PLB Saves Solo Sailor

[StuM]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-...itory/13031970
Solo sailor rescued after eight hours in rough seas off remote Northern Territory coastline

A man sailing alone in the Arafura Sea has been rescued in rough conditions eight hours after he was blown overboard from his 10-metre yacht.
The sailor was wearing a life jacket with a personal locator beacon (PLB) when he fell into the water after being knocked over by what he described as a "freak gust of wind" and could not make it back to the vessel before it drifted away.
The beacon on his PBL alerted the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), who advised water police in Darwin at approximately 9:30am yesterday of the destress signal, located 93 kilometres northeast from the remote Northern Territory town of Nhulunbuy.
...
The man was located by the AMSA aircraft 23 kilometres from his yacht ...

[skipmac]

Did not notice any mention in the article but assume this was an EPIRB type PLB vs an AIS type.

[Pandor]

Yea. I don't imagine that an AIS/DSC device would do much good for a solo sailor.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Pandor

Yea. I don't imagine that an AIS/DSC device would do much good for a solo sailor.

Probably would not be the best option for a solo to have the AIS version but theoretically the signal could be picked up by another boat in the area and relayed to the relevant SAR.

[Nani Kai]

Originally Posted by StuM

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-...itory/13031970
Solo sailor rescued after eight hours in rough seas off remote Northern Territory coastline

A man sailing alone in the Arafura Sea has been rescued in rough conditions eight hours after he was blown overboard from his 10-metre yacht.
The sailor was wearing a life jacket with a personal locator beacon (PLB) ....

Fantastic! Wonderful to know that he is safe and sound. It only takes one example like this to reconfirm my rationale in spending money on "what if" technology, an often debated topic here on CF. Thanks for posting this.

Aloha,
Nani Kai

[Franziska]

Great.

I do wonder why we are still missing combined EPIRB/GPS/AIS PLB's.
Seems logical to have all in one unit.
Heck maybe even with a simple channel 16 VHF built in too.

Use the GPS location for rough locating and than the AIS for close up locating.
Gives the boats around (if there are any) a chance to pick someone up quickly.

[SV Aquavit]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Probably would not be the best option for a solo to have the AIS version but theoretically the signal could be picked up by another boat in the area and relayed to the relevant SAR.

I've been looking at PLB options and concluded that a solo sailor needs both EPIRB and AIS/DSC devices. AIS/DSC could help if there are nearby vessels. EPIRB if there's a chance of surviving until you're found.


Thoughts?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by SV Aquavit

I've been looking at PLB options and concluded that a solo sailor needs both EPIRB and AIS/DSC devices. AIS/DSC could help if there are nearby vessels. EPIRB if there's a chance of surviving until you're found.


Thoughts?

Yep, I'd buy one. I have a PLB and I'd like to have that option, it makes a lot of sense. It enables more vessels, that may be closer to you, to be possible rescue vessels. The only thing is the ships receiving the AIS signal would have to be pretty darn close since it is a line-of-sight dependent item. However I could imagine that the Coast Guard could alert AIS equipped vessels nearby, giving them the GPS coordinates, to begin the search before they arrive.

[davenrino]

I have a PLB in my PFD pocket and an Inreach plus floating handheld VHF with GPS/DSC in the cockpit.

[Russ]

Solo sailor not apparently tethered to his vessel.
Real cheap low tech fix
Did I miss something in the post???

[Franziska]

No you didn't, but from practical experience and observations it's very rare that someone clips in 100% of the time.
Even if you try to, there are occasions when you end up not doing it.

So the discussion on added safety features is valid, especially as this guy was lucky to be saved by one of those.

Originally Posted by Russ

Solo sailor not apparently tethered to his vessel.
Real cheap low tech fix
Did I miss something in the post???

[Don C L]

I came across a Youtube video the other day of a singlehander, on his way to Hawaii I think, jibing his spinnaker on the foredeck of his small boat, with no harness nor PFD. Kind of gave me the willies.

[LLCoolDave]

Glad he is ok! As a solo sailor I just bought a PLB for just this reason. I think I'm more likely to be knocked off the boat rather than it sink from under me.

[CarlF]

Cruising solo in those empty waters, I'd use the PLB too. But PLB's take at least 20 minutes to send a signal to the CG ashore. Then this guy had to wait 8 hours in the water. And if there were any nearby boats - no one knew he was in trouble.

In the coastal waters that that I cruise in 90% of the time (East Coast US/Canada, Bahamas, and Caribbean) the AIS MOB is the biggest change in MOB management in the 40 years I've been cruising.

I've seen one go off in Maine (it was at a dock). I was eight miles away and my chartplotter went nuts with a stick figure of a drowning man right on the screen. Within a few minutes at least 8 boats, the CG, and two harbor patrols had all come up on 16 trying to confirm the situation. I'm sure 100 boats were in range of the alarm.

So I've completely changed the MOB instructions when my wife and I are cruising. We always wear an inflatable lifejacket with an AIS MOB whenever out of the cockpit. Even anchoring or picking up a mooring.

If I go over the side all she has to do is stay safe herself. If she can get the sails down and motor back to me without endangering herself - fine - but take her time. She doesn't have to keep me in sight, or throw over a pole, or anything. Otherwise I'll wait bobbing in the lifejacket for a fisherman or patrol boat with strong guys aboard to show up and lift me out.

Again - this isn't offshore - but offshore my wife isn't alone and a full crew will have no trouble turning the boat around and using the chartplotter AIS to get back to me.

[capn ken]

several hours in pacific northwest waters and your dead . Tether always offshore .