PassageMaker - April 2012

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of security. A vessel still needs to be able to track the unit’s signal to find the person in the water. Landfall Navigation has the Tracker Radio Direction Finder that you can activate and lock onto a PLB’s signal so you can motor back to it. The unit sells for $599 and Marx is perplexed why he had only sold three in four years.

Marx is also a fan of waterproof handheld VHF radios because you can tell the Coast Guard or other rescuers monitoring Channel 16 your location if you are in trouble. If you drift by a navigational buoy, just tell the other party the buoy number so they can help find you.

Another electronic necessity is a chart plotter equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) capability. AIS lets you see every vessel longer than 40 feet. Marx said there is a PLB with an AIS transmitter coming in the future, but it still needs to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission.

Everyone loves apps for their cell phones and iNavX is a marine navigation app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Marx said these programs can be a nice backup, but should not be considered a primary navigation tool or your boat’s primary form of communication. Remember the Coast Guard cannot triangulate a cell phone call, but it’s required to monitor Channel 16 on a marine VHF radio. To protect your iPhone, however, Landfall sells a $30 waterproof case that still lets you work your phone while it’s inside. It’s a great backup communication option to a VHF if you need to call home to let relatives know you might be a little late.

Beacons are fine, but the best visual distress signal is still a flare and the best flares are SOLAS grade models. They are similarly priced to the Coast Guard-approved flares, but are more powerful and burn longer. A SOLAS parachute flare has a rating of 30,000 candle power for 40 seconds while an Orion 25mm is 20,000 candlepower for 20 or 30 seconds. Expect to pay about $40 for SOLAS parachute flares.

DINGHY SAFETY

Finally, we have a safety device for your outboard-powered tender, the Autotether. This wireless automatic shutoff switch clips to the boat’s ignition switch and is powered by AAA batteries. It’s operated by a transmitter that sends radio waves to a receiver connected to a boat’s engine. Autotether shuts off the engine if the boat operator falls into the water and it sets off an alarm if a passenger other than the operator wearing Autotether sensors falls into the water.

Much like life insurance, safety equipment on your boat is something you hope to never use. If you wind up in an emergency, however, it’s better to return home from it knowing you were properly prepared with the right knowledge and equipment to handle the situation. Otherwise, the alternative isn’t such a pleasant scenario to think about.