. The partnership will provide ZOLEO subscribers with access to the award-winning emergency response and dispatch capabilities of Global Rescue, ensuring their ability to obtain help in an emergency....

Global Rescue provides emergency rescue, medical evacuation and more through its team of medical and security experts staffed by veteran military special forces, paramedics and physicians. “When ZOLEO users need emergency assistance, they will get immediate 24/7/365 access to our team that is expertly trained in emergency response and crisis coordination,” says Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue and member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce. “Global Rescue personnel are among the world’s most skilled medical and security professionals, led by military intelligence and special operations veterans. We look forward to delivering unparalleled monitoring and dispatch services to ZOLEO users whenever and wherever they need it.”

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

FYI...

ZOLEO "SOS" to use Global Rescue

https://www.zoleo.com/en-ca/newsroom...de-partnership

Toronto, Canada February 13, 2023 — (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today ZOLEO Inc., an award-winning global messaging company, and The Global Rescue Companies, the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation, and travel risk management services, announced a partnership through which Global Rescue will provide 24/7 emergency response coordination services for ZOLEO[emoji2400] subscribers globally. The partnership will provide ZOLEO subscribers with access to the award-winning emergency response and dispatch capabilities of Global Rescue, ensuring their ability to obtain help in an emergency....

Global Rescue provides emergency rescue, medical evacuation and more through its team of medical and security experts staffed by veteran military special forces, paramedics and physicians. “When ZOLEO users need emergency assistance, they will get immediate 24/7/365 access to our team that is expertly trained in emergency response and crisis coordination,” says Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue and member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce. “Global Rescue personnel are among the world’s most skilled medical and security professionals, led by military intelligence and special operations veterans. We look forward to delivering unparalleled monitoring and dispatch services to ZOLEO users whenever and wherever they need it.”

Sounds like a Globestar Spot clone..
https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/abo...t/company-info

[jalmberg]

For coastal cruising, I’d forget both and put the money into making the boat safer. As long as you keep the boat afloat, you won’t need S&R, and sailing coastal, your masthead VHF antenna and 25 watt signal will give you the reach you need for help. Don’t depend on a handheld vhf at sea. They don’t have the range. Good luck!

[CarlF]

An issue with PLB’s and EPIRBS is that you are declaring a Mayday. This is the highest level of distress call — to be used only when lives are at risk. The lower level PAN is what you want to declare for less severe situations like engine breakdown. While you can call PAN on the VHF, there’s no PAN button on a. EPIRB.

The CG’s response to a Mayday is focused on saving lives not boats. If the CG sends a helicopter, you will be taken off your boat and it will be set adrift. Your boat is then likely be towed in by a salvor who will charge your insurance company tens of thousands of dollars for the salvage.

Obviously this is better than losing your life but not something you want to do if the situation is less dire - as it usually is.

The InReach allows a two way communication so you can say what the problem is. Is it a medical emergency? Overdue? Out of fuel? Contact your family so they don’t worry?

And you can also use it to tell the CG that you are in a difficult situation but are not yet declaring an emergency. They will set up a watch where they contact you once an hour. If you ever miss an hourly contact, a rescue is launched immediately.

A typical EPIRB or PLB rescue takes up to two hours to launch because the CG first telephones the contacts in the EPIRB database to make sure it isn’t a false alarm. 95% of EPIRB activations are false alarms so the CG doesn’t want to risk first responder lives is a needless and expensive rescue attempt. With the InReach they can confirm it’s not a false alarm just by texting you back for more details.

Best of all, with an InReach your family ashore doesn’t worry as much. They can see where you are in a map at all times. And they know they can always send you a message on the InReach asking how you are doing. My wife would never let me go offshore without the InReach.

I do also carry an EPIRB too (actually a PLB) as a backup. The 48 hour battery in an EPIRB is not necessary. The CG has a fix on you within 10 minutes and can track your drift even if the signal stops. I wear the PLB for MOB purposes since the InReach is a bit big to wear. I always want redundancy. Electronic equipment doesn’t always work.

I also have AIS MOBs. These are a much better MOB solution in coastal waters where there are plenty of AIS equipped boats nearby. I saw one go off in Maine (false alarm). I was 8 miles away and my chartplotter let out a loud alarm and an icon of a drowning man started flashing on the screen. Within a few minutes there were at least six boats headed that way and talking to the CG on Ch16. This included a CG RIB, SeaTow, two harbor masters, and several fishermen in fast boats.

[Sailor Sailor]

I do the kind of sailing you are contemplating. I carried a PLB when I was solo, and towed a dinghy. Now that I sail with my son, I have an EPIRB, PLB, coastal liferaft, portable VHF with AIS, automatic strobe lights, para-anchor, drogue, and an emergency high capacity manual bilge pump. I still tow a dinghy. I have jacklines and we usually clip in at night or in rougher weather. I feel comfortable with the whole current set up, and would recommend it for peace of mind.

There are parts of the Delmarva coast that are somewhat remote. Even if you managed to swim ashore, you would be in trouble for awhile. VHF coverage is fairly good if you stay within 10 n.m. of the shore.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Sounds like a Globestar Spot clone..

https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/abo...t/company-info

Actually, Global Rescue is a very well-known and respected company, around since 2004. Well-known for its global rescue service.

Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services for companies, government agencies, NGOs and individuals since our founding in 2004.

https://www.globalrescue.com/about-us/

[wholybee]

The only technical difference between a PLB and an EPIRB is the battery. A PLB only lasts 24 hours, making it smaller so you can keep it on your vest. The EPIRP the battery lasts at least 48 hours, but is larger so it goes in a grab bag or raft.

That said, if you are inland or near coastal where rescue is only hours away the PLB will last plenty long and can always be on your person. If you will always be withing VHF range of the coast guard and other boats, then an AIS/DSC device might provide an even faster response.

If you leave the Chesapeake and get into the ocean, you really should have both an EPIRB and PLB if you are solo.

I also echo Mal Reynolds with jack line advice. If you go over the lifelines while clipped in, you are as good as dead, but your body will stay attached to the boat. It needs to be impossible for you to go over. The common configuration of running them from a stern cleat to a bow cleat along the rail is not acceptable. My jacklines cross at the mast. Get the shortest possible tether, which will still be far too long. I wish 1' tethers were available because that is about the perfect length.

[Plumbean]

Originally Posted by Lingberg

For us, an MOB1 PLB in each life jacket. Notifies boats of MOB via AIS. But we are not solo and rarely outside of AIS range of other vessels.

We also carry an InReach. Some disadvantages vs. an EPIRB, but works for us RE: cost, messaging and tracking capabilities, while still providing emergency response. Plus, it’s portable. As to cost, the subscription can be turned on and off with the sailing season.

Just to be clear, the MOB1 is NOT a PLB. It does not send any satellite signals. It provides an AIS alert and also sends out a DSC alert. In the US, that DSC alert is limited to the mother ship only (and you have to program in the MMSI of the mother ship). It does not send an all ships DSC distress signal.

I am currently deciding between an MOB1 and the newer PLBs that were just announced that include AIS capability. While the DSC feature of the MOB1 is a nice add on, the fact that in the US it is limited to calling a single ship makes it much less useful to me. I will either be solo or on a fully crewed race boat, and if the latter I expect someone else will know right away that I have gone overboard. So even though I have a Garmin InReach Mini, meaning I have other satellite coms that will likely be on my person, if I get the PLB with AIS it will be installed in my PFD and I will know that I will have it on me.

If I need rescue, I suspect that AIS will be the most likely way I get rescued, as I don't expect to spend too much time far offshore. DSC would be nice, but if AIS isn't solving the situation then the satellite beacon is probably my next best bet.