Knowing your EPIRB

10:19 PM Tue 1 Sep 2009 GMT

'ACR Epirb - where should it be located? What’s the best method of deploying it?' .

We all know how vital it can be to have an EPIRB on your yacht, but do you know where to store it and how to deploy it to get the best result?

Do all your crew know this as well?

Here Chris Wahler from ACR Electronics explains the simple but vital information you need.

Firstly, EPIRB users need to read the product support manual thoroughly, and then it's just as important to educate the crew that may someday be called upon to use that beacon in your absence. This means you need to understand how to deploy a beacon, understand its best operating orientation, and understand when the right time is to use a beacon. These are all very important things to get across to the crewmembers.

One of the mistakes EPIRB users make is holding the unit instead of allowing it to float freely. It's really better to tether it off and let it float and do its job. And give the beacon the best opportunity to communicate with the satellite by not putting obstructions in its way - and once the EPIRB is on, leave it on until rescue arrives.

Location, location, location:

Selection of a mounting location for an EPIRB depends on whether it's a Category I or Category II beacon.

Category 1:
The GlobalFix iPRO 406 MHz EPIRB interfaces with your on-board GPS.

The bracket on a Category I EPIRB will automatically deploy the unit when it's submerged between 3 feet and 14 feet. Category II EPIRBs must be manually released from their brackets. Both types begin transmitting a distress signal when they are out of their bracket and wet; they also can be manually activated in or out of their brackets. However, the beacons cannot transmit if the antenna is under water, which makes it imperative that the EPIRB is deployed and allowed to float upright, says Wahler.

A Category I EPIRB is best mounted on the exterior of the vessel - on the foredeck or cabin top, for instance. It needs to be out of the way of any rigging or obstruction that could potentially trap the beacon when the vessel sinks and the beacon is automatically deployed.
An exterior position also gives the crew an opportunity to reach the beacon if it needs to be manually deployed or if they want to take it into a life raft, says Wahler.

Category II:
A Category II EPIRB should be kept close to the helm so it can be reached and freed from its bracket quickly, which must be done manually. Some prefer to store it in a ditch bag that they keep close by so they can grab it should they have to abandon the vessel.

Test and maintain:

As with any piece of safety gear, proper maintenance is important. An EPIRB's battery must be changed every five years, and the device should also undergo a series of tests and inspections, says Wahler.

A qualified service technician should look at the beacon - inspect the electronics, make sure there's been no compromise to the case, replace the gasket, replace the battery, seal the unit back up, perform an operational check to make sure it self-tested correctly, and also pressure test the unit.

Owners should use the self-test mechanism on the device at least once a month.

Registration:

Regulation can be done with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority(AMSA), and registration is free. Click here to go to the their registration information

by Chris Wahler

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