What started out decades ago as a military tracking device has become standard equipment on offshore cruising vessels: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs). Fortunately for today's coastal and offshore cruisers, numerous manufacturers compete to give us the best EPIRB technology, battery life and ease of use.
When we sailors go shopping for marine products, we have the advantage of choice and competitive pricing, and the same goes for EPIRBs. McMurdo, RescueME and ACR Electronics are among the leaders in both technology and competitive pricing.
Click the cover to view the articles in the March/April issue of Ocean Navigator.
An ominous reminder to register your EPIRB
On Feb. 11th, watchstanders at the Coast Guard District Five command center in Portsmouth, Va., recieved a report of an EPIRB distress signal 126 miles to the southeast of Wilmington, Del. An HC-130 Hercules fixed wing aircraft and a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter were launched from the USCG air base at Elizabeth City. The cutter Hamilton was diverted to the area to join in the search and AMVER ships nearby agreed to assist. When they reached the area, aircrews only spottted a debris field of netting, floats and other materials. There have been no confirmed reports of missing vessels.
Since emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) made their debut as an aid for tracking crashed U.S. military aircraft in the 1950s, this technology has steadily evolved into more compact, highly accurate, life-saving devices priced well within the budget of any serious cruising sailor.
Today, even the humblest of coastal cruisers make sure their vessels are equipped with the familiar little yellow or orange plastic device that can mean the difference between being found alive or coming to rest in Davy Jones' Locker.
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