After drowning two iPhones in so called "waterproof cases" in less than 6-months I have decided I am no longer taking a phone with me when I go downwind.
Has anyone used and got any good recommendations for PLB's to take out on the water for personal safety?

Or do what I did and use a hard case for your phone.. I've also had so-called waterproof cases fail..

Either a Pelican case or plastic Tupperware type with the four click down flaps on the lid..

The only problem with a hard case is not being able to use the phone while on the water unless you're very careful..

Thanks David, I think I have a suitable PelicanCase lying around which the phone would fit in. Wish I had thought of that before drowning two phones.

A PLB is pretty serious. A helicopter or lifeboat will be sent to come out if you set it off. Waterproof mobiles are getting cheaper.

Apple Watch paired with your phone.

I use - TPU Guide Waterproof Case for Smartphones. This case is well made and waterproof.

VHF Marine radio is the answer. Unless you are going a fair way offshore, a PLB might be an expensive choice for the reasons outlined above. There is no subtlety about the response - it's assumed you are near death and need all available emergency services scrambling. That may well be the case, but if it's just a tow in that you need for a busted paddle when you're too far from shore, you might prefer to be able to talk to someone to explain the nature of your problem.

People laugh at me but I have from day dot used 4 sealable glad sandwhich bags to put my iPhone in. Never failed me yet.
If sealed correctly and put in my hydration pack when ending up in the drink completely even getting smashed and rolled coming into surf break it's held strong. Very rarely when I take it out is even the second bag wet. Never has the third or fourth or the phone Been wet.

An engineer buddy told me not sure if he is legit with his answer but I believe it from practise that if it's only being submerged one to two metres there is no way that water pressure is going to bust through 2 or 3 sealed bags.

I'll regret the day it does though and wish I used 5 bags haha

Hey mate -

I'll throw my two cents in to the conversation having work experience in the field.

There is a bit of mis information out about what safety equipment is necessary and what is better.

- so - don't take my word for it - call your local water police as they are the combatting authority for marine rescue in your state. AMSA also provide good guidance.

1. Buy a STAR rescue mirror - it's free to use, works in day light hours and is super tough - just a mirror with a hole in centre to aim - you point it at a vessel, aircraft etc therefore visible for large distance but daylight hours only.

2. Marine radio is useless - reception and range is questionable escpeially with a 1-5 watt hand held - in personal opinion almost utterly useless as reception is total junk at best of times, and is reliant on someone listening for you - many commercial vessels never even turn the radio on.. Having been in the air trying to call vessels others talk over each other, interrupted, don't use procedure and it's far too much hard work trying to get good signal.

3. Waterproof phone is great - but - nothing is true waterproof if you have a big hit/fall force etc. can simply use a phone without a SIM card always turned off - and only turn on when things go wrong. I have a cheap phone sealed in vacuum sealed food bag in another vacuum sealed bag for an attempt to make waterproof. Mobile phone coverage ceases about pole 11 on north side of channel in port Phillip - not all bay has guaranteed coverage. But you can try, and phones without sim can still be used to call 000.
If you are going to call maybe worthwhile to have a GPS enabled watch that can give lat and long in a format used locally ie AUS GEO 88? Need to check what format most MIL and non MIL Aust GPS output is.

4. Have a plan A B and C When things go wrong.
5. Let someone know when and where you are paddling
6. Maybe consider coastguard app?? Never really used it

7. BUY A PLB - aka EPIRB - its cheap, and a great investment in your life. No point being stuck out at sea with all your money in the bank if you where too tight to buy a PLB.

Re. Using a PLB when in distress -
Australian search and rescue authorities / agencies have different definitions but most say for when life is grave and immanent danger
But what you determine grave and immanent maybe different to myself or other seabreeze warriors - but do what is best for YOU.

I have used a PLB in distress and it's not a fast process -

The PLB emits your GPS acquired location via 121.5, 243 and 403 MHz
The frequency is then picked up by SARSAT satellite system that sends your location and device ID to a LUT - local user terminal - AMSA in Canberra - AMSA then contact the three emergency contacts attached to your Registered Australian PLB - NB. Buy a Australian PLB and register it - its free.

Once AMSA determine you are using your PLB in distress- as emergency contacts are either unaware of your location or determine you are on the water out bush on an adventure etc, AMSA pass the 'call' details to the local state search and rescue authorities- most of time police who manage the rescue.

Nb. Most EPIRB PLB call outs are false alarms due to stolen boats, incorrectly disposed PLB, kids etc.

False alarms can still be / and are great training exercises as it requires genuine testing of the systems and response from local services.

Commercial aircraft scan for 121.5 243 MHz and can also pick up ping from PLB.

Hand held honing devices can also triangulate PLB signal to 1-5 meters so pretty accurate.

Don't listen to other warriors / worriers and buy one. And USE IT when in distress. Expect an hour + response times in metro areas, obviously longer in remote Australia.

Good PLB last 7-10 years battery life.

If you buy a ACR like I did - and you use it, then send a email of details to the ACR 'survivors club' website, ACR send you a brand new PLB for FREE. Can't beat that.

I also have a smaller Australian PLB but the build quality and attachment connections to secure PLB are just not there.

Anyone ever got any questions about RESCUE or SAFETY please DM me here. There is no secrets. I am still amazed by the lack of safety and consideration by many marine users.


Why do I say USE your PLB??

Australian Government has spent millions if not billions looking for MH370 - cost of rescuing an Australian citizen in our search and rescue area when in distress is far less and will not be passed onto you.

My deepest sympathy go's out to the victims and families of MH370 and I hope we all can let the victims have appropriate place to rest.

Such forum post is expressed as my personal option only and does not represent any service provider, organisation, company or government body.

I wasn't suggesting you shouldn't get one just look into it and understand what it is. Your life or someone else's you might save with it is invaluable.
You can still use a touch screen through glad / sandwhich bags. Even double bagged. Have a message saved and you can easily text it to a saved number(if you are in range).Let people know you are going and let them know when you come back. The person you will be texting.
As risky buisiness says get to know your local water police or coast guard and see what they think.
What do you think about personal AIS Riskybusiness.
Some one once said to me, The best advice I can give you is don't take advice from me, look into it and do what works best for your situation. Then its your fault not mine.
Seriously though as Risky business says the rescue services are there for a reason dont hesitate to use them.

ACR without a doubt. We use them for all our passengers travelling offshore. I completed a study of all the various ones on the m arket and several top oil and gas companies picked the ACR

phil

maybe VHF isn't good over in Aus? Reading that long previous post by Risky Business does not chime with our views. over here in UK a good waterproof VHF is the first bit of kit and then a plb ...I have a McMurdo Fastfind 220. A phone is okay but reception patchy, trickier to use etc.

The above is pretty standard advice from water rescue services.

Thanks for all the feedback guys, all great stuff.
I have done my research and being an ex radio fitter-mechanic I am fully across how they work and I also know and understand the risks with the accidental setting off the PLB and what happens when they are set off; however it is good to hear how long the wait is and it sound like the ACR PLB is the one to look at.
I have used a number of iPhone cases over the years and also done the sandwich/vacuum bags thing but only case has ever given me any confidence that my $1k+ iPhone is going to remain dry is the Optrix case but they are hard to come by in Australia and cases take 6-months or so to update once a new model comes out.
I also use my phone with an app called Seconds to do my flatwater interval training so I need to find a solution and an iPhone without a SIM card sounds like a decent option, because if I can find a decent iPhone 5 that is cheap and in good nick, I could use that in my Optrix case for both my interval training and personal safety when downwinding. I didn't even realise that you can still make 000 calls on a phone without a SIM.
Thanks again for all the tips guys, I really appreciate it.

Check out Crosscall phones. They are waterproof and do a floating one as well.

Hey Jase also whilst in WA learnt of an app call Road ID. Download that & it allows you to select up to 5 people which you can send an alert to when you go for a paddle. If for any reason you stop moving for 5mins it will sound an alarm. If you do not switch off the alarm within a selected period it will send an alert to your nominate people with your last known location. When you finish your paddle you press stop & it alerts your friends that you have finished safely.

This has been done mainly for bikes and of course on the ocean we are potentially always moving but one of my friends managed to track my entire paddle & knew exactly when I hit dry land.

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Themoke said..
Hey Jase also whilst in WA learnt of an app call Road ID. Download that & it allows you to select up to 5 people which you can send an alert to when you go for a paddle. If for any reason you stop moving for 5mins it will sound an alarm. If you do not switch off the alarm within a selected period it will send an alert to your nominate people with your last known location. When you finish your paddle you press stop & it alerts your friends that you have finished safely.

This has been done mainly for bikes and of course on the ocean we are potentially always moving but one of my friends managed to track my entire paddle & knew exactly when I hit dry land.

Yep Road ID is a good app and I have heard that it will be compulsory for The Doctor & King of the Cut next year.
I used it for the Doctor and I can laugh about it now but at the time I was pretty pissed off.
Due to the hot, light wind conditions I set off pretty easy and was just starting to find a bit of rhythm about 10ks into the race (probably would have only been a few more ks till I caught and passed Titouan Puyo ) when I was told I had to stop and go behind the ship that was bearing down on us, I paddled at right angles to where I wanted to go (and into the wind) for a km.
I have heard that a couple of people tracking me were a bit confused and were trying to work out WTF I was doing, being chased by a shark was one suggestion.



Safe TRX is another app option and there is also live tracker on Garmin devices.
I have a ACR PLB which I do carry with me at times, I bought it mainly because I often travel, surf, sup, kite etc solo in remote locations but I also use it for races like the Doctor.
Im well into my 50's and for races like the Doctor with temps in the high 30's and very little wind assistance anything is possible and if for example I thought I was in grave danger i.e. I was experiencing chest pains or the wind had turned offshore and I was being blown out to sea or something, I would have no hesitation to set it off.

I have used my SPOT tracker for years. It is excellent and reasonably priced. au.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=100

Serious adventurers are moving to the Delorme InReach. They are a bit bigger, more expensive to buy and operate, but you can send and receive text messages. www.delorme.com

Both of these devices have subscription fees to various levels of service.

The problem with PLB or EPIRB is that they don't actually do anything useful on a daily basis. They just sit in your pocket for years then you chuck them out. If you're unconscious or disabled then you can't press the button to call in a rescue.

Satellite trackers can be used all the time and your friends and family can keep an eye on you. It's fun and reassuring for them, and if anything goes really wrong then they can work stuff out and react accordingly. With the SPOT you can send pre-configured messages ("I'm ok." "Pick me up" "I'm not ok". "Help!"). The Delorme lets you send and receive any text message you like.

I'll second the SPOT tracker. Very good piece of kit...

With the SPOT Tracker, can you easily send an emergency distress message to Coast Guard / Water Police if required or does it only send to your prescribed friends/family list?

It does sound like a more effective product than EPIRB in most circumstances.

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nosaj27 said..
After drowning two iPhones in so called "waterproof cases" in less than 6-months I have decided I am no longer taking a phone with me when I go downwind.
Has anyone used and got any good recommendations for PLB's to take out on the water for personal safety?

FYI I have Sony Xperia Z1 compact older mobile and has survived many downwinders with no case. Real waterproof phones!
ANd in my quiver I also have mid range Uniden VHF radio and ACR resQlink+ PLB if I go by myself off-shore or inter-island missions.
I carry my PLB as a last resort option, so that's my reason for going with a PLB over spotx devices as they are more effective with a stronger signal (especially if I were to use my PLB for tramping in the bush).

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PTWoody said..
With the SPOT Tracker, can you easily send an emergency distress message to Coast Guard / Water Police if required or does it only send to your prescribed friends/family list?

It does sound like a more effective product than EPIRB in most circumstances.

It does both.

So you can tell family you're ok, tell them you need help/pick me up here or you can go full nuclear and wake the people up at the Australian Maritime Safet Authority and they'll send the cavalry.

It works off satellite not mobile phone networks, so you're pretty much covered everywhere.

nosaj 27. I am just building myself a good setup for my life vest and are considering the same question. I have to second hanza 1111 suggestion as I have a sony m5 aqua and it is solid on the board, I use a ocean and earth cover and I can use it, text and call while its in the cover and its fully waterproof. It is a shame that Australian phone companies will not stock full phone lines as sony has a number of cheap models that are great for paddling with. Mine retails new for 300 odd Australian but is only available at the sony retail store in chatswood NSW.
I often paddle solo on the lake in northern nsw and feel safe however I could easily get in trouble so am increasing my safety kit. I think its a frequency issue with the EPIRB and the spot tracker, if you go out a lot frequently then I think the satelitte system would probably be the best option. As for the EPIRB if you can afford the cost then I believe its a good purchase. I use to work out in the bush and we found soldiers, hikers, car accidents and other people in distress with these devices.
Pump.

Thanks risky buisness I will also get a star mirror.