VHF and PFD straps for 2014

[Ragnar]

In the opinion of the USCG the probability of another vessel hearing you is slim to none. In 1998 I lost a rudder on the way to Hawaii. There were running lights in sight. I called on VHF and shot off flares. No response. This from the mast head VHF. In 2012, another Hawaii adventure. I crossed paths at night several times with other boats, easily within visual range. No response on 16. I tend to agree with the USCG, the safest solution is a PLB or EPIRB.

Are you carrying both devices on your person while on deck ? And if so how do you keep them from not interfering with general boat handling ? I have found it tough to find a vest that can accommodate both devices reliably.

Brian

Hi Brian,

I keep my PLB and an ICom M72 in my FWG overalls. When there is any spray, the overalls go on and thus they are on my person. The M72 was chosen for it's ruggedness, small size, and long life battery, so it would actually work when I needed it. It is not a GPS DSC unit. Frankly, my priority is waterproof-ness and battery life rather than bell and whistles. I've had handhelds fail due to water intrusion, my cockpit gets rather wet over 30 knots. The smaller size of the unit is a big plus as I can keep it in my large FWG pocket without hindrance. According to the new SSS rules, I would need to go buy yet another handheld that I suspect would decrease my level of safety. At least until a suitable model became available.

During the first 5 days of the race, it was cold so I had my FWG and gear on. Later in the race I wore little and didn't have the units on me until the last day or so when the wind got up over 20.

I agree with the USCG with the PLB being much more important than the VHF, especially when short handing offshore. I've also hailed competitors and ships on 16 with no response. Inshore the VHF becomes more useful.

 

[K38Bob]

Regular old handheld VHF http://www.sfbama.org/fs/Dramatic%20Rescue%20in%20DHF.pdf

3 hr wait for helo. 80 degree core temp (50% mortality rate)- GPIRB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WeVGdTpi2s

Flares
http://http://offshore.ussailing.org/Assets/Offshore/Hanson+Award/1999/3_1_99.pdf

"Digital Electronic" 360 degree "flare"
Rescue 21- VHF/DSC/GPS handheld- your boat can find you, fellow racers, and CG (coastal)
http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/rescue21/dsc.asp

Final resort is EPIRB to ensure CG can rescue/recovery- that may be why you're hearing the epirb message from CG. (or venue or singlehanded?)
bob

From plb thread

Thanks for hodges site- related topic- noticed they have http://www.hodgesmarine.com/Uniden-Mhs135dsc-Handheld-Vhf-Gps-p/unimhs135dsc.htm for a great price and yet google shows a few buck lower options

heres amazon reviews same radio http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-MHS135DSC-Handheld-Marine-Radio/dp/B007B5ZEAS

Low price due to closeout model (it seems) with 1 receiver instead of newer 2 receiver models (1 dedicated for dsc)
cheers
bob

 

[K38Bob]

From plb thread

What's the current favorite for these radios/deals?
Practical sailor liked this one for 2015
http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Horizon-HX870-Floating-Handheld/dp/B00PM6XDNS

 

[Wylieguy]

In order for VHF to work, everyone must have the radio turned on. I suspect most radios are not turned on and that's why calls receive no response.

Before DSL the volume also had to be up enough to hear a call over the ambient sailboat noise - and it's surprising how loud that can be. Today, if radios are on, it's hard to miss the DSL alarm screaming out of the speaker. But of course the radios have to be on. My SH GX2100 consumes about 0.60 A on standby. I consider that cheap power considering that I may hear that DLS call from a nearby singlehanded friend in trouble.

If that occurred, I would have the coordinates, distance, and direction. I suspect I'd be the first responder and the wait for rescue would be much shorter than waiting for a ship to be diverted through the EPIRB/PLB system. Of course I would hope the sailor in trouble had also turned on the EPIRB/PLB.

 

[Harrier]

Once upon a time, after I had complained that most calls I had made to commercial vessels while on a Bermuda Race had gone unanswered, I was given the following reason. It was pointed out that most ships out there were manned by foreign, non-english speaking crew. Many skippers had told their crews that only they, the skipper, were authorized to respond to vhf calls. "So wake me up to make the response if it appears to be important". So if it doesn't seem so...guess what! With the advent of AIS, I have made a number of calls on VHF, identifying the called vessel by his AIS ID number. Every one was answered. Can we see something from this???

 

[mike cunningham]

What's the current favorite for these radios/deals?
Practical sailor liked this one for 2015
http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Horizon-HX870-Floating-Handheld/dp/B00PM6XDNS

I have one, works great, floats, waterproof (supposedly). Only issue is the 9 hr battery life in standby with minimal comm. It aint no cell phone re battery life in standby. There are some tweaks you can do to minimize power consumption but they don't buy you too much more time. I was surprised when it started beeping a batt low alarm about two hours outside the gate on the return from the Farallons. But no worse than the other handhelds on the market. The other thing that happened while powered up on my belt is, somehow, the DSC button got depressed. Had it stayed depressed long enough I would have transmitted a distress message, that would have been embarrassing. As it was the unit beeped until I told it NO I don't want to send a distress message. I won't mention how long it took me to figure out what was beeping.

I installed an upgraded DSC/AIS/GPS fixed VHF with a RAM in the cockpit after that experience. When I keep the HH on my PFD belt I turn it off so it has juice in a pinch and you don't accidentally send a distress message when you are contorted in some oddball body position trying to do whatever thing you have to do.