Personal gear: PLB or InReach?

[bgary]

What's the conventional wisdom these days for an attention-getting device to have on a harness?

PLB is radio-beacon technology, time-tested (e.g., like an EPIRB) but not the greatest accuracy in a SAR scenario.

The new AIS-enabled PLBs might be interesting, but my understanding is that the US versions have to use the parent vessel's MMSI number, which may be confusing in a SAR scenario.

The satellite devices (like the Garmin InReach) seem interesting, two-way comms, real-time tracking for loved ones at home, and the ability to send a help-me signal... but I'm not sure I understand who would be listening/responding to that signal in a SAR scenario.

Any thoughts?

 

[toddster]

Maybe also in that list add the new electronic MOB triggers. They sound various kinds of alarms when one of them goes more than x-meters from the control unit. I believe I’ve seen one advertised that even kills the motor automatically. For a sailboat, it probably needs to go one better - small explosive charge that “blows the sheets?” Dumps the sea anchor? Signal the autopilot to heave-to?

Maybe another choice is handheld VHF. But could your dog call you, even if he had one clipped on? (Well, I’m sure mine could have, but they were Border Collies.).

I guess the answer depends on who you expect to be the rescuer. Other people on your boat? The Coast Guard? Yourself?

Speaking of other people, some kind of visual signal to help them see you would be nice. Water-activated strobes are cheap, but need maintenance. Maybe a diver’s safety sausage? IIRC, Ryan and Nicole Levinson dedicated one of their YouTube videos to demonstrating how quickly a person’s head (coconut) disappears in the wake. I had an experience once in the 90’s, at the end of a scuba dive in the San Juans, I ended up on the opposite side of a current split than everyone else, and the boat did not see me or know where to look. I was quickly on my way to Canadia - fortunately I was wearing survival gear and only had to swim half a mile or so to an island, where they eventually found me. Which brings up another peeve of mine- there are a few (expensive) encapsulated VHF devices on the market that can survive a scuba dive, but all they do is make emergency DSC calls. In a case such as the above, I don’t want to summon the Coast Guard, I just want to summon my friends. AFAIK, there isn’t such a device out there at this time.

 

[bgary]

I don’t want to summon the Coast Guard, I just want to summon my friends.

I'm alone on the boat most of the time. So I'm trying to figure out the "best" ways to get attention if I end up "not on the boat".

both VHF and AIS depend on there being another boat around that is paying attention. both are line-of-sight and relatively low-powered (eg, in the water, 8" antenna, 1w) so... not a very robust solution for getting attention.

So I'm basically trying to sort through whether PLB or some sort of satellite tracker provides a better chance of getting attention. PLB is a one-time/one-way device, sends a rescue-me signal to a satellite when triggered, and there are a couple of agencies (NOAA, Air Force Rescue Center) that monitor for the signals and presumably route it to an appropriate SAR resource.

Satellite trackers (Spot, InReach, etc) are two-way devices; you can send messages or receive messages from people whenever you want, you can be "tracked" in near-real-time, plus you can trigger it to send a rescue-me signal. Different from the PLB, the signal isn't monitored by a government entity, it's monitored by privately run org (the GEOS response center, near Houston) who, presumably, routes it to an appropriate SAR resource. Downsides, there's a subscription fee for use of the service, and the signal is much lower-power than a PLB.

I want to connect something to my harness so - no matter what - I have a way of reaching out and getting some attention if I find myself swimming. I'm leaning toward a satellite tracker, at the moment, mostly because I like the idea of my position being transmitted every couple of minutes and being available to those looking for me. Just not sure I know what else I should be considering.

 

[supersailor]

The secret to surviving a dunk in the ocean when single handing is don't go in the ocean. The chances of surviving that are not high. Use jacklines and a harness at all times when single handing. I also use them when sailing with my wife as I might as well be single handing. The jacklines should be terminated at the rear such that,if you manage to go over the rail, you will not go behind the stern. If you do, you will not have the strength to pull yourself back up to the stern if you have a boat going 5+ knots through the water. I made a little harness of line that has a stirrup to put your foot in that is attached to the primary winch cleat and the aft docking cleat on each side. The stirrup hangs right at the waterline at the stern. If you get incredibly unlucky and pitch over the rail, you can insert your foot and get enough leverage to lift yourself to the deck. Your arms probably don't have enough power to lift you over by yourself.

There is a bunch of argument whether to run jacklines inside or outside of the shrouds. I prefer inside as so many times you are going to the mast and the shrouds then grab the tether and I much prefer not swinging around them if I'm going forward on the lee side of the boat. The preferred side to go forward, of course, is the windward side. Inside also puts you farther from the rail.

Don't forget an anchor in the cockpit. The pedestal is not a proper anchor.

 

[Christian Williams]

That's my thinking--safety harness always. I don't wear a PFD or homing device or personal vhf when alone.

Thelonious II is rigged with inboard jacklines from aft cabin house to bow cleat. Even with 6-foot tether (which is usually doubled to make a 3' tether), if I go overboard I hang chest-high outboard of the lifelines, not trailing in the water. Test it. The height of topsides controls the setup.

One hefty attachment point in the cockpit allows all operations from reefing to vane adjustment with a single 6' tether.

Two independent 6' tethers. One attached to the jackline and stored in the line bag with the main halyard. The other tether on the cockpit fitting.
In hairy conditions you go below before detached the tether, and put it on before climbing out the companionway.

On a casual solo daysail I clip in only when leaving the cockpit, but I try to do it every time I do, even when it seems unnecessary.

We lost a solo sailor a few years ago just returning from a race to Catalina. He was fully experienced but somehow went over the side in mild conditions. A colleague of mine, 20 years ago, fell off his boat on the way back from Catalina on a nearly calm day. He drowned in front of his wife, children and guests. He was out of shape, got exhausted, and they couldn't get him back aboard.

If interested, see https://youtu.be/SJ0lhM_wdco at minute 02:14.

 

[bgary]

That's my thinking--safety harness always.

Totally agree. Rule #1 is stay on the boat. I have a comfortable inflatable-PFD with built-in harness (a Spinlock Deckvest) that goes on before I leave the breakwater. Every time. At present I have a whistle and a strobe and a knife attached to it, so they are always on me. I also have a PLB that I could put in a pocket... but generally haven't to date. Not sure why.

And I "almost" always clip in whenever I'm outside the cockpit. Working on that "almost" thing. It's a hard discipline to remind myself of when it is sunny and gorgeous, and I'm running down the Sound with the asso up and Oscar Peterson playin in the cockpit. Especially when I'm normally within spitting distance of land somewhere. But I'm working on it. It starts with me (in theory) accepting that I'm not 19 and indestructible any more.

But in thinking about (perhaps overthinking) conditions throughout the Sound, me falling off the boat isn't the only scenario. In some places, like Deception pass, there are dead-heads (waterlogged tree-trunks) that come shooting up unexpectedly on currents from deep underwater and could easily hole the boat in a way that I might not be able to deal with quickly enough. Same thing in Cattle Pass, or presumably in places like the Sansum Narrows. Or hitting a rock. Or getting run down by another boat in the fog. So even if I don't fall off the boat, there are scenarios that might end with me in the water (or in the dinghy), *not* within spitting distance of land, and wanting some attention.

Plus... my beloved likes to know where I am and how I'm doing. I think she'd like being able to click on a webpage and see that I'm in the right place and going the right direction. Not hearing anything and assuming that means there's no emergency isn't her favorite mode of operation.

Those are the things I'm chewing on, while it's too cold and rainy to go play on the boat.

 

[Merrimist]

PLB or InReach? IMHO, the cost of any safety equip could be possibility of the value you put on your life. It is that simple in my mind.
Realistically, sailing solo, go with a harness and tether best suited to your vessel and rig. Buy a PLB, a few hundred, a few hundred more and you can pick up an Inreach, then with a monthly subscription payment of 15 dollars (basic package, 10 free texts), your life has a value of way less than 2k for a year.
That is what my life is worth to me, if and when better PLB or other fandangled life.saving equip becomes readily and reliable available, I will spend another k is so for my and most importantly the others close to me peace of mind.
Your choice.
FYI, in my foul weather gear, one pocket has the Inreach and one has a PLB. I have seemed to manage ok so far. Personally neither are any good when am not wearing foul weather gear when solo.
As mentioned in one.thread, the wearing of a harness and tether in calm conditions in warm waters is the most difficult thing to do...

 

[gadangit]

As noted throughout, stay on the boat.

As of right now we intend to sail as a couple, no other regular crew and we have concluded that person remaining onboard is more likely to save the overboard person than the coast guard, SAR or another boat. So we are going with a AIS equiped personal overboard beacon on our PFDs.

The scenario goes like this: Lisa comes up on deck and notices I am nowhere to be found. After a moment of panicked searching the boat to make sure I'm not there, she chucks the boat EPIRB overboard marking the earliest moment that a MOB situation exists. Next she turns the boat around and follows our track back from where we came. The AIS is dialed up and she is now looking for my beacon on the screen. With a PLB with only EPIRB there is no good way for the boat to self rescue it's crew.

Chris

 

[supersailor]

Christian,

Good idea on doubling the tether. I hadn't thought about that. I might be able to eliminate my little foot rope on the stern. I have been terminating the Jack lines just aft of the anchor locker. This is so I can open the anchor locker without having to loosen the jacklines. With the 6' tether, this works well. I will have to try this with the three foot line. I use a tether always attached to each jackline and tossed inside the back of the dodger. That way I have to trip over the tether acting as a reminder to attach it to me.


Also, when soloing, I always tow the inflatable. That's my emergency platform. I don't have the outboard on the dingy when towing as it is less stable with the weight hanging back there. I do have an easy lowering system to get it on the dink quickly. If conditions are forecast to be absolutely terrible, I put it on the foredeck. In any case, it is inflated and ready to go.

Ericsons bounce nicely off rocks with minimal damage. Unfortunately, wives don't have the resilience. Make sure your first aid kit is up to snuff.

 

[Christian Williams]

Something else on this general topic.

Last year while practicing in 30 knots my 10-foot-long cockpit cover was swept off its mounts on the forward stanchions.

Solo, I could never get it back on board. And believe me, I made numerous passes, managing to luff up next to it accurately even in short steep chop.

I had maybe 10 seconds of boat-hook reach before conditions separated us. (And I hadn't put a carrying loop on the bag anyhow).

Just couldn't do it. Freeboard way too high and conditions made any clever idea a nonstarter.

OK, big deal, I had to make another cover and bag.

The chilling recognition was that if it were a person I could not have retrieved them. The stern boarding ladder would not be useful. To leave the helm and rig the big tackle for the Lifesling (and I do have such a dedicated tackle) would've meant big separation from the MOB and taken a long time..

It was April. Cold water, 30 knots. No other boats. I don;t know what another yacht could do to help anyway.

Sobered me up.

 

[supersailor]

I have a crane on my radar mast with a 6-1 tackle that is used to raise and lower the outboard. It swings from the port aft quarter around to the swim ladder. It is useable to grab the life sling and pivot the victim to the swim ladder. I always leave it rigged when sailing. We tried it once and it worked in the harbor. No one has volunteered to jump in since. 46 degree water may have something to do with that. The tackle can be unsnapped and snapped on the boom also.

The tackle can be seen next to the wife. It's snapped on the Pushpit.

 

[bgary]

Sobered me up.

I've only been involved in one for-real MOB event. Early 80s, Big Boat Series in San Francisco Bay, racing on a 46-foot IOR boat. Somebody got swept off the boat in the middle of a broach-cum-gibe.

Even with a full crew, all the right gear, other boats standing by, and relatively sheltered waters, it took forever to get him back on board. My guess is he spent close to 20 minutes in the water, and most of that time we were "right there", just not able to get him onto the boat. Sobering, indeed.

My mental model, when I was doing deliveries, had three parts:
-- deal with the event (mast falls down, boat starts sinking, whatever),
-- have the means to communicate so you can let people know where you are and what's going on, and
-- have the means to survive (and/or self-rescue) until that attention yields help.

All three parts are worth thinking through.

JMHO
Bruce