Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

User avatar
Sebb
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 3:30 pm
Has liked: 2999 times
Likes received: 1576 times

Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by Sebb » Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:07 am

I thought I'd start a topic.

With few unfortunate events/news (missing hikers and campers, capsized boat/kayak, divers got hit by a boat, etc), I'm becoming more and more concerned about safety.

Especially for kayak fisho and landbased fisho who fishes remote places. Do you have and always take an EPIRB/PLB? Where do you keep it? Backpack? Dry hatch?
What about flares?

As you know, I purchased a native watercraft kayak recently. Though I wont go far out and wont go on bad weather, bad things could still happen. Do you think I need one? I do go out fishing alone too sometimes.
Can't stop thinking about the possibility of capsizing and get hit by a boat. Capsized kayak can be hard to spot and can almost be invisible.

Where can I find a good deal for PLB btw? They all seem to be in $250-$300 range.
Last edited by Sebb on Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

Mattblack
Rank: Gummy Shark
Rank: Gummy Shark
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:08 pm
Location: South East Suburbs
Has liked: 625 times
Likes received: 298 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by Mattblack » Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:33 am

Be good when they bring out a cheap smart watch with an emergency button

User avatar
re-tyred
Moderator
Moderator
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:54 am
Location: Lakes Entrance
Has liked: 372 times
Likes received: 928 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by re-tyred » Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:53 am

PLB at $250 is a good investment. I carry one around my neck at all times when out on the boat. Also take it with us when we go away in the motorhome. They are good for around ten years so $25 dollars a year is cheap and may well save your life.
If your boat or yak rolls over with the EPIRB and flares trapped inside what are you going to do. Cold water will sap your strength in a matter of minutes. If you have a PLB in your pocket or on a lanyard it will take only a few seconds to activate. Within 5 minutes RCC Canberra will receive the position and your ID code. A minute later they will be on the phone to your emergency contacts. If it isn't identified as a false alarm/ accidental activation, then emergency services will be dispatched to your location.
Take for example the guy that was washed of the rocks. If he had a life jacket and PLB and found himself in the water and still conscious then he would have had half a chance of being rescued before Hypothermia set in.
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

Mattblack
Rank: Gummy Shark
Rank: Gummy Shark
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:08 pm
Location: South East Suburbs
Has liked: 625 times
Likes received: 298 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by Mattblack » Tue Sep 17, 2019 9:11 am

re-tyred wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:53 am
PLB at $250 is a good investment. I carry one around my neck at all times when out on the boat. Also take it with us when we go away in the motorhome. They are good for around ten years so $25 dollars a year is cheap and may well save your life.
If your boat or yak rolls over with the EPIRB and flares trapped inside what are you going to do. Cold water will sap your strength in a matter of minutes. If you have a PLB in your pocket or on a lanyard it will take only a few seconds to activate. Within 5 minutes RCC Canberra will receive the position and your ID code. A minute later they will be on the phone to your emergency contacts. If it isn't identified as a false alarm/ accidental activation, then emergency services will be dispatched to your location.
Take for example the guy that was washed of the rocks. If he had a life jacket and PLB and found himself in the water and still conscious then he would have had half a chance of being rescued before Hypothermia set in.
What's a good brand of PLB?

User avatar
re-tyred
Moderator
Moderator
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:54 am
Location: Lakes Entrance
Has liked: 372 times
Likes received: 928 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by re-tyred » Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:12 am

This is the one I have. There are plenty of brands. They should all have GPS inbuilt. Then look for battery life, both operating time and non operational. Should be 24hr operating time and the ability to switch off and on. Should be looking at 10 year non operating life span.Next thing is size. Can you put it in a pouch around your neck or comfortably in a pocket. Most do not float without additional buoyancy added, so lanyard around your neck is a good option.
People ask why can't these be your EPIRB answer is simple. EPIRB must float and have a 48hr operational life. Once you do this they get too big to hang around your neck.
Registration is same as EPIRB, online through AMSA. You can just add it to your EPIRB list.

As I fish offshore alone. I also have a HH VHF and a small divers torch on my life jacket. I always travel with the motor cutout Lanyard attached to me.
I have extra buoyancy in my tinny as well. I use the Kapten Boat Collars which provide an extra 300kg of buoyancy and are designed to make the tinny float level and high enough to be bailed/pumped out.
Attachments
IMG_20150806_094730a.jpg
pipeline.jpg
293103_17704_M2.jpg
293103_17704_M2.jpg (16.09 KiB) Viewed 2690 times
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

User avatar
Sebb
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 3:30 pm
Has liked: 2999 times
Likes received: 1576 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by Sebb » Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:19 pm

re-tyred wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:12 am
This is the one I have. There are plenty of brands. They should all have GPS inbuilt. Then look for battery life, both operating time and non operational. Should be 24hr operating time and the ability to switch off and on. Should be looking at 10 year non operating life span.Next thing is size. Can you put it in a pouch around your neck or comfortably in a pocket. Most do not float without additional buoyancy added, so lanyard around your neck is a good option.
People ask why can't these be your EPIRB answer is simple. EPIRB must float and have a 48hr operational life. Once you do this they get too big to hang around your neck.
Registration is same as EPIRB, online through AMSA. You can just add it to your EPIRB list.

As I fish offshore alone. I also have a HH VHF and a small divers torch on my life jacket. I always travel with the motor cutout Lanyard attached to me.
I have extra buoyancy in my tinny as well. I use the Kapten Boat Collars which provide an extra 300kg of buoyancy and are designed to make the tinny float level and high enough to be bailed/pumped out.
Thanks for the input. Yes size is definitely to be considered. And I wont be going offshore on my yak. Since I do some landbased fishing in remote places, PLB seems to suit my needs.

What about flares?
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

saph
Rank: Australian Salmon
Rank: Australian Salmon
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:58 am
Has liked: 4 times
Likes received: 106 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by saph » Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:25 pm

Seb85 wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:19 pm
re-tyred wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:12 am
This is the one I have. There are plenty of brands. They should all have GPS inbuilt. Then look for battery life, both operating time and non operational. Should be 24hr operating time and the ability to switch off and on. Should be looking at 10 year non operating life span.Next thing is size. Can you put it in a pouch around your neck or comfortably in a pocket. Most do not float without additional buoyancy added, so lanyard around your neck is a good option.
People ask why can't these be your EPIRB answer is simple. EPIRB must float and have a 48hr operational life. Once you do this they get too big to hang around your neck.
Registration is same as EPIRB, online through AMSA. You can just add it to your EPIRB list.

As I fish offshore alone. I also have a HH VHF and a small divers torch on my life jacket. I always travel with the motor cutout Lanyard attached to me.
I have extra buoyancy in my tinny as well. I use the Kapten Boat Collars which provide an extra 300kg of buoyancy and are designed to make the tinny float level and high enough to be bailed/pumped out.
Thanks for the input. Yes size is definitely to be considered. And I wont be going offshore on my yak. Since I do some landbased fishing in remote places, PLB seems to suit my needs.

What about flares?
From what i can pull up on the web i would say orange and red hand held ones would be the go since i highly doubt you would go 2nm offshore to need rockets https://transportsafety.vic.gov.au/mari ... -equipment

User avatar
Sebb
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 3:30 pm
Has liked: 2999 times
Likes received: 1576 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by Sebb » Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:56 pm

saph wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:25 pm

From what i can pull up on the web i would say orange and red hand held ones would be the go since i highly doubt you would go 2nm offshore to need rockets https://transportsafety.vic.gov.au/mari ... -equipment
Same with EPIRB, not mandatory unless traveling 2nm or more offshore.
But I'm more concerned about the safety itself, not just to be compliant.
So from safety perspective, is it essential to have a flare or two on a yak.
Vyak shows some offshore kayakers take them.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

User avatar
re-tyred
Moderator
Moderator
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:54 am
Location: Lakes Entrance
Has liked: 372 times
Likes received: 928 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by re-tyred » Tue Sep 17, 2019 1:10 pm

A flare pack would be handy. A HH VHF would also be handy. You really can't have too much safety gear.
With Yaks and small tinnies the most common "disaster" is roll over or falling off. This leaves you in the water with only what you have on you. Stuff on the yak or small tinny may not be accessible as the wind may cause the vessel to drift too fast for a swimmer in a lifejacket. Therefore it is essential that you attach some method of raising the alarm to yourself. PLB would be top priority, phone in waterproof cover and VHF would also be up there.
You can get LED electronic flares. They do not pass for compulsory flares but would be good an YAK. Twice the price of a flare pack but no need to replace every 3 years and you aren't carrying explosives attached to your body.
Attachments
flare.jpg
flare.jpg (6.84 KiB) Viewed 2566 times
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

saph
Rank: Australian Salmon
Rank: Australian Salmon
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:58 am
Has liked: 4 times
Likes received: 106 times

Re: Safety - EPIRB/PLB, flares, essential?

Post by saph » Tue Sep 17, 2019 1:15 pm

Seb85 wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:56 pm
saph wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:25 pm

From what i can pull up on the web i would say orange and red hand held ones would be the go since i highly doubt you would go 2nm offshore to need rockets https://transportsafety.vic.gov.au/mari ... -equipment
Same with EPIRB, not mandatory unless traveling 2nm or more offshore.
But I'm more concerned about the safety itself, not just to be compliant.
So from safety perspective, is it essential to have a flare or two on a yak.
Vyak shows some offshore kayakers take them.
i mean you can if you like it would make it alot easyer for rescue services to find you, also try and find some marking dye https://shop.perthscuba.com/products/di ... luorescein this stuff i would consider essential in a yak since you can drop a small amount around you and be easy to spot also on the plb stuff get one of these https://www.scubadoctor.com.au/diveshop ... ts_id=4179 they are small but handy plus you dont need to register them and they send a signal to both rescue centers and any boat with the ais stuff.

Post Reply

Return to “Marine Electronics”