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I rec'd a pretty uncivil PM on another forum from someone who, apparently, did not believe an EPIRB was an essential piece of safety equipment for those of us who venture outside of CG shore-bound VHR range. He also said that if I read other forums I'd not see a single post on the adviseability of EPIRBs.
So, I checked. He's right. A search for the term VHR shows literally hundreds if not thousands of threads here. A search for the term EPIRB shows substantially fewer, perhaps even embarassingly fewer.
So, may I ask how many of your own and value EPIRBs and, if you own one, why do you think it's a valuable safety device?
Oh, might as well ask what you own too as mine is now more than a decade old and I'm thinking of replacing it.
I believe in having as many safety devices I can afford to have. I have an ACR GlobalFix Cat 1 EPIRB mounted on my boat. And while I don't test it every month, I do run the self-test a couple of times a year.
Whether I'm offshore or in the bay, if I have a problem, I may end up trying to resolve the problem myself, or the situation may result in going south TOO quickly, and end up NOT being able to use my DSC VHF to call for help. Having the CAT 1 EPIRB positioned where it can float free in the event of a sinking is an added bit of "insurance" that provides me with additional piece of mind.
FYI, I have both an offshore life raft and the EPIRB, and hope I NEVER have to use either.
__________________ Joe
His Doghouse Too
2004 Luhrs 38 Open
ACN Independent Rep
I'd rather feel optimistic help is on the way in response to an EPIRPB than than be treading water for the rest of my life with no one looking.
I have 3- cat 1 EPIRB, cat 1 GPIRB & a PLB ( plus offshore raft, gumbys for all, etc , etc. .)
I've seen lots of discussions about EPRIB and PLD. If there is less than you think there should be, perhaps it's because it's so obvious that everyone should have one.
I always said that all these safety equipment is so costly thats it's hard to justify buying it. But when you need it, you would be willing to pay double the price for it. To me not having an EPIRB on your boat is just foolish. That's one piece of equipment that can really save lives.
... He also said that if I read other forums I'd not see a single post on the adviseability of EPIRBs.
So, I checked. He's right. A search for the term VHR shows literally hundreds if not thousands of threads here. A search for the term EPIRB shows substantially fewer, perhaps even embarassingly fewer.
LongFisher
Boy, you must not have searched on this Forum. Aren't too many posts right near the top right now because in the past six to 12 months we've had a large number of very long threads on PLB's and EPIRB's. Try your search again, on either of those with the time limits at one year back and see what you get here. It's been talked nearly to death.
PS: The guy being "uncivil" is, at best, living in the past and also is obviously, like all who need to get ultra-rude on what are supposed to be friendly hobby sites, an effing rude pig.
I rec'd a pretty uncivil PM on another forum from someone who, apparently, did not believe an EPIRB was an essential piece of safety equipment for those of us who venture outside of CG shore-bound VHR range. He also said that if I read other forums I'd not see a single post on the adviseability of EPIRBs.
So, may I ask how many of your own and value EPIRBs and, if you own one, why do you think it's a valuable safety device?
Oh, might as well ask what you own too as mine is now more than a decade old and I'm thinking of replacing it.
LongFisher
"The cynics will scoff"!
I own an ACR Globalfix iPro EPIRB with built in GPS.
An EPIRB is a small price for a life.
It's pretty much a guaranteed way to get a distress signal out to the CG with your location. Not VHF, Cel Phone, PLB, Spot etc can offer that kind of security god forbid you need it!
When you hear about fatalities or lost at sea reports on private voters, the vast majority of them could have been avoided with a good EPIRB.
An EPIRB is not a replacement for common sense. It would however seem to me that anybody who would imply that an EPIRB is not an essential piece of safety gear (when venturing that far off shore) doesn't have much common sense or doesn't really understand the technology!
Sure a life jacket is number one priority. VHF being right there at number one too, when VHF fails due to range limits and you don't have a cel signal, what else is essential??
What if your boat flips in rough seas? That hand held VHF sure wont have much range and your cel phone is dead because it was in your pocket.. You'll thank your lucky stars you had a (non essential) EPIRB.
I have an EPIRB. I am sure there are fewer threads on EPIRBs as compared to VHF because there is not much to discuss ... my comment on mine is ... I have one, I take it with me on every trip, I have no idea how well it works, and I hope I never find out.
I bought the highest rated one I could afford. The decision to get it was easy. If you can afford a boat, and afford to take that boat offshore, then you can afford and an EPIRB.
I read stories of people who go offshore and die, or almost die in circumstances where an EBIRB would have saved them. These stories are sad, and they are tragic, but I also can't help but to think that they made a decision to do less than what it took to be really safe.
If they felt the need to respond by PM instead of in whatever thread you started, they probably knew they'd get trashed by half the board. Check that board's policy on "outing" PM's and then cut/paste it in the thread and ask other members for their opinion's on Madame X's comments.
I have nothing more to add about EPIRB/PLB. The comments above cover the legitimacy of these tools quite well.
Good luck!
__________________ I'm not a boat expert, I just read THT!
I purchased a Macmurdo Epirb w/ gps and a liferaft before I took my first trip beyond 20 miles off.. As for expense, as others have said.. what is your life and the peace of mind of your loved ones worth? ...and in the grand scheme of fishing expenses.. the cost of the Epirb is likely less than I've spent on squid and spearing since owning it.. As for the un-civil douche..well his life may NOT be worth saving As for why there are not more discussions about these devices, i believe that is due to them not being any fun , or anything anyone "wants" to buy..like liferafts, its something you buy and pray to never use.. Also, very hard to get reviews on.. Not only do they not get any use.. but if they fail, who's gonna report it.. Like the old paratrooper joke: "What do i do if my chute don't open?... return it to the factory..
EPIRB's, Don't Hear Much About Them Here. 
finger on my keyboard.
As for why there are not more discussions about these devices, i believe that is due to them not being any fun , or anything anyone "wants" to buy..like liferafts, its something you buy and pray to never use.. Also, very hard to get reviews on.. Not only do they not get any use.. but if they fail, who's gonna report it.. Like the old paratrooper joke: "What do i do if my chute don't open?... return it to the factory.. 
