I often sail by myself . Although I sail on a lake I'm getting to the age where if I come off and have to swim for the gear I probably won't catch it.
I'm thinking of getting a small Epirb to carry in my impact vest. That way if I'm floating around in the lake as my gear disappears into the distance, or I get injured I can at least contact marine rescue to get picked up..
I was a bit worried that the situation wouldn't warrant a locator but I rang marine rescue and they said " that's why we're here.." I suppose they often get called out to boats that have forgotten to fill with petrol or kept up with their maintenance..
I'm thinking of this one.. Anyone have any experience with them?
www.anacondastores.com/4wd-caravan/communication-navigation/personal-locater-beacons-satellite-communicators/gme-mt610g-406-mhz-personal-locator-beacon-with-gps/90183536?istCompanyId=0cdc08db-519b-4cb7-abc8-30b519793914&istFeedId=91bcc023-94e6-4a60-bf6c-3488568e504f&istItemId=prpwmqiqw&istBid=t&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19672033802&gbraid=0AAAAADsxLewKWNIdNsH2fwl5wKBLMsxT1&gclid=Cj0KCQjws4fEBhD-ARIsACC3d2-Bm4MtAwI_6LabJzoRG_e7pFtFl8rdVKFY6bEHo2hXVvmKTDBv3fwaAnVlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hi Sue,
I actually have one of those exact PLB's but don't take it on the water with me as I carry my phone in a waterproof pouch instead. I've only ever taken the PLB when cycling/hiking in areas where there is no phone reception.
I understand your concern though and from my limited exposure to the device, they're very easy to register and appear easy to use.
Cheers Robbo

I believe it's for situations where you are in immediate life threatening and urgent need of support. The response from the marine rescue surprises me somewhat. It should be your very last resort after you've explored all other options.

I think you should stay close to shore and have appropriate clothing and life rescue devices such as a pfd instead of a plb so that you can swim back whatever the situation.

We've seen a PLB request for help in action and it might take much longer before rescue arrives than you would expect so it might not arrive on time. It's difficult to keep the device out of the water pointing at the sky so they might be looking at the wrong location. Helicopters and boats will be dispatched so very expensive.

I carry a GME MT610G fwiw.

These are ideal and I have one but I can't get the stupid thing setup.
www.crazysales.com.au/online-gps-tracker-personal-4g-lte-netcom-smart-tracking-pendant-audio-call-sos-elderly-kids-safety-location-device-waterproof-red-294605.html?aid=11&aid=11&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15900574553&gbraid=0AAAAAD9nduc-Z2ri116l38OM1uskncgD1&gclid=Cj0KCQjws4fEBhD-ARIsACC3d29hFgh-BUCpJYeU_044JB5KURmVlwtY_3JJRAnt0HP2jnlv2SoQg8QaAllGEALw_wcB

I had one working before I broke my wrist but everything lapsed because it wasn't used for 2 years and I can't get the new one to work.
You can preset 3 numbers and with one press it will cycle through each until someone picks up. I'm still not sure how you'd go talking to someone with chop breaking over your head.

PLBs are a great idea, I carry one when sailing remote locations or in side off conditions. They dont require mobile coverage to work which is important down here in Tas and are also rugged, smaller and less likely to break compared to a phone. You could also activate them one handed

I would look at battery life (better ones are several years), size and also a test function so you arent left wondering its gonna work.

I think i paid $400 for mine (KTI Safety Alert SA2G) which works out to $40/yr for its 10 yr life

They are monitored by AMSA so you dont have to worry about your mates ignoring your call

I've got the 4g pendant Sue linked above.
Somehow i managed to set mine up and make it work, couldn't help Sue's though. It seemed fluky that i got mine to work, APN settings etc.
Anyway, i'm undecided if it is worth it or not.
Because it is hard to use, to talk into and hear.
Sim card needs credit, so, something like $20-30 a month to activate it.
But i've got it now and it makes me feel a bit better.
I like that i could call a friend, or marine rescue and talk. On water that might be hard, but if i made a beach with busted gear i could call a taxi and sneak back home without too much fuss. But if it's a true emergency, then fuss is what you do want.

Same here -- often find myself alone on the water especially in winter, in conditions where staying close to shore isn't always possible.

I have this one; not cheap but reliable & has worldwide coverage. A smartphone/watch is good, but relies on network coverage and much more difficult to operate in a stressful messy situation.

www.westmarine.com/ocean-signal-rescueme-plb1-personal-locator-beacon-17112913.html?srsltid=AfmBOoozJ17NYbC80y3Qvij493ApUNsHGkLSk-SLP6gKsYOFfryVCDP2

If you can't swim after kit it's probably time to hang it up and consider another activity. PLBs are for life and limb.

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Grantmac said..
If you can't swim after kit it's probably time to hang it up and consider another activity. PLBs are for life and limb.

not sure what your point is, but I don't see why I should give up windsurfing simply because I want to reduce the risk of being stuck out on my own in a difficult situation with no one around to help me out.

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sboardcrazy said..
I often sail by myself . Although I sail on a lake I'm getting to the age where if I come off and have to swim for the gear I probably won't catch it.
I'm thinking of getting a small Epirb to carry in my impact vest. That way if I'm floating around in the lake as my gear disappears into the distance, or I get injured I can at least contact marine rescue to get picked up..
I was a bit worried that the situation wouldn't warrant a locator but I rang marine rescue and they said " that's why we're here.." I suppose they often get called out to boats that have forgotten to fill with petrol or kept up with their maintenance..
I'm thinking of this one.. Anyone have any experience with them?
www.anacondastores.com/4wd-caravan/communication-navigation/personal-locater-beacons-satellite-communicators/gme-mt610g-406-mhz-personal-locator-beacon-with-gps/90183536?istCompanyId=0cdc08db-519b-4cb7-abc8-30b519793914&istFeedId=91bcc023-94e6-4a60-bf6c-3488568e504f&istItemId=prpwmqiqw&istBid=t&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19672033802&gbraid=0AAAAADsxLewKWNIdNsH2fwl5wKBLMsxT1&gclid=Cj0KCQjws4fEBhD-ARIsACC3d2-Bm4MtAwI_6LabJzoRG_e7pFtFl8rdVKFY6bEHo2hXVvmKTDBv3fwaAnVlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

A locator is great on land, where waiting is most often less of a problem than when drifting around, or in addition to a VHF radio. A VHF radio puts you in contact directly with the rescue team, and that is a big plus. It speeds up the search & rescue and you have the peace of mind that somebody has actually heard your S.O.S.. Some VHF include a positioning push/switch button, so you get the best of both worlds. I use this one www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6T9F43?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1 purchased in 2020.

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duzzi said:

A locator is great on land, where waiting is most often less of a problem than when drifting around, or in addition to a VHF radio. A VHF radio puts you in contact directly with the rescue team, and that is a big plus. It speeds up the search & rescue and you have the peace of mind that somebody has actually heard your S.O.S.. Some VHF include a positioning push/switch button, so you get the best of both worlds. I use this one www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6T9F43?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1 purchased in 2020.

Limitation of VHS is needing to have someone within signal range monitoring the channel to receive your call, and radio signals can be patchy around hills etc. I prefer satellite PLBs for this reason.

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ptsf1111 said..
I believe it's for situations where you are in immediate life threatening and urgent need of support. The response from the marine rescue surprises me somewhat. It should be your very last resort after you've explored all other options.

I think you should stay close to shore and have appropriate clothing and life rescue devices such as a pfd instead of a plb so that you can swim back whatever the situation.

We've seen a PLB request for help in action and it might take much longer before rescue arrives than you would expect so it might not arrive on time. It's difficult to keep the device out of the water pointing at the sky so they might be looking at the wrong location. Helicopters and boats will be dispatched so very expensive.

I carry a GME MT610G fwiw.

Agreed, it is just a backup to all your other safety precautions.
But the response from marine rescue is NO surprise to me. When a search is eventually called after a person fails to come home, and without an accurate location to search in, hundreds of man-hours can be spent in just one search! And, all too often that will end up being a 'recovery' rather than a 'rescue' mission.
When a PLB is deployed, they immediately have GPS coordinates to start searching, and even if the PLB stops sending a signal, they're at least searching the right area. (Imagine how many targeted searches and quick rescues they could achieve with the amount of resources that are typically utilised in one non-targeted search?)
Furthermore, mine includes a strobe which could attract the attention of any nearby boats. (IDK whether they all do.)
A pfd is great to reduce risk of exhaustion & drowning, although it does little to reduce hypothermia. Another benefit is that a surface search can eventually find the body, in the event you didn't deploy your beacon & the search comes too late!
One of the reasons that some time can elapse between an activation and commencement of a search is that AMSAR will check with contacts listed for your beacon on their database to see whether there may have been an accidental activation, and to verify exactly what they're searching for (eg: windsurfer vs boat). At this point, your contact person might well launch their own rescue mission, if able.
In Australia, you will not be charged for the cost of a search and rescue, so don't worry on that count, and don't even bother feeling guilty about this because a timely beacon activation will save the rescuers' money!
Mine is a KTI, but sadly they're no longer available.

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Grantmac said..
If you can't swim after kit it's probably time to hang it up and consider another activity. PLBs are for life and limb.

Anyone can have an unexpected medical episode, at any age. Or an accident.
And yes, PLBs are for saving lives (and bucket-loads of search money, when used correctly!)
And not limited to your own life; if you ever come across someone in distress, how would you perform first aid while also getting them to safety?

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bel29 said..
Same here -- often find myself alone on the water especially in winter, in conditions where staying close to shore isn't always possible.

I have this one; not cheap but reliable & has worldwide coverage. A smartphone/watch is good, but relies on network coverage and much more difficult to operate in a stressful messy situation.

www.westmarine.com/ocean-signal-rescueme-plb1-personal-locator-beacon-17112913.html?srsltid=AfmBOoozJ17NYbC80y3Qvij493ApUNsHGkLSk-SLP6gKsYOFfryVCDP2

That looks good.

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MobZ said..
I've got the 4g pendant Sue linked above.
Somehow i managed to set mine up and make it work, couldn't help Sue's though. It seemed fluky that i got mine to work, APN settings etc.
Anyway, i'm undecided if it is worth it or not.
Because it is hard to use, to talk into and hear.
Sim card needs credit, so, something like $20-30 a month to activate it.
But i've got it now and it makes me feel a bit better.
I like that i could call a friend, or marine rescue and talk. On water that might be hard, but if i made a beach with busted gear i could call a taxi and sneak back home without too much fuss. But if it's a true emergency, then fuss is what you do want.

Yes I'd probably hesitate to use it in most situations but it would make me more comfortable knowing I have it as backup.
We carry an Epirb bushwalking but have never needed it yet.
Dur.. My partner generally carries it. I just found out ours is the original one I asked about. ( below)



I think I'm erring towards the one below as it's a bit more compact. Anaconda sells both.

I have the RescueME one above. It's compact and fits easily in a life jacket pocket. It would take something really major for me to activate. I also carry a strobe / e-flare which I could use to attract attention, especially in low light.

I'm carrying both a bit less lately - mostly if I'm going long range or late in the day- as I have an Apple Watch now- for 5 bucks a month it can make calls/ texts from anywhere in the network, and where I sail there is coverage from the island all the way to the mainland. So a broken mast meaning a paddle home (ie a problem not a crisis), means I can make contact with someone. A broken leg a long way out - the PLB gets activated.

$5 bucks a month, no way!?

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Sandee said..

duzzi said:

A locator is great on land, where waiting is most often less of a problem than when drifting around, or in addition to a VHF radio. A VHF radio puts you in contact directly with the rescue team, and that is a big plus. It speeds up the search & rescue and you have the peace of mind that somebody has actually heard your S.O.S.. Some VHF include a positioning push/switch button, so you get the best of both worlds. I use this one www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6T9F43?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1 purchased in 2020.

Limitation of VHS is needing to have someone within signal range monitoring the channel to receive your call, and radio signals can be patchy around hills etc. I prefer satellite PLBs for this reason.

I use a Garmin InReach when backpacing (that is basically a PLB that can also send text messages). But the problem with PLB is that the (distress) signal is transmitted to a satellite network, and only after many steps, it eventually reaches your local rescue operation, say the coast guard. Even then, if the coast guard does not notify nearby ships/boats they will never know that you are nearby.

I do not know how long the alert takes to get from satellite to a local rescue operation. It probably matters quite a lot where you are. On land most often waiting, say, a couple of hours might not be a critical problem. But if in distress in the water, and gods forbid if I got disconnected from the board, I want to be rescued as quickly a possible. Get a VHF/DSC and you are going to be in contact with somebody, coast guard or local boat traffic, in minutes.

Select to expand quote

duzzi said..

Sandee said..

duzzi said:

A locator is great on land, where waiting is most often less of a problem than when drifting around, or in addition to a VHF radio. A VHF radio puts you in contact directly with the rescue team, and that is a big plus. It speeds up the search & rescue and you have the peace of mind that somebody has actually heard your S.O.S.. Some VHF include a positioning push/switch button, so you get the best of both worlds. I use this one www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6T9F43?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1 purchased in 2020.

Limitation of VHS is needing to have someone within signal range monitoring the channel to receive your call, and radio signals can be patchy around hills etc. I prefer satellite PLBs for this reason.

I use a Garmin InReach when backpacing (that is basically a PLB that can also send text messages). But the problem with PLB is that the (distress) signal is transmitted to a satellite network, and only after many steps, it eventually reaches your local rescue operation, say the coast guard. Even then, if the coast guard does not notify nearby ships/boats they will never know that you are nearby.

I do not know how long the alert takes to get from satellite to a local rescue operation. It probably matters quite a lot where you are. On land most often waiting, say, a couple of hours might not be a critical problem. But if in distress in the water, and gods forbid if I got disconnected from the board, I want to be rescued as quickly a possible. Get a VHF/DSC and you are going to be in contact with somebody, coast guard or local boat traffic, in minutes.

I looked at the Garmin inreach but it sends a message to America first and then back. Also I'm not sure if it's waterproof?
I'm assuming the others send it to an Australian base?

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duzzi said..

Sandee said..

duzzi said:

A locator is great on land, where waiting is most often less of a problem than when drifting around, or in addition to a VHF radio. A VHF radio puts you in contact directly with the rescue team, and that is a big plus. It speeds up the search & rescue and you have the peace of mind that somebody has actually heard your S.O.S.. Some VHF include a positioning push/switch button, so you get the best of both worlds. I use this one www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6T9F43?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1 purchased in 2020.

Limitation of VHS is needing to have someone within signal range monitoring the channel to receive your call, and radio signals can be patchy around hills etc. I prefer satellite PLBs for this reason.

I use a Garmin InReach when backpacing (that is basically a PLB that can also send text messages). But the problem with PLB is that the (distress) signal is transmitted to a satellite network, and only after many steps, it eventually reaches your local rescue operation, say the coast guard. Even then, if the coast guard does not notify nearby ships/boats they will never know that you are nearby.

I do not know how long the alert takes to get from satellite to a local rescue operation. It probably matters quite a lot where you are. On land most often waiting, say, a couple of hours might not be a critical problem. But if in distress in the water, and gods forbid if I got disconnected from the board, I want to be rescued as quickly a possible. Get a VHF/DSC and you are going to be in contact with somebody, coast guard or local boat traffic, in minutes.

I can vouch for the fact that (in Australia) the response time between activation of a PLB (in bushland) and the activation of the emergency helicopter crew was very quick, despite lack of further information other than the PLB being used by a horse-riding group! My understanding of the steps involved:
PLB is activated, sending its GPS coordinates to satellites.
Signal is relayed to AMSAR in Canberra, who have registration details of that PLB.
If you've logged details of your trip, they immediately see that you had planned to be on a windsurfing /bushwalking /whatever trip on this day.
I'm unsure whether the local rescue authorities are notified at this point, or after attempting to contact your nominated contact person to confirm that you are in fact missing. (Was pretty quick, anyway.)
Marine rescue /Coastguard would be notified of course, where appropriate, so they would be able to use VHF to get an alert out to all vessels in the area. (Which are likely very few if any on a windsurfing day.)
I don't think you could do any better in terms of speed in activating a rescue (unless you could have the ability to send voice messages, in addition to your GPS coordinates, to a pre-programmed contact number)! Bearing in mind the difficulty of sending a text with wet fingers + sun-glare on the screen + waves sloshing over your head.
Something to think about is how you're going to keep any device upright and above water while in use. mine is of course attached by lanyard, and can be secured to the shoulder of my vest. And also make sure you're familiar with how to activate it, which may not be quite as easy when struggling in the water as it seems on land.

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Grantmac said..
If you can't swim after kit it's probably time to hang it up and consider another activity. PLBs are for life and limb.

Yeah , I have to agree . I`d thought it would be common sense but apparently not .
It`s sad but true , a reality we all have to face at some point .
It also blows my mind how many people go on boats , or own boats , and can`t even swim . They are the fools that make stupid rules like for windsurfers and kiters have to carry boat safety gear on us .

With PLB`s , just make sure it for use in a 100% water environment , designed for being wet/submerged all the time and can handle getting bashed about like a few catapults and getting slammed on the board . That`ll narrow down your choices .

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sboardcrazy said..

duzzi said..

Sandee said..

duzzi said:

A locator is great on land, where waiting is most often less of a problem than when drifting around, or in addition to a VHF radio. A VHF radio puts you in contact directly with the rescue team, and that is a big plus. It speeds up the search & rescue and you have the peace of mind that somebody has actually heard your S.O.S.. Some VHF include a positioning push/switch button, so you get the best of both worlds. I use this one www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6T9F43?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1 purchased in 2020.

Limitation of VHS is needing to have someone within signal range monitoring the channel to receive your call, and radio signals can be patchy around hills etc. I prefer satellite PLBs for this reason.

I use a Garmin InReach when backpacing (that is basically a PLB that can also send text messages). But the problem with PLB is that the (distress) signal is transmitted to a satellite network, and only after many steps, it eventually reaches your local rescue operation, say the coast guard. Even then, if the coast guard does not notify nearby ships/boats they will never know that you are nearby.

I do not know how long the alert takes to get from satellite to a local rescue operation. It probably matters quite a lot where you are. On land most often waiting, say, a couple of hours might not be a critical problem. But if in distress in the water, and gods forbid if I got disconnected from the board, I want to be rescued as quickly a possible. Get a VHF/DSC and you are going to be in contact with somebody, coast guard or local boat traffic, in minutes.

I looked at the Garmin inreach but it sends a message to America first and then back. Also I'm not sure if it's waterproof?
I'm assuming the others send it to an Australian base?

I am not sure it is, and I was not actually suggesting for windsurf! You can send messages, but really only if you are on land. You need to use either the one-character-at-a-time interface, or connect it to your iphone. Which is great when backpacking (I can text my wife from some very remote places!) but completely unfeasible in the water. Anyway, either with PLB or VHF/DSC you'll be quite safe on the water ... we do not go out (I hope) in force 10, and most often we are with the board, so eventually they should pick you up with ease ...

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Yawning said..

Grantmac said..
If you can't swim after kit it's probably time to hang it up and consider another activity. PLBs are for life and limb.

Yeah , I have to agree . I`d thought it would be common sense but apparently not .
It`s sad but true , a reality we all have to face at some point .

With PLB`s , just make sure it for use in a 100% water environment , designed for being wet/submerged all the time and can handle getting bashed about like a few catapults and getting slammed on the board . That`ll narrow down your choices .

It can happen that a rig lays on top of the board in such a way that a hot Olympic swimmer would not be able to chase it down as it sails away from you, so that's not just an age-related concern!
It could easily result in a life-threatening situation, as could many other possible scenarios, in which PLB activation is entirely appropriate. Certainly not a reason to give up the sport, though!
Re: PLB selection: those I've seen are waterproof, to a point. (3 metres for my KTI), but I think the water pressures they may encounter during a high-speed catapulted re-entry might exceed their capabilities. So it's good to have them in a pouch or pocket inside a vest for added protection. They're also not designed to float upright like an EPIRB is required to do, so give some consideration to how you might achieve that if you ever needed to deploy it.

Sandee .....
We are not suggesting it`s age related , more like ability related . I don`t have the ability to be a pro super cross rider so I`m not going to even try .
If you lose your rig you swim to shore , whether it`s a 100m or 1km . If you can`t swim then stay out of the water until you can , it will kill you .

An E-Flare could be an option for safe waters. My crew all have PLB or epirbs and I also have flares that I'll replace this summer with an E-Flare. The RescueMe is prob the smallest available and when my PLB dies it'll be what I buy. I sail in the ocean so will always have flare & device.

I've had the Rescue Me for a while now, it certainly is compact. I bought mine for outback motorcycle adventures. Haven't bothered using it whilst windsurfing or winging yet because I'm generally not far from shore.

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Yawning said..
Sandee .....
We are not suggesting it`s age related , more like ability related . I don`t have the ability to be a pro super cross rider so I`m not going to even try .
If you lose your rig you swim to shore , whether it`s a 100m or 1km . If you can`t swim then stay out of the water until you can , it will kill you .

You clearly don't know what you are talking about. An infinite number of things can happen on the water that can turn into a situation that even the most able bodied windsurfer may have a very hard time getting themselves out of through no "fault" of their own. These devices are not an excuse for irresponsible behavior, but for accidents that can happen to anyone, even to the most experienced sailors.

Just one random recent example: ?si=RXDDzZ9kIsAgnuxD

On this occasion he was able to sail back, and there were plenty of people around. But you could easily imagine a situation where a simple crash like this could have killed one of the best wave sailors around.

tangent: iPhone >14 Emergency SOS/text via satellite?
on water touchscreens & wet are a downer but still...

The chances that a phone gets destroyed during a crash is generally higher and as you mentioned the touch screen is probably an issue in an emergency.

Then still, who'd you send the SMS to. Better hope they see it in time. You would need to find a way to include your position too. Major benefit is two way comms though. I would ring someone instead, one click from the homescreen if you have it setup.

Carrying both would be good if you can but otherwise I'd prefer a PLB as it works without cell coverage and a few places where I sail don't have coverage.

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Yawning said..
Sandee .....
We are not suggesting it`s age related , more like ability related . I don`t have the ability to be a pro super cross rider so I`m not going to even try .
If you lose your rig you swim to shore , whether it`s a 100m or 1km . If you can`t swim then stay out of the water until you can , it will kill you .

Hahaha, that's a good one. how do we learn to swim without going in the water?
Seriously, we really don't know what our capabilities are until they come up short, and having just stacked it off a board is just one of many factors that can make us much less capable than we thought we were.
In the meantime, watersports are an incredibly good way to maintain both physical and mental health! Yet you'd advocate that people quit just because something might happen some day that could maybe kill you if your abilities are stretched, such as an unexpectedly strong adverse current? Or an injury, such as in the video above? Things can happen to anyone, anytime, and these devices can go a long way in mitigating the risks.

Beacons are the gold standard for rescue, but that's all they're good for. They sit there and do nothing for years then you replace them.

A yachting beacon can be automatically activated when it gets in the water. You have to press the button on a PLB to activate it. That's a problem if you're unable to press the button.

Personal trackers like the Garmin InReach allow people to see where you are and track you and you can send and receive messages on them. Yiou can program a series of escalating messages so that you can choose the kind of response you want from "I'll be late" to "SOS!!!!!!".

hey do most of the standard GPS things as well. You need a subscription plan and they can be cheap or expensive depending on how you use them. You can suspend the extra functionality for a month at a time during the off season.

I was very happy using mine during numerous paragliding trips to India. Ironically it was most useful in a mobile phone black hole in Northern Vic.

The Apple Watch Ultra gives you most of the functionality of a personal tracker, but it's right there on your wrist and you're doing stuff with it all day every day. You don't get the robustness and battery life of a PLB or tracker, but it's fine for a session on local waters.

You can send and SOS to emergency services at the press of a button. Family and friends can locate you with the Find My app. You can do stuff with it so there's more confidence that it's actually working.