I have rented a SatPhone for the last three PacCups. Two months rental with 120 minutes prepaid (that I have never used more then 60 minutes of). Cost about $600 first time and just $520 for the last race (total). www.SatellitePhoneStore.com
Each race the rental cost drops a wee bit and Iridium phone keeps getting better (smaller, quicker and less frequent charging). I have no real use for a SatPhone other then the race and return trip. Really just there for an emergency so I won't be guessing if the 406 is doing its thing - being able to personally tell the Coast Guard should the boat sink from under me "send someone my way for a pick-up, I am in a liferaft!". Did come in handy when we hit a whale that tweaked the rudder - which led to a few calls to the Keehi Marina on Oahu to understand the "just in case" options if I needed to pull the rudder before the delivery home. Let me sleep better the next several days knowing what was possible. Luckily the rudder turned out to be an easy fix. The SatPhone was a hit with the delivery crew too - when we had lots of prepaid minutes left to burn - calling home after a bit of swimming in the middle of the high.