Handheld VHF or Epirb

[Cdreamin]

I haven't been on here for a while.
My 26 yr old Daughter acquired her 100 ton license this year for the Great Lakes.
She has a seasonal job in Bayfield Wisconsin captaining mono hulls for a small Sailboat Charter company. I managed to get out with her a couple of times this year and am very impressed with her skill and knowledge. Proud Papa. She has been looking for employment all over the world to gain Ocean time to help advance her career.
I asked her about Xmas gifts for this year. She asked for either an Epirb or a handheld VHF so I'm asking for advice on which would be a better first choice and what brands to look at. She already has an inflatable PFD.

Thanks in advance, Greg

[Tin Tin]

1.Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) works on EPIB satellite rescue system so works virtually anywhere and will notify a land based station. 2.They do make a combo unit that is satellite and AIS radio transmitter so it will notify any vessels within range of a few miles. 3 A Hand held floating VHF with DSC will also alert close by vessels and of course can be used to communicate two ways. If it was my daughter I would get her a 2 and a 3 - covers all bases. One she wears around her neck the other on her belt.

[barnakiel]

A couple of nice things come to mind :


- at least one brand of handheld VHF is DSC capable (works as a DSC MOB device),
- an InReach device lets you both track, communicate and call rescue from these,
- an EPIRB PLB lets you call rescue, also from far offshore,
- an AIS PLB lets you call attention from the boats nearby that have AIS onboard.


So quite a choice.


If your daughter is willing to wear a handheld VHF on her jacket/harness at all times (as many professionals do) then a DSC capable handheld VHF has great functionality/price ratio. And nearly all boats have DSC radios today, so this device has great potential should at any time your daughter need to call assistance or attention.



If your daughter does not want to carry a handheld VHF on her, then an AIS PLB hidden inside the pfd is a nice thing too - assuming that many of local boats in your area have AIS onboard (this varies from country to country). (!) Probably even fewer inland.



As all these devices are $$ you probably want to ask your daughter, as a father can, what she sees best. Then give her just that. She sure will appreciate both your gift and your letting her chose.


b.

[sv_pelagia]

Just to be clear:
you would not likely give an EPIRB to your daughter, as these are registered to individual boats (and it seems she is on multiple boats)



As others have said, a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) is what you would look at for purposes similar to an EPIRB (although the small PLB is also made for wilderness activities such backpacking).

[donradcliffe]

She would get a lot more use out of the handheld.

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

If she doesn’t have one, a handheld VHF is way more useful and likely provide greater safety. PLB next year or perhaps a Garmin Inreach or equivalent.

[wholybee]

Usually an EPIRB is assigned to a boat, and maintained by the boat owner. A PLB is a small EPIRB like device meant to be worn on a person, instead of a boat. There is also an MOB device which is also worn on a person, but instead of transmitting to Satellites, transmits to nearby boats via AIS. And more recently, there is a combination PLB/MOB device.

I would recommend against an EPIRB as they should be part of whatever boat she is working on. But I would recommend the combo device, as it would be a good addition to a good inflatable PFD. They are not cheap, but a great device if she is looking for such a thing.

https://www.acrartex.com/products/re...ocator-beacon/

[svtickles]

I had an InReach last year only since we didn't get the MMSI license in time to get the epirb. Highly recommend the Garmin, especially since the monthly fee is no longer required for SOS.

Also have a portable VHF with GPS. Good to have but use rarely.

Also have the plb in my jacket (on the belt) for SOS via satellite. Good safety device in case I cannot reach the epirb, which we acquired this year for the boat.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by svtickles

the monthly fee is no longer required for SOS.

Is it not ?



I browsed some, could not find this info.


Could you possibly maybe point to Garmin's information on this ?


Asking as we have an InReach too.


thx in advance,
b.

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by svtickles

I had an InReach last year only since we didn't get the MMSI license in time to get the epirb. Highly recommend the Garmin, especially since the monthly fee is no longer required for SOS.

Also have a portable VHF with GPS. Good to have but use rarely.

Also have the plb in my jacket (on the belt) for SOS via satellite. Good safety device in case I cannot reach the epirb, which we acquired this year for the boat.

Sorry, This is not true.
You ABSOLUTELY need a subscription plan for SOS to work.
If it were my daughter i'd go with a MOB AIS Beacon like
a Sea Angel in the PFD AND a InReach
This my set up.
Your best chance of rescue is always from the boat you fell off
Boat goes belly up SOS on the Inreach
Plus you can chit chat via text

[Dockhead]

You really want all three things for ocean sailing:


1. AIS/DSC MOB beacon
2. PLB
3. Handheld VHF with DSC


If she has none of these and you have to choose only one, then 1. is the thing most likely to save her life.
You can combine the MOB beacon and the PLB, but that reduces the choice greatly, and increases the size to equal to two separate devices. I would stay separate there.
All three devices can be acquired for about a grand. And Black Friday is just around the corner . . .

[svtickles]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Is it not ?

Apologies. I misread the long email from Garmin. It's 9.99 per month now for SOS coverage. I was paying 18 before.

[slipaway]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Usually an EPIRB is assigned to a boat, and maintained by the boat owner. A PLB is a small EPIRB like device meant to be worn on a person, instead of a boat.
https://www.acrartex.com/products/re...ocator-beacon/

Agree. EPIRBs are always registered to a vessel and PLBs are always registered to a person. For someone who moves from boat to boat as in captaining, the PLB is what is needed. And because an EPIRB and a PLB are functionally the same, the PLB can be used on a vessel in distress the same as an EPIRB.

[slipaway]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

You really want all three things for ocean sailing:


1. AIS/DSC MOB beacon
2. PLB
3. Handheld VHF with DSC


If she has none of these and you have to choose only one, then 1. is the thing most likely to save her life.
You can combine the MOB beacon and the PLB, but that reduces the choice greatly, and increases the size to equal to two separate devices. I would stay separate there.
All three devices can be acquired for about a grand. And Black Friday is just around the corner . . .

Just a consideration. The AIS beacon will only "save a life" if there is a vessel within VHF-FM range that can receive the beacon's signal. The PLB on the other hand, uses the SARSAT system which will work anywhere. And all US PLBs contain a 121.5 homing signal that will allow SAR aircraft to home on the beacon. But, as mentioned, the relatively new combined PLB/AIS beacons are the way to go. They are more costly, but really are no larger then the individual beacons.

[cat34shamrock]

I recently bought a handheld vhf from amazon. A retevis rm22 and I'm impressed. See a better review on utube at Capible Cruiser Guides.