Re: [Paddlewise] Strobe Question

My experience with strobes in a real emergency has been limited (ok..
nonexistent) but in simulated emergencies with a person in the water strobes
can be problematic; especially in a seaway where the swimmer disappears in
the troughs and most especially as the rescuers get closer to the swimmer.

The major problems are twofold:

1) Strobes are so bright that they create a lasting image which makes it
difficult to see a swimmer or even to keep your eye on the place where the
swimmer was last seen; and,

2) If the swimmer disappears from view in a wave-trough the strobe can be
blinking away but unseen and when the swimmer is on the wave-peak the strobe
can be not-blinking. These two can sync up and create a fairly long period
during which you could lose track of the swimmer. Especially from a kayak
cockpit.

Some 25 years ago I was a member of an ad-hoc group of potential cruising
yachties that was comprised of a group of mechanical engineers who never
assumed anything. I learned a LOT from these folks. One summer we did a
series of tests to determine whether a strobe (just coming onto market at
that time) or a steady light was more effective in locating an overboard
crewperson. The steady light - in those days just a single incandescent bulb
in a single-D-cell water-tight casing - was much more effective for locating
a swimmer. Especially as you drew closer.

However, with a swimmer against a background of city lights a strobe might
be preferable for locating the general area.

Rescue professionals (of whom I am not one) now recommend a steady light.
NRS has an LED light by Princeton for attaching to a PFD that is small and
has settings for high, medium and low brightness plus settings for fast and
slow blink for $14.95:

 (http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2775&src=froogle&refer=2775)

Craig Jungers
Royal City, WA

On 12/15/06, Tom Buckley <nbrunner_at_telus.net> wrote:
>
> I intend to buy an emergency strobe for my PFD but looking online I have
> found a number of different models saying they are visible from anywhere
> from 3-5 miles, have different colored lens, etc. I'm looking for feedback
> from listers to help me out.
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