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AZ Sailor
01-05-2018, 04:45 PM
I am renting an EPIRB for the race. I thought I’d pass on what that process has been for me, and pose a couple of questions that it has raised.

The Boat US rental program is well known, but I did a little checking on alternatives. Lots of places rent EPIRBs, and some charge a little less than the $65/week rate at Boat US. It is not always clear, however, how the other vendors handle the registration/notification process – i.e., whose name and contact information does COSPAS-SARSAT have associated with that unit’s Unique Identifier Number (“UIN”). (Beacons have UINs, by the way, not MMSIs.) With Boat US, it is very clear: the UIN is assigned to Boat US; when the authorities get a ping from that unit, they call the Boat US emergency dispatch, who has the renter’s info cross referenced to that UIN.

I decided that going with the established folks at Boat US was worth the few extra dollars. I called their number (888-663-7472), and within minutes had a contract on my email, complete with UIN of the McMurdo Cat II 406 MHz GPS-Enabled EPIRB that is now reserved to be shipped to me for the race. They will not charge my credit card until June 19, 2018, the day they ship the unit off for guaranteed delivery to me by June 22, 2016. If I cancel before then, no charge. Total cost is $230: 3 week rental at $65/week, plus $35 to cover shipping both ways. Rental period runs from when the Unit arrives (not when they ship it) to when it is placed with Fed Ex for the return (not when they get it). The unit will come in a pelican case, with a pre-paid Fed Ex shipping label for the return. It looks like there is a Fed Ex office not far from the beach in Hanalei.

All in all, I am pleased with this choice. And I'm happy to have one more thing off the check list.

My first question: I would like to have the unit shipped to me c/o Corinthian Yacht Club, since that’s where I’ll be on June 22, but how should I go about clearing that with CYC? I doubt the CYC staff or Port Captain want to field calls like this from individual racers. Is there someone on the SSS side of things I should be talking to about communicating with CYC on this?

Second: In a response in the SER Questions thread, DaveH says to include RC on the contact list. All that the Boat US form calls for are names and phone numbers. They don’t want email addresses. Is there a specific name and phone number to give them? In taling to Boat US today I gave them the names and cell phone numbers for the contact persons listed on my PLB registration. But I can add or substitute another name and number when I sign the agreement to send back to them.

OlyJeff
01-08-2018, 02:00 PM
Hi Lee, Since your renting for just 3 weeks does this mean you won't have an epirb for the trip home?

AZ Sailor
01-08-2018, 03:05 PM
Hey, Jeff. While I will be sailing back, I don't plan to have an EPIRB aboard. I will have my PLB. It is a new model, with internal GPS and a floatation pouch, which makes it reasonably comparable to an EPRIB, but with the advantage of being wearable. Since I don't envision crossing oceans with crew, I have come to the opinion that this PLB suffices for my purposes.

That said, I may yet reconsider and decide to buy an EPIRB. One of the things I liked about the Boat US program is that I have up until the day before they ship to cancel the rental at no cost.

DaveH
01-08-2018, 03:39 PM
FWIW -
I'd strongly recommend reconsidering sailing significantly far from land with a PLB as your only beacon.
yes, if you fall off, you'll want it in that scenario, and wouldn't have time to grab the larger unit.
But really that only covers one (hopefully remote) scenario.

Also, the fact that you can wear it can be a drawback... I've personally had my PLB pouch detach from my vest on more than one occasion.
Fortunately, I've always been able to locate it; so far.

The more likely scenario is that for whatever reason you'll need to abandon to a life raft, or you or the boat becomes disabled and you need to summon help.

PLB's are not what you want to rely on in that scenario.

First, the signals are weaker due to the antenna and power differences.
More significant is the battery life.
With a PLB you have a transmit time of 24hours. From the tests I have seen, that may well be optimistic.
EPIRB's are better than twice that at 48 hours minimum.

IMO - PLB's are a good backup to the boats primary EPIRB, but I wouldn't consider them as anything but a backup on offshore passages

Just my .02 (for the return, this is why a full scale EPIRB is required for the race)

DH

AZ Sailor
01-09-2018, 09:29 AM
Dave -

Thank you for the input. Your advice is appreciated, and gives me more to think about. I'll have my rental contract on hand for my inspection next month, but will likely heed your advice and buy a unit before the race.

In any event, my question still stands as to name and phone number to put on the contact list when registering the unit.

DaveH
01-09-2018, 10:20 AM
Hi Lee -
use the following Names and Numbers, (in addition to any other shore side support you want)
Brian Boschma, Race Chair, 510-565-0636 [M]
David Herrigel, Commodore, 510-717-9271 [M]
Single Handed Sailing Society Race Committee (message only) 866-724-5777