# Epirb



## hawkeye (Mar 14, 2016)

Anyone have an Epirb on board?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Not likely as most of us don't fish open waters, but I'm looking to get a PLB soon for nearshore trips and camping.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

I have a Garmin inreach. It does what I need it to do. If I bought another one it would be an Aqualink.


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## BB FL (Aug 3, 2019)

jmrodandgun said:


> I have a Garmin inreach. It does what I need it to do. If I bought another one it would be an Aqualink.


Can you explain why? New to these things.


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## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

Have a PLB. Always have it on my boat and take it with me when going on others boats. They are a small expense in comparison to the amount of money we spend on our boat(s), gear, fuel, etc. Well worth the investment.

I plan to pickup a Garmin InReach as well. They also have sos rescue capabilities, but also allow you to send text messages for general communications when out of cell range.


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## sandyharris (Jan 12, 2015)

I have Verizon as a cell provider and in some of the areas I fish there is zero service. Personally I think an epirb or a PLB is cheap insurance......even then I plan on having enough stuff on board to get me through a night in the marsh if the tide demons strike......


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## Snookyrookie (Sep 9, 2016)

PLB that goes with me whenever I am on the water. Cell phones don’t always work, and being able to pinpoint my location if I’m in trouble is invaluable to being found quickly.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Yes, I have the ACR ResQLink+ PLB -- it saved my life and 4 others on my boat over 4 years ago. Small enough to fit in your pocket and <$300 for a battery guaranteed for 5 years. It's a no brainer for me. I bring it with me on offshroe trips even when the boat has an EPIRB. I bring it on my flats boat, and I'll bring it on my skiff.

It's too cheap not to have, and if you ever need it, there's no amount of money you wouldn't pay to have it. I can not stress enough how amazing this technology is. We were 70 miles away from Charleston CG with a boat that was completely gone (no debris, even) and we were in the water for less than an hour. Unbelievable.

To put in perspective - a boat capsized and didn't even sink 12 miles off our coast not too much later, and they floated for over 14 hours before being found. Another boat sank at the jetties and they only recovered one body days later. 70 miles is un-find-able territory, especially if it's just 5 heads bobbing in 4 ft waves with no boat, and we were in the water for mere minutes.

Get the PLB. It has one function, and it does it well.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I have an ACR ResqLink and have it lanyarded to my person when I’m running solo. Since I’m just running the backcountry of the Everglades the main reason I have it is in case of a medical emergency with one of my anglers... Once that device goes off they’ll have that big chopper on top of you in about 20 minutes where I am...

As far as that missing boat goes - they’ve suspended the search, so they’re probably lost... UPDATE...heard on the radio today they extended the search one more day....

Some hard truths here. There are quite a few hulls
around that won’t float if they take on water - and if you have a nice inner liner, your first sign of trouble will be wet feet and all too quickly you’re swimming with hardly time to even get a PFD on.

A few things most don’t think about might just save you if you have to be in the water long term... The first is your cooler - it will float forever and hold the freshwater you’re really going to need, plus it will a lot easier for searchers to see than one or more heads in the water.... Lastly and maybe just as important is a piece of rope to tie yourselves together and to that cooler...


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## matt_baker_designs (Nov 27, 2012)

So a friend of mine went to school with the guys that went missing, and one of their wives. This really brought the, “It will never happen to me”, situation home for me. Way to close for comfort. I usually have 1000+ bucks worth of rods/reels in the boat, not to mention all that other tackle stuff, plus the boat and all it’s gotta haves... but no personal location devices at all. Sure I have flares, like 4 of them, a couple Mylar blankets and a whistle, but no $300-ish piece of equipment that would pretty much guarantee my rescue if I got in a jam. Geesh. That’s going to change. If I ever need it, which I may not, but if I do, I’m pretty sure I’d trade ALL that other stuff to be at home in my warm bed, under the covers and waking up to breakfast and a warm cup of coffee. Man I hope they find those guys beyond all odds.


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## Snookyrookie (Sep 9, 2016)

lemaymiami said:


> I have an ACR ResqLink and have it lanyarded to my person when I’m running solo. Since I’m just running the backcountry of the Everglades the main reason I have it is in case of a medical emergency with one of my anglers... Once that device goes off they’ll have that big chopper on top of you in about 20 minutes where I am...
> 
> As far as that missing boat goes - they’ve suspended the search, so they’re probably lost...
> 
> ...


This. Unfortunately most people fall under that “it can’t happen to me” mindset when just a little preparation can make a huge difference when crap really happens. I would much rather over prepare a million times than have that one moment when I go “oh crap”. I 100% agree you need to have some type of rope prepped to tie everyone together, the easiest way to give up is be alone and despair ruins your future, if you’re in a group it’s amazing how much of a difference it will make to keep everyone fighting to stay strong. Only thing I recommend is to have one of those bungee type of lines, if someone goes under it will stretch and allow you time to cut loose. Horrible to think, but when you’re in a life threatening situation you have to be realize your adrenaline will be going a million miles a minute and you WILL need extra time to cope with the situation.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> I have an ACR ResqLink and have it lanyarded to my person when I’m running solo. Since I’m just running the backcountry of the Everglades the main reason I have it is in case of a medical emergency with one of my anglers... Once that device goes off they’ll have that big chopper on top of you in about 20 minutes where I am...
> 
> As far as that missing boat goes - they’ve suspended the search, so they’re probably lost...
> 
> ...


Most hulls will sink, some just faster than others, especially in heavy ocean current as all the "water tight" hatches, cowlings, and compartments fill with water. Boston Whaler's with lighter two cycles were the only exception, maybe with the heavy four cycles


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## csnaspuck (Apr 2, 2013)

If I do ever make the trip down to ENP or go offshore i will get a resqlink but every dayfishing I keep a VHF radio on me with a DSC that uses GPS to track my location. I know I am in range most every where I go but if i ever needed to go out of range then the PLB is a must.


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## flyclimber (May 22, 2016)

RES Q Link PLB for me and it's always on my boat. I try to bring it if I go on someone else's boat it I don't know they have one of their own.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

If you have time and a VHF... Raise the Coast Guard on 16 if you're in trouble. Stay on the horn with them about 30 seconds - and they'll know exactly where you are...


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## sandyharris (Jan 12, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> I have an ACR ResqLink and have it lanyarded to my person when I’m running solo. Since I’m just running the backcountry of the Everglades* the main reason I have it is in case of a medical emergency with one of my anglers... Once that device goes off they’ll have that big chopper on top of you in about 20 minutes where I am...*
> 
> As far as that missing boat goes - they’ve suspended the search, so they’re probably lost... UPDATE...heard on the radio today they extended the search one more day....
> 
> ...


Hats off to you for this kind of forward thinking.......


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## Stevie (Jun 27, 2017)

I’ve started carrying an Epirb and often a Sat Phone w/ SOS button on board.


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## hawkeye (Mar 14, 2016)

This. The everglades. It’s where I like to fish too. But I imagine there have to be other places in Florida with zero reception. Skiff only has one engine...sold...I’m getting an epirb!



lemaymiami said:


> I have an ACR ResqLink and have it lanyarded to my person when I’m running solo. Since I’m just running the backcountry of the Everglades the main reason I have it is in case of a medical emergency with one of my anglers... Once that device goes off they’ll have that big chopper on top of you in about 20 minutes where I am...
> 
> As far as that missing boat goes - they’ve suspended the search, so they’re probably lost... UPDATE...heard on the radio today they extended the search one more day....
> 
> ...


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I’d have a sat phone if the cost wasn’t prohibitive...
Most days we’re 20 to 30 miles or more from the ramp at Flamingo so you do have to think about the possibilities... Many of my anglers are my age and older (I’m just a kid at 71...).


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## ckrawlin (Oct 9, 2009)

I highly reccomend Garmin In-Reach Sat Messenger. Very reasunable, pay by the month plans. Unlimited standard messages, so you can ping loved ones to say you are OK, running late, etc. Texting is cheap. Construction seems more robust than SPOT. I also have an Epirb/PLB, but that is no use putting family at ease when you are running late, etc.


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Thank You for the posts. Not a lot of dollars for a little security for friends and family when out on the water. Made me look into it and am definitely going to purchase.


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## Tommy1 (Mar 3, 2016)

An unsinkable boat does not guarantee rescue or that you will be able to hang on to it.


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## prinjm6 (May 13, 2015)

When I had an offshore rig I always had a ditch bag with 2 inflatable PFD's, handheld VHF, Flares, Whistle and most importantly a ACR Resqlink PLB. The thought of dying slowly from exposure floating in the middle of the ocean never suited well with me. The ditch bag was something my Grandfather always had and passed that on to me. Mother nature is nothing to play with, GPSSTORE.COM has the ACR PLB's for $300 it's a no brainer is you're fishing remote or out of sight of land.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Here's a real cheap mod for every life jacket - on any skiff... Buy the good quality big plastic whistles from your local marine hardware store (each one should cost less than $4...) and lanyard one to each PFD - then add a light stick to each PFD as well... and lastly mark up each PFD with your FL numbers (Hull numbers...) so that if it's ever found floating somewhere - the Coast Guard will be able to tell what boat it came from... The one time you're in the water somewhere - you'll be glad for the whistle and the light stick..... and say a quiet prayer that they're never needed.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I have a PLB and an InReach. I use the InReach for texting to let my wife know where we are and if we are running later or whatever. If I have a true emergency then I am hitting the PLB and the SOS button on the PLB.

For those that have an In Reach (or Spot) only make sure you understand how their emergency system works. They are not tied directly to emergency responders like the PLB or EPRIB. It can take several more minutes to get the contact to the responders. In most cases that's probably fine and its certainly better than nothing. But sometimes a few minutes can make a difference.

Bottom line is that if you are only going to have one then I'd suggest a PLB. But both is only about $600. Cheap in my book and as others have pointed out. When you NEED help you'd gladly trade every rod and reel on your boat for a PLB.


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## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

I'm looking at a vhf with gps and a mayday button. Is this a less desirable choice than a plb or an epirb?


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

BM_Barrelcooker said:


> I'm looking at a vhf with gps and a mayday button. Is this a less desirable choice than a plb or an epirb?


Yes. A VHF with a DSC is a very good thing. But that is only as good as the radio and range you have. It is not a sure fire emergency transponder like an PLB/EPIRB. A radio with DSC is the quickest way to get help if there is a close by vessel that had DSC. But there is also a chance that nobody gets the DSC signal. The Coast Guard will absolutely, short of equipment failure, get your signal from the PLB/EPIRB.

I cover the bases. I have a handheld VHF, In REach, and PLB.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

sjrobin said:


> Most hulls will sink, some just faster than others, especially in heavy ocean current as all the "water tight" hatches, cowlings, and compartments fill with water. Boston Whaler's with lighter two cycles were the only exception, maybe with the heavy four cycles


This is not right. There are many hulls built now that have as much or more foam as a whaler. And a whaler will float just fine with a 4 stroke. Can they swamp and capsize, of course, but most smaller boats will not sink easily. Boats 20ft and under are all required to have level flotation by law.

But as stated prior, you can't count on it. What if you get knocked out of the boat and the wind pushes it faster then you can swim? On the flats of tampa bay it's not a big deal, you can walk to shore or wave down another boat. But in the glades, near shore reefs, shipping channels, camping down the peace river.... an EPIRB or vhf radio can't help you unless you are in the boat. A PLB will be on my list to buy soon as my new boat is finished.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Something everyone needs to know.... Just because you're in a "name brand" boat - doesn't mean it was well built, period. More than one famous manufacturer went out of business - but the brand lived on under some other builder... Boats in places like "Bass That" come to mind... 

There's only one sure way to know how your rig will deal with full swamping or a broken through hull fitting where you can't see it at all... and more than one boat owner doesn't have a clue that their bilge pump's float switch is compromised and not working - until their hull sinks right at the dock... Most of us will never have the opportunity to deliberately flood a hull and see just how it does behave - so we rely on Coast Guard inspections of boat builders. Once again, though, all that guarantees a certain level of floatation - with nothing said about what one owner or other does to the boat once it's theirs...

What I'm trying to say in a roundabout way is that all us absolutely must pay attention to what is going on with our hulls - and that's every day on the water... Tough business when the first hint of trouble on a boat is when you notice you're standing in water instead of a dry deck. That might be why the Coast Guard absolutely insists on certain standards - and when they say your PFD's must be readily accessed in an emergency they might just know what they're talking about...


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## TylertheTrout2 (Apr 21, 2016)

ALWAYS keep my hand-held ACR-X ResQue Link in my go everywhere fishing pack along with a hand held VHF radio ... as another said .. Cheap insurance, we spend all this money on quality tackle and gear, your emergency rescue equipment should be no different. I also always keep a tourniquet on the boat...have seen a couple messy accidents. Shit can go south real quick out there. Invest in a nice hand-held EPIRB!.


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## Chris Morejohn (May 12, 2014)

I have a Garmin Inreach which for the initial cost and to use is so much better than my old EBIRBs that I gave them away. I keep in touch with all my clients, family and I can get weather forecasts for $.50 each location I ask for. This is a picture of my past years voyage and all my texts. I will never go anywhere without it really useful and amazing technology and company product.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Might be some confusion here as to the differences between a PLB and an EPIRB.

EPIRB- Is registered to the boat and is affixed to the hull. Its not meant to be a portable device. When the boat swamps or flips it automatically sends the emergency signal.

PLB - IS a portable device that is registered to the owner NOT a specific boat. It is intended to be on the users person so in the event that an emergency occurs the user deploys the antennae and turns it on to emit the emergency signal. The advantage to a PLB is that you can keep it in your gear bag and take with you when fishing on buddies boats that may not have one. Then once aboard your buddies boat you can get it out and put it in your life vest or clip it to your belt but have it on you. Does no good if its in your ditch bag and you hit a submerged stump and the boat flips you out.

One other consideration. While I love my InReach I personally wouldn't rely on that as my sole emergency device. It does NOT go directly to the emergency repsonders. It goes to a 3rd party who then sends it along. It typically takes numerous additional minutes before it gets to the first responders compared to a PLB or EPIRB. Now I love being able to text but if and when I ever have an emergency I am hitting the PLB first. When I was in the Seychelles in April I sent a number of texts back home. Most of the time it took about 15 minutes for it to connect and send.


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## Fritz (Jan 17, 2017)

Okay, you guys and recent events kinda have my attention on this topic.

Looks like the ResQlink is buy once kind of deal... no subscriptions or annual fees... is that correct?

Anyone know how long the battery lasts, I mean how many years should I keep the battery before replacing it, not how long does it last once I turn it on?

Seems like affordable insurance at $300 to $450.

I also like Bob’s ideas for PFD’s. Wisdom there.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Fritz said:


> Okay, you guys and recent events kinda have my attention on this topic.
> 
> Looks like the ResQlink is buy once kind of deal... no subscriptions or annual fees... is that correct?
> 
> ...


The ACR ResQLink PLB is good for 5 years. I believe the battery can be serviced at that point if you would like to go that route rather than buying another. No other fees, no subscriptions.


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## Flats Broke (Feb 7, 2017)

lemaymiami said:


> Something everyone needs to know.... Just because you're in a "name brand" boat - doesn't mean it was well built, period. More than one famous manufacturer went out of business - but the brand lived on under some other builder... Boats in places like "Bass That" come to mind...
> 
> There's only one sure way to know how your rig will deal with full swamping or a broken through hull fitting where you can't see it at all... and more than one boat owner doesn't have a clue that their bilge pump's float switch is compromised and not working - until their hull sinks right at the dock... Most of us will never have the opportunity to deliberately flood a hull and see just how it does behave - so we rely on Coast Guard inspections of boat builders. Once again, though, all that guarantees a certain level of floatation - with nothing said about what one owner or other does to the boat once it's theirs...
> 
> What I'm trying to say in a roundabout way is that all us absolutely must pay attention to what is going on with our hulls - and that's every day on the water... Tough business when the first hint of trouble on a boat is when you notice you're standing in water instead of a dry deck. That might be why the Coast Guard absolutely insists on certain standards - and when they say your PFD's must be readily accessed in an emergency they might just know what they're talking about...


You're right about bass boats Bob. I used to fish bass tournaments back when I had a bass boat and a flats boat. I was at a bass tournament several years ago on the Harris Chain of lakes. As one team launched their boat it got a little sideways sliding off the trailer. The trailer had a pair of galvanized posts on either side holding guide boards. The hull got gashed by the top of one of the guide posts and sank like a stone. The boat was a well known and widely sold, if not necessarily highly regarded, brand. At another tournament on Crystal River, several boats were found hanging by their bow ropes with their noses barely above water the second morning of the tournament. The boats belonged to guys who didn't understand tide pulses. There were several different brands that would have presumably sunk completely if not for their bow ropes.

Finally, the tragic case of the two firefighters who launched from Port Canaveral has us all thinking about boating safety. I have heard that the Coast Guard contacted Robalo and gave Robalo the boat's HIN to inquire whether the hull had foam flotation and were told that it did not. If true, that is pretty sad. I know their hull was a 2001 model which was the year Roballo was acquired by Chaparral Boats. The Robalo brand had always been marketed as having foam flotation previously since their first boats were built in 1969. If Chaparral stopped using foam on them in 2001, I wonder how widely that was publicized. Anybody know more about this?


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## Brian Yearty (Oct 11, 2018)

E-pirb is cheap insurance wheater you fish estuaries or open water. It will put your mind at ease and you can enjoy why you are on the water.


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## dranrab (Oct 9, 2016)

bryson said:


> The ACR ResQLink PLB is good for 5 years. I believe the battery can be serviced at that point if you would like to go that route rather than buying another. No other fees, no subscriptions.


I have the ResQLink+ The battery is a six year battery. The battery can be replaced after 6 years. 

A common question in boating safety circles is whether to get a PLB or an EPIRB. The answer is an unequivocal yes. Get one or the other. In a not too technical way, we'll explore the similarities and differences and let you decide for yourself which one will best suit your needs. You may decide you want both.

An EPIRB is an Emergency Indicating Radio Beacon. A PLB is a Personal Locator Beacon. They both do the same thing in that they send a signal to satellites which in turn send the information to Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC). The RCC will determine a location. Land based signals are handled by the Air Force and maritime signals are handled by the Coast Guard. Both the EPIRB and the PLB also transmit a secondary signal on a different frequency. This signal allows searchers to home in on it.

PLBs are registered to a person and are generally carried on a person. They are designed to transmit for a minimum of 24 hours with a maximum battery shelf life of 6 years. Some float and some don't. Some have an internal GPS to provide a more precise position, some don't. PLBs must be turned on manually by the user, and to transmit a reliable signal must be held with the antenna in an upright position. Since a PLB is designed to be carried on a person, they are appreciably smaller in size.

EPIRBS are registered to the boat. They are designed to transmit for a minimum of 48 hours and most newer models have 10 year shelf life batteries. Newer EPIRBS almost all have an internal GPS. All EPIRBS float and are designed so that they transmit reliably as they float. EPIRBS may be automatically or manually activated and some are designed to automatically deploy when the release mechanism in their case gets wet. They are quite a bit larger than a PLB.

Boats and boating are expensive. With PLBs starting at about $250 and EPIRBS starting at about $400, they are a drop in the bucket of or overall boating expenses. It is estimated that EPIRBS and PLBs have saved over 40,000 lives since they were invented. You are worth it. Get one or both now.

Once you buy the one you decide will serve you best, be sure to register it at https://www.beaconregistration.noaa.govRegistration is fast, free and easy. Save your registration user name and password so that you can update the information if anything changes.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

I'm in the contingent that carries an ACR-X ResQue Link. I keep it in a dry bag that would float and it's clipped to a PFD. I also keep a small first-aid kit in the dry bag along with a few survival essentials. It's my "oh shit kit" and I never launch the boat without it.


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