Father and his kids missing at sea

[sailingfarmer]

If I remember... EPIRBs were designed for blue water/trans-ocean usage hence the satellite connection.... VHF was fine for coastal use.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by sailingfarmer

Rustic...at best and I am sure you know... an EPIRB only lasts 24 to 48 hours with fully charged batteries. In the case of coastal cruising... A VHF can las just as long while not continuously transmitting if not much longer.... a VHF contact has to be within 20 miles maximum when contacted. even at 5 kts. that's a few hours to the rescue...remember a VHS with AIS when it comes to location... Next time you go coastal cruising I suggest you grab your VHF handheld first THEN your EPIRB... just my simple thought on priorities.

It lasts that long in the arctic....

I found one a week after initial activation and when we pulled it up...the battery was dangling from the wires as the bottom had been knocked off at some point.

Took a week to find it because it was the old style without GPS and the antenna had been broken too, thus not easy to home in on.

After 20 years of SAR, neither can really be called better. They compliment each other. Different tools for different ways to the same end.

If I had the choice of one or the other, EPIRB/PLB every time hands down.

[gulfbreez]

Originally Posted by navysurfer

So Sad, A few months ago they were lowering the mast on the boat, i went over to help, nice dad, the kids were great.

Water is very warm, still hope.

I grew up here in Sarasota, the gulf is deceiving it does get ruff quick and its the slop chop as we call it that pounds the boat.

Prayers are with the family,

Also use to boat in those waters, and true the gulf gets a slop chop. In 1998 me, my father, and 3 other crew went out on a fishing tournament, I would say it was 7 foot seas in 7 sec period. going back north we were surfing the whole time, not fun. But our 24 ft aquasport didn't get a drop of water in it. Im curious to what type of boat they were sailing?

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by gulfbreez

.............we were surfing the whole time, not fun. But our 24 ft aquasport didn't get a drop of water in it.

Following seas in a powerboat are typically dry. Had you been pounding into a head sea it would have been a completely different and very, very wet story.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by psneeld

If I had the choice of one or the other, EPIRB/PLB every time hands down.

This rescue just makes the florida incident even sadder

WATCH: EPIRB Leads to Successful Rescue of Four Off South Carolina - gCaptain

[J Clark H356]

This is what a prepared boat has and the entire event was professionally handled on both sides. They had cell phone, and PLB. Didn't see a hand held VHF, but they may have had one that was not visible. What a shame the family didn't have the same assets. Also, the weather wasn't anywhere near as severe as the family encountered, but even had the weather been 6 foot waves with 30 knots of wind these guys had a much better chance of survival.


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[Davy J]

That video is pretty powerful evidence of the value of this $200-300.00 device............

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Davy J

That video is pretty powerful evidence of the value of this $200-300.00 device............

Yep and so do the stats. Over 20 000 people saved (up to 2009) since the Copsas-Sarsat system installed.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Yep and so do the stats. Over 20 000 people saved (up to 2009) since the Copsas-Sarsat system installed.

The ACR video I saw recently said 30,000 lives saved. Easy to imagine a big increase as the prices have fallen, PLBs have become popular, and the awareness of the rescues has been made more popipular via social media etc.

Either way, that is a lot of lives saved.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

The ACR video I saw recently said 30,000 lives saved. Easy to imagine a big increase as the prices have fallen, PLBs have become popular, and the awareness of the rescues has been made more popipular via social media etc.

Either way, that is a lot of lives saved.

Those numbers would suggest that prior to having these systems we were loosing 30,000 people....? Thats a very large number

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

The ACR video I saw recently said 30,000 lives saved. Easy to imagine a big increase as the prices have fallen, PLBs have become popular, and the awareness of the rescues has been made more popipular via social media etc.

Either way, that is a lot of lives saved.

Yeah, I initially typed 30 000 as that's what I thought I'd read, but then couldn't find the link if it was challenged, so went with the 2009 stats.

either way, it's a lot of souls.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Those numbers would suggest that prior to having these systems we were loosing 30,000 people....? Thats a very large number

No, what it means is that there were a lot of 'incidents'.

A lot of those people would have been rescued by other means in the past.

But, regardless, it's a lot of people rescued by the system which proves it's worth.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

No, what it means is that there were a lot of 'incidents'.

A lot of those people would have been rescued by other means in the past.

But, regardless, it's a lot of people rescued by the system which proves it's worth.

Thanks RC, I knew that everyone likes to embellish the numbers unbelievable as they are but I'm all in favor of of the worlds best marine safety system.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Thanks RC, I knew that everyone likes to embellish the numbers unbelievable as they are but I'm all in favor of of the worlds best marine safety system.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Thanks RC, I knew that everyone likes to embellish the numbers unbelievable as they are but I'm all in favor of of the worlds best marine safety system.

While the EPIRB is without doubt, a valuable tool, following a proactive pm program is more valuable.

Add that to patience, prudence and energy being above the last resort of the EPIRB on the safety scale.