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A common complaint from boaters is the lack of courtesy shown by boaters to each other. Don’t be a discourteous boater. Obey the rules of the road. Adjust speed near paddle craft. Watch your wake. Arrive alive knowing you helped other boaters have fun and be safe as well.
Posts Tagged ‘EPIRB’
December 2, 2011 | 
Author 7th Coast Guard District
U.S. Coast Guard
News Release
Date: December 2, 2011
Contact: District Public Affairs
(305) 415-6683
MIAMI — With the holiday season upon us, the Coast Guard encourages boaters throughout South Florida and the Florida Keys to consider some potentially life saving stocking stuffers.
With a wide range of purposes and prices, the following list of survival gear can truly make a difference during an emergency at sea.
- Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB): It sends a satellite signal with your position to the Coast Guard during an emergency. Remember to properly register your EPIRB to ensure a swift rescue.
- Life Jackets: The best life jacket is the one you wear. There are many different styles to choose from, including inflatable life jackets, which are more comfortable and less bulky.
- VHF Radio: The Coast Guard continuously monitors VHF Channel 16. It is important to understand that cell phones don’t always work offshore, and can’t be depended on to call for help during an at-sea crisis.
- Sound Devices: Whistles or air horns are extremely affordable, and can come in quite handy during low-visibility situations.
- Signaling Devices: Help responders find you quickly. Flares, signalling mirrors and other devices can make a huge difference, especially at night.
EPIRBs send a satellite signal to the Coast Guard, helping to take the search out of search and rescue.
On Wednesday, the Coast Guard responded to a disabled 65-foot fishing vessel’s EPIRB signal near the Bahamas by launching a helicopter crew. The helicopter crew hoisted all seven people aboard and transported them to safety.
Having an EPIRB onboard your vessel can increase survival chances during boating emergencies. Having a variety of safety devices, however, can exponentially increase survival chances.
On Nov. 19, the Coast Guard received both an EPIRB signal and a mayday call over VHF Channel 16. A fishing vessel was taking on water near the Florida Keys, but the crew was prepared and able to effectively call for help. A helicopter crew and a cutter crew were launched to search, and when the cutter crew witnessed a flare, they knew they had found the distressed boaters. At this point, the fishing vessel had sunk and the boaters were recovered with no medical concerns. Due to the boaters having a properly registered EPIRB, a working VHF radio, and flares onboard their vessel, they were quickly rescued and lived to tell the tale.
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Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790.
The United States Coast Guard — Proud History. Powerful Future.
Posted in Boating Safety | 
Tags: EPIRB, Holiday, indicating radio beacon, inflatable life jackets, survival, survival gear, United States Coast Guard, VHF radio | 
No Comments »
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs
Date: October 13, 2011
Contact: Penny Bailey
Public Affairs
Phone:: 417-425-6155
[email protected]
News Release
Washington – Cold weather boaters need protection from hypothermia, both on deck and in the event of falling overboard. Cold water shortens in-water survival time, making a quick rescue essential. Fortunately, you have options whether you hunt, fish, or cruise on cold water. Choose the right gear to increase your chances of surviving a cold-weather mishap.
1. Flotation Coat
Flotation coats provide warmth and double as a life jacket should the wearer fall in the water. Float coats are recommended for boaters who boat year-round in locales with moderate air temperatures and cold water. If you boat in extremely cold temperatures, a flotation coat will not protect you from hypothermia if you fall into the water.
2. Immersion or Survival Suit
Winter boating calls for hardy gear. Survival suits protect you from the elements, and provide flotation and hypothermia protection if you enter the water. Wearing a survival suit can increase survival time in cold water.
3. Dry Suit
Dry suits can be instantly drawn tight to prevent water from entering, Appropriate thermal layers worn beneath the dry suit provide insulation and they are not buoyant. Dry suits are suitable for intentional entry into the water, but provide no passive protection if you fall in.
5. Personal Position Locator Beacon
Otherwise known as a PLB, a personal position locator beacon is a scaled down version of the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). When immersed in water or manually activated both EPIRBs and PLBs transmit a signal that allows rescuers to pinpoint your location.
6. Personal Emergency Locator Light
An emergency light worn and activated if a person is in the water can attract the attention of rescuers, providing a much more visible target than your head in the water. The bright, flashing light increases the chances of being spotted by rescuers or a passing boater.
7. Flares
Store hand held and/or parachute flares in immersion suit pockets, secured with a lanyard. Study their instructions before you need them.
8. Whistle
Attracting attention will increase your chances of surviving in the water. Whistles are a cheap and simple way to make noise without exhausting yourself. Rescuers are trained to turn off the boat engines and listen for a period of time while they are on search and rescue missions, or a nearby boater may hear the signal. Conventional whistles don’t work if the “pea” inside is wet, so choose a waterproof model.
Common sense can also increase your chances of survival in cold weather. Dress in layers to provide maximum protection and warmth. Technical fibers provide thermal protection and won’t absorb water. Include a hat to protect your head from heat loss. Wear gloves.
Don’t be tempted to skip proper cold weather clothing and gear. Be sure to wear a life jacket and hypothermia protection when boating in the cold.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America’s Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service’s missions. For more information about the Coast Guard Auxiliary visit http://www.cgaux.org
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As part of National Safe Boating Week, we asked our U.S. Coast Guard Facebook fans what item that helps them boat responsibly would they like to know more about. While there were votes for VHF radios, marine flares, life jackets and boating safety courses, there was one item that stood out with the most votes…
Was an EPIRB! Read about the faithful EPIRB at the Coast Guard Compass, the Official Blog of the U.S. Coast Guard:
via Coast Guard Compass.
Posted in Compass | Tags: Boating Safety, boating safety courses, EPIRB, Facebook, national safe boating week, VHF radio | No Comments »
Posted in Weather | Tags: Auxiliary, Boating Safety, Cold Weather, Dry Suit, emergency position, EPIRB, Fishing, flare, Hunting, Hypothermia, indicating radio beacon, Life Jacket, Rescue, safety course, VHF radio, Winter | No Comments »
- BoatU.S. Foundation Now Rents GPS-enabled EPIRBs.
The BoatU.S. Foundation has rented out EPIRBS more than 5,000 times over the past 14 years, with 62 lives saved. Now the Foundation has added GPIRBs (Global Position Indicating Radio Beacons) to the program. These GPIRBS are easier to ship and store, and provide a more accurate location fix – potentially leading to speedier rescues. The new GPIRBs are available at www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/epirb for just $65 a week. The program offers McMurdo Smartfind Plus GPS-enabled EPIRBs. Since these include GPS technology in addition to the standard 406-MHz satellite signaling capabilities, they provide search and rescue authorities with a more accurate location of a vessel in distress. Compared to standard EPIRBs, these new models also enable rescuers to respond sooner. The new GPIRBs are stored in a small “lunch box” size, waterproof case that makes it easier to stow aboard in more readily accessible locations. If you order by 2 PM E.T., the GPIRB is on its way the same day. An easy online booking system at www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/epirb allows users to save their vessel and contact information for future use, or make changes to their itinerary if needed.
[Posted: Feb 25, 2010. Source: Bruce White, BC-BLB]
Taken from What’s New.
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Fifth District Public Affairs |
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Coast Guard, Navy rescue man from sunken sailboat off east coast |
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PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard and Navy worked together Sunday morning to return a rescued man to shore after his sailboat sank about 250 nautical miles east of Cape Hatteras, N.C. Coast Guard Fifth District watchstanders received a satellite distress signal at 5:07 p.m. Saturday from the sailboat Gloria A Dios. They launched an Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., HC-130J Hercules aircraft crew to search for the sailboat, began broadcasting an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to notify other mariners, used satellite Enhanced Group Calls to target other vessels in the area for help and diverted an AMVER vessel (a ship participating in the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System.) The Hercules crew made contact with the Gloria A Dios operator, Dennis Clements, at about 6:30 p.m. and found that his sailboat had been taking on water since Wednesday due to storms and needed help. The Coast Guard watchstanders and Navy’s U.S. Second Fleet Maritime Operations Center coordinated to identify the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its air assets as the quickest and safest way to rescue Clements. The crew of the Hercules dropped a life raft near the Gloria A Dios after a large wave demasted it causing two holes in the port side cabin at about 9:30 p.m. The sailboat sank and Eisenhower’s rescue helicopter crew picked up the man from the water around 10:30 p.m. and flew more than 100 miles back to the carrier with the Hercules flying overhead. In the meantime, an Air Station Elizabeth City MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew had flown to the Eisenhower to refuel. The rescued man was checked by the Eisenhower’s senior medical officer and the Jayhawk’s crew flew him safely back to Elizabeth City. The rescued man was back to solid ground Sunday at 3:45 a.m. “When a mariner in distress is hundreds of miles offshore, the best platform to assist might be a commercial vessel transiting between ports or a DoD asset,” said Lt. Scott L. Farr, a watchstander at the Coast Guard Fifth District Command Center. “The motor vessel Ryujin was diverted but could not maintain their course to affect a rescue due to heavy seas. Ultimately, the quick and effective coordination between the Fifth District Command Center, Air Station Elizabeth City and the USS Eisenhower provided assistance to this mariner with the use of multiple aircraft by coordinating and leveraging their unique capabilities when no one else was within 100 nautical miles of the sailboat’s position.”  Gloria A Dios operator, Dennis Clements, Download photos and video: Video – 25mb Windows Media File (prior to demasting) |
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The Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadrons also inspect kayaks and other paddle craft.
Boat Safe. Boat Smart. Get the Decal!
Three Maryland boating deaths in 2012. Three sailboat emergencies, 1 death; 1 swimmer death; 1 allision death with two trauma injuries; 1 major injury from gasoline engine fire,
Lifejackets are comfortable and they save lives!
“You wouldn’t allow your kids to sit on the hood of your car, so why would you allow them to sit on the bow of your boat?”
Rear Admiral Dean Lee, 5th District commander, United States Coast Guard
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The Division 23 Chesapeake Chatter is available at the Division 23 website.
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THE RBS Department's newsletter WAVES - Watercraft and Vessel Safety is available at the RBS website.
The CGAUXA eBeacon Magazine.
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