Electronic SOS Slowly but surely the tide is turning away from the outdated pyrotechnic technology used in distress flares to new, less inflammatory alternatives. The latest electronic distress flare on the market is the Orion Electronic Beacon Locator Kit, a new venture from a ...read more
Throw that Raft If you’ve ever tried to swim in an inflated lifejacket, you’ll know what it means to go nowhere fast. The typical USCG-approved PFD is designed to keep you afloat, not help you perfect your backstroke. One time, a gent called Troy Faletra found that out the hard ...read more
SURVIVAL KITS Mindful of the confusion that can accompany shopping for survival products, ACR has helpfully collected the most important items that a prudent sailor might need into a pair of “kits.” The Globalfix Pro kit includes a Globalfix Pro Category 2 EPIRB, a C-Strobe ...read more
Andrew Taylor was working the foredeck of Derry-Londonderry-Doire, a competitor in the 2014 Clipper Round the World Race, on a stormy day in the Pacific when his worst fears became reality. “At some point, the boat moved pretty dramatically,” Taylor said. “The boat went down, ...read more
There He Goes! The Pan-Pan man-overboard locator won a Pittman award for 2017 as a great idea, and now it is in production as the Weems & Plath CrewWatcher. It’s a two-part system that employs a smartphone app to locate a small personal beacon that triggers automatically should ...read more
Throw your MOM Overboard A crew-overboard scenario is about the worst thing that happen to a sailor. You need to act quickly and decisively to keep tabs on the victim, circle back to them, and get them back onboard. In other words, you need something like Switlik’s MOM 8-S, a ...read more
No cruising boat is complete without a good pair of binoculars and a hand-bearing compass. West Marine’s Offshore 3000C binoculars combine both in one sturdy, waterproof package that will give you a lifetime of use. The 7 x 50 specification offers good magnification combined ...read more
The Fireboy CG and Ma Series automatic fire suppression systems recently took a big step forward environmentally by changing to 3M’s “Novec” 1230 Fire Protection Fluid, which has a proven track record in any number of industrial applications—including high-tech computer server ...read more
The next generation EPIRB is almost here, and it adds a local rescue dimension to the renowned yet still improving global capabilities of the 406 MHz COSPAS-SARSAT system. Upon regular 406 transmitter activation, the McMurdo SmartFind G8 AIS EPIRB will also begin sending out an ...read more
The PanPan personal beacon is a waterproof 1.2-by-3.1in Bluetooth 4.0 device that can create an active MOB network aboard your boat by leveraging the capabilities of the smartphones and tablets you already have onboard. Basically, in the event you or your beacon get far enough ...read more
When calamity strikes, there’s no substitute for an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), a device that should be considered as important as a liferaft. This satellite-monitored electronic signaling device is registered to—and carried by—the vessel, not an ...read more
Today there are more devices than ever before that allow mariners to call for help when in distress, but how do they work, and which is the right one for you? On March 30, 2014, the coordinates 179W were transmitted from Andrew Taylor’s AIS MOB device after he went overboard ...read more
For as long as people have been taking to the sea, they’ve needed a way to signal for help, guide rescuers to them in dire situations and terrible conditions. Since the mid-1800s up until recently, the go-to device for this has been the pyrotechnic flare. And with good reason, ...read more
I suspect most sailors don’t really think much about liferafts, until the time comes when they are about to step up into one from the deck of their sinking boat. At that moment, there is no more interesting topic on this earth. Did I get the right type of raft? Is it big ...read more
For all the supposed terrors of sailing off soundings, any veteran sailor will tell you it’s just as easy to get in big trouble close to shore. The simple fact of being afloat puts you and your crew in a potentially lethal situation, whether you’re in 10ft of water or above the ...read more
Shine a Light ACR Electronics has two new USCG-approved distress flares—the Aurora red hand flare and orange hand smoke signal (shown). What sets the Aurora apart from the competition is that it is designed for life on the water. Most hand flares are housed in a cardboard body, ...read more
A Wet Blanket With all the high-tech safety gear out there it is easy to overlook the basics, but all cruisers should keep a quality fire-suppression blanket like this one from Uline tucked away onboard. It is a simple piece of gear that can always be trusted. There’s no ...read more
Shine a Light A high-performance waterproof flashlight is an essential onboard accessory. The Olympia RG850 has all the staples of a rugged fixture on your boat—waterproof and impact resistant, with a molded grip that makes it easy to handle in wet weather and with gloves on. ...read more
Puppy Love Keep your pet safe offshore with Hedz UP Pets Watercollar, a hexagonal-shaped PFD for dogs that not only keeps Fido afloat, but keeps his snout above water to maximize survivability. The collar is made of non-absorbent, closed-cell foam and covered with cotton ...read more
As sailors, we carry pyrotechnics on board—per U.S. Coast Guard and SOLAS regulations—and hope we’ll never have to use them. In fact, it’s illegal to use them, unless you’re experiencing an actual emergency or have received permission from the proper local authorities. As a ...read more
The most obvious feature of the latest iteration of DeLorme’s satellite communicator is the color screen, but it is also much more versatile. Thanks to its virtual keyboard you can now have a two-way conversation with a search and rescue center without needing to link via ...read more
Few sensible sailors would consider setting out without some form of first-aid kit on board. Scraped knees, cuts, bruises, and bumped toes are all part of the sailing experience—everyone suffers them at some time or other. Being able to deal with these appropriately makes them ...read more