California Coastal EPIRB Rescue
SARSAT Technology Makes a Critical Contribution in SAR Mission Save
Sailors embarking on the voyage of a lifetime discover the benefits of carrying and using an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) during a vessel capsize
Greg Venable describes the experience of capsizing his vessel forty miles off the coast of northern California in a recent press release, "Everything we depended on was eliminated in two seconds. The wave came out of nowhere and slammed the boat. The only thing we had left was the EPIRB. It would¹ve been a complete disaster if we hadn¹t had it. Everything we¹d put on board was essentially gone."
A Change in the Weather - During the first leg of an extended voyage from his home port of Seattle, Washington to the Port of San Francisco, Venable's boat encountered severe weather that included twelve foot waves and rolling swells reaching thirty feet in height on October 25, 2007. At 0945, the 36 foot Passing Wind II rolled over with Venable and another passenger onboard.
Sailors in Peril - The situation looked bleak for the erstwhile sailors. Everything onboard was drenched, including the VHF marine radio and satellite phone. The vessel was demasted in the roll, was taking on water and its survival craft (a skiff and life raft) were sheared off the stern of the craft. Venable was injured during the mishap. After an initial attempt to bail out the boat and clear the fallen rigging, Venable activated the emergency position radio beacon (EPIRB) purchased especially for the voyage, an ACR Electronics GlobalFix 406.
What is an EPIRB? - EPIRBs are satellite-signaling devices that transmit radio signals that can be received by the global COSPAS-SARSAT international emergency distress satellite communications system. 406 MHz EPIRBs broadcast a unique code that identifies each vessel. Proper registration of an EPIRB will make it much more effective during an emergency. Registration provides contact information for the vessel owner and allows the Coast Guard to immediately identify a vessel in distress. Having this information about your boat and its description available greatly improves the success of a search and rescue response.
A Successful Rescue - Coast Guard Group Humboldt Bay has notified of Venable's EPIRB transmission at 1015 and responded by launching a HH-65C helicopter. A C-130 aircraft was launched from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco to assist in the search and rescue effort. At 1320 the helicopter flight crew spotted the stricken sailboat off the coast near Shelter Cove. A rescue swimmer guided the two boaters to rescue via an aerial hoist and they were transported to Point Arena for medical observation. A video clip on the rescue can be viewed online at the YouTube website. Coast Guard personnel commented that the value of having a functioning EPIRB was a key determinant in the successful rescue outcome. The sailors would likely have been doomed without the device.
ACR Electronics, along with several other manufacturers provide these highly reliable safety devices for sale through a number of retail outlets. EPIRBs can also be rented for single voyages from BoatU.S. for a reasonable cost. Consider purchasing a 406 MHz EPIRB for your vessel. This one safety device can eliminate the "search" in search and rescue.
