Resources
Below are Evaluated Resources that have important information on all aspects of signaling .

SARSAT

Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking



GMDSS
Global Maritime Distress & Safety System. Published by Adlard Coles Nautical.


Boatsafe Distress
Rules of the road 37. States a vessel in distress shall use these signals.

Equipped review PLB's
Although this first report is 200

USsailing safety studies

United States Power Squadron
This site has a MOB report that includes testing on Man Overboard Alarms

Equipped review EPIRB's

Safety Boating Distress Signals Investigated

The latest in MOB distress signals for today's boater. This newsletter features some of the new boating equipment and technology to help you locate the Man or Woman overboard including MOB alarms, PLB,s EPIRB's and SART's.

Quick links

MOB Alarms, PLB's, EPIRB's & SART's , Final thoughts

General discussion of distress signals

The first point to make about MOB and distress signals is that modern communications has changed everything. If you have someone fall overboard and they are wearing a MOB alarm, a signal will be triggered on the vessel and you will have a spot where they fell overboard. This is a system for crewed yachts and boats.

Second if you fall overboard with a PLB which has a GPS, a distress signal will be sent out on 406MHz to  Search and Rescue (SAR) organizations. You can be found within 12hrs from pretty much anywhere in the world these days. This is more appropriate for a single or short handed boat, where self survival is more important i.e. the vessel will not come back and get you.

Third with communication at hand there is less emphasis on other signal devices but they should not be overlooked. The days of being days or weeks adrift at sea are past as long as you take the adequate precautions. 

A seminar on liferafts that I saw outlined a big problem with modern communications devices and that's water and dead batteries. Water in the equipment and dead batteries means you will have to lean on your supply of flares and other signals. Make sure you have a totally waterproof grab bag plus plenty of sources of batteries and backup power, like freeplay energy and power monkey, see electrical section for alternate energy supplies. 


IMPORTANT NOTICE,  SARSAT satellites will stop listening to 121.5MHz

Man Overboard Alarms

These alarms go of when the person wearing the tag or alarm leaves the vessel area i.e. falls overboard. There are two types of systems, one uses a direction finder homing device and the other uses a GPS signal.

First its important to realize when picking the equipment, that you need to know if the vessel will have someone aboard to come get you. If you are single handing or fishing alone you need a PLB or something that will kill the power to the engine.

A note about simple GPS MOB buttons on your instruments and you are in tidal waters. The spot the MOB went overboard is a GPS coordinate. The MOB victim would have moved from that position by wind and current so you need to factor in how much time has passed and the likely track they would have followed.

RayMarine LifeTag

MOB life tag sends out a RF signal when the (up to 16) units go out of the30 ft range. The alarm goes of in the cabin and the position will be shown on any Raymarine multi function display. This is a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). Not good for single handing as it does not send out signal to SAR (Search and Rescue). 

Basic system cost $685 for two tags receiver and buzzer, must have Raymarine instruments to complete system. We will do a round up of all the offerings in the PLB department in the near future. 

First Light

In conjunction with marine track and Volvo this is touted as being the latest in MOB signals or PLB's. We do not know much about this system as it is not yet finished its testing Volvo will use it in their next round the world race 2008. 

Go to home page look for Marine Track in Electronics and then Tracking Technology.

Mobi-lert


Active crew monitoring system, always connected, Immediate and automatic. Sends NMEA waypoint message from MOB to most chart plotters. Second relay to sound extra alarm / shut-off engine. Does not contact SAR organizations. 

This is a GPS system so remember wind and tide. Now in US from Oceanmarketing.

Alert 2

MOB overboard signal, vessel to MOB signal. Does not contact SAR organizations. 

This is a RF system. The ALERT 2 System consists of the Alert water-activated radio transmitter, which transmits a coded 418 MHz signal when immersed for one second, and the Alert receiver aboard your vessel, which triggers its audible alarm when it receives the transmitter signal. It can also plot a position on a compatible GPS or shut down the engine.

McMurdo MOB Guardian

The new system from McMurdo for 2007, the Guardian was co- developed by the RNLI. This is a bit of a cross over system. The crew wear active alarms and a signal goes off onboard when the transmitter strays beyond the boundaries, the alarm can be manually set off also. However additionally, if after a set period of time the transmitter is not turned off a signal is automatically sent to SAR organizations via satellite. Maybe the best of both Worlds we will have to see.

Maritech
This type is more Power orientated. The power to the engines is gut off when the tag leaves the vessel are i.e. goes overboard. Especially useful for a fisherman alone or water-skier. $800 for twin outboard engine.

I think they may have something here!!!

PLB or Personal Locator Beacons

Personal locator Beacons PLB's transmit on 406mhz to SARSAT (explained left column. This is more for self preservation, i.e. if your single handed there is no crew onboard to come get you, or if the vessel sinks you will need a PLB or EPIRB.

PLB are pocket-sized emergency beacons, pocket sized version of the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) that boaters and pilots, respectively. 

The most easily notable differences are size and cost. PLBs will fit in a pocket, weigh in at about a pound or so and they are expected to sell for prices starting as low as $550 initially.

ACR Electronics

The AquaFix personal Locator Beacon.  Cost around $650. This is for your personal use and is registered in your name. Combine this with the vessels MOB alarm would give you the best of all worlds. Remember that if you fall overboard and have your PLB it will not contact the vessel. Rental opportunities are available at ACR.

See Equipped to Survive news on PLB's left column. This Story of Rescued climber that accredits his rescue to his ACR PLB.

McMurdo PLB Fastfind plus GPS

The Fast find is another recommended personal PLB with GPS. The unit must be registered to the individual Owner. and transmits on 406MHz. and has a 121.5 homing signal. Cost $550.

Sea Marshall

The Sea Marshall is a direction Finder system and was rated highly in the COB report see USPS upper left.Easily fitted into a lifejacket transmits on the International Search and Rescue Frequency of 121.5 MHz giving you the full support of your Local Search And Rescue Authority should your require extra assistance rescuing lost person. Transmission time average of 24 to 36 hours…for ore information download the PDF instruction manual. I am not sure with the notice above about  121.5 being phased out how this leaves Sea Marshall.

EPIRB's & GPIRB or smart EPIRB

EPIRB's transmit on 406MHz to SAR 

Left column you will find the link to Equipped to Survive EPIRB review in 2005. Doug Ritter Euipped's Executive director continues to make locating beacons better through his tests and pestering manufacturers. A good example is the Test on McMurdo beacons which did not shine in the tests in Key West. Since then McMurdo made improvements and now Sept 2006 McMurdo has signed a deal to supply the Coats Guard with FastFind Plus PLB's.

USCG 2 men rescued after dismasting off Florida Coast.

ACRElectronics

ACR Rapid fix  w  406 MHz EPIRB with GPS Interface
Category II (Manually Deployable)   

$600 manual deployment or

$710 Automated deployment

If you wonder what's its like to be shipwrecked check this story out on the sinking by Whale of the 40 ft sloop Mureadrittas. If this is what happens when you are properly prepared then that's a consolation.

Mureadrittas XL 40 sloop sinking & rescue by ACR EPIRB. 

Electronics expert Ben Ellison at Panbo has many a discussion on rescue distress signals and here is his feature on the Mureadrittas incident.

McMurdo

The G5 SMARTFIND PLUS has all the advanced features of the standard E5 SMARTFIND with the addition of an integral 12 channel GPS receiver. The addition of a GPS receiver to the EPIRB ensures that the exact position of a casualty is relayed to the rescue services. 

$750 for manual deployment or $900 automatic deployment.
The list of type approvals for Smartfind are increasing and now include US, SA, Spain, UK, Canada, Chile, China and growing.

SART Search and Rescue Transponders

Search and Rescue Transponders, allow search vessels or aircraft to locate you. Wikipedia description, Search and Rescue Transponder's.

Simrad

Smallest SART available from Simrad.

McMurdo

The S4 SART from McMurdo is used as a carry off device according to SOLAS regulations and can be easily activated even with wet hands. 

Final Thoughts

VERY IMPORTANT: Register your PLB or EPIRB online at NOAA. If you don't god help you literally.

Equipment service centers http://www.usmsa.org/service/stations1.asp

Link to safety distress signals section

Related newsletter topics

Skills and Knowledge

Safety Throwable devices for MOB

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