[Paddlewise] EPIRB tether

on 27/3/07 10:26, rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au at rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au
wrote:

> G'Day,
> 
> 
> EPIRB when alone at sea question
> 
> If trying to optimise safety would you always wear an EPIRB tethered to the
> PFD?
> 


My question is, why would you not?

A 406 EPIRB, as Andrew had, if activated when he was in trouble, would have
had a helicopter homing in on him within an hour, even if he had lost
contact with the kayak.

This would also have avoided the delay in the search, when his radio message
was relayed to his family by phone, for confirmation (or is this case, not)
that it was genuine.

A friend of mine who was there at the time was amazed that the most unlikely
scenario, that the call was a hoax, was the one seized upon almost
immediately by Andrew's family and support crew.

Thanks Peter for posting the report on Andrew, and my comments are made with
the knowledge that, for whatever reasons, Andrew was not able to activate
his EPIRB, which I understand was a vital part of his safety plan.

Cheers,

JKA


-- 
John Kirk-Anderson
Banks Peninsula
NEW ZEALAND
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