New Zealand: Divers swim for three hours after boat sinks

[scubafanatic]

My guess is that they simply perform better than the offical spec.

...hmmm, that's a pretty big variance between 33 ft versus 130 ft ...2 ATM versus 5 ATM pressure.....the question becomes one of ruining a rather expensive piece of gear, and what's worse, finding out it's ruined/flooded at the worst possible time when it needed/deployed in a life-or-death situation ! ...somehow I don't feel comfortable just assuming this item comfortably/reliably can be counted on to perform that far outside the official performance envelope.

Karl

 

[Geoff_H]

...somehow I don't feel comfortable just assuming this item comfortably/reliably can be counted on to perform that far outside the official performance envelope.

I don't know how long they've been using these on the Palau Aggressor II but they're in the water, at depth for several hours every day. I would think this is a reasonable testimonal to the fact they work well outside the range stated on their website.

If most divers do 3 dives a day on a liveaboard (I did 5/day) and there is one non-diving day per week then these units do 900 dives a year.

I'd rather take the chance of a flooded unit than no unit in certain diving situations - i.e. remote areas with strong currents.

 

[Noboundaries]

Here is one, but it functions on the older 121.5 MHz frequency that is being phased out and will become non-functioning soon.

Sea Marshall Personal Location Beacon (epirb)-Divers

I feel a need to clarify what will become "non-functioning." The 121.5 MHz radio frequency will always exist. What is happening is the frequency range is being programmed out of the satellite systems due to all the false indications. Systems using the 121.5 MHz frequency are quite widespread. A 121.5 EPIRB system will still work after the satellite reprogramming but it will basically become a line of sight system no different than carrying a VHF radio that functions on the same 121.5 MHz emergency frequency only you can't talk on it. It is just a beacon and anyone with homing capabilities will be able to find you. They can do the same thing to a VHF radio that is transmitting.

The 406 Mhz system will be the only satellite capable system. Activate one in the middle of nowhere anywhere in the world and it triggers an emergency response cascade to mobilize available rescue resources. Will there be false signals? Yep. But given the uncertain outcome of the alternative of no beacon, as I floated along I'd be more comfortable knowing someone in the world was getting annoyed at the beacon bouncing off a satellite that was originating from the GPS equipped 406 Mhz EPIRB strapped to my shoulder.

The bottom line is that we pay thousands of dollars a year for auto, home, flood, earthquake, medical, and life insurance we hope we never have to use, but we do so by choice or by law. An EPIRB is basically no different. The cost of an EPIRB that you unexpectedly need when you're swept out to sea or you surface and there's no boat.......priceless.

 

[String]

Provided you're willing to pay the $6000 fine plus the rescue costs (could be 20 times that) if its your 406mhz set thats gone off by accident i have no issue with it.

As for the liveaboard ones - its not that model or type. Diver magazine did an article on them last year. They are simple 121.5 based trackers but are custom made and marketed for them.

 

[Geoff_H]

As for the liveaboard ones - its not that model or type. Diver magazine did an article on them last year. They are simple 121.5 based trackers but are custom made and marketed for them.

Are you sure? That looks identical to the unit I had. Digging through some of the photos from our trip and I can see

This is the one I linked up earlier

 

[scubafanatic]

Hi Geoff_H,

https://www.sailgb.com/p/acr_mini_b_300_miniature_1215_personal_epirb/

...that's a WWW site link showing the unit you dove with.....I've cut-and-pasted some technical specs from that page below:

ACR Mini B 300 Miniature 121.5 Personal EPIRB (approx $ 225 )

# Waterproof to 10 m (33 ft)
# 121.5 MHz (SAR frequency) provides rescue forces with pinpoint homing
# 9.3 nautical mile satellite location accuracy on first pass

...guess if I were shopping for a 121.5 MHZ unit that has an 'official' depth rating that's 'scuba useful' I'd go with the oil-filled unit below:

Sea Marshall - Locally Managed Rescue System for Lost Diver, Alerting Unit (rated to 100 meters/ approx 325' )

Karl

 

[scubafanatic]

I don't know how long they've been using these on the Palau Aggressor II but they're in the water, at depth for several hours every day. I would think this is a reasonable testimonal to the fact they work well outside the range stated on their website.

If most divers do 3 dives a day on a liveaboard (I did 5/day) and there is one non-diving day per week then these units do 900 dives a year.

I'd rather take the chance of a flooded unit than no unit in certain diving situations - i.e. remote areas with strong currents.

Hi Geoff_H,

...I'm in complete agreement with the safety emphasis...I already dive with twin SMB's / back up lights strapped to webbing / underwater + above water air-horns / knife / spare mask in pocket / 2 or 3 dive computers / dual bladder Ozycheq Vertex Extreme armored fabric donut wing / stainless-steel spring straps on Apollo Bio fins...I tend to buy high-quality/well designed products that are reliable...and I just don't feel comfortable diving a unit that's not officially rated for 'scuba'....the ERIBP absolutely, positively MUST work when called upon...I appreciate your sharing your detailed experience on Palau Aggressor II .......and you certainly seem to provide strong real world validation of the ERIBP you used there......but as it appears 'your' unit isn't any better than the oil-filled Sea Marshall unit I 'found' (as they're both 'only' 121.5 MHZ units)...I don't see much reason to choose 'your' unit. It's a shame there doesn't yet appear to be a 'modern' GPS-equipped oil-filled unit as of yet.....maybe Sea Marshall will invent one at some point.

P.S. ...almost forgot....I also dive with a JOTRON safety-strobe rated to 300 meters.

Karl

 

[Geoff_H]

.but as it appears 'your' unit isn't any better than the oil-filled Sea Marshall unit I 'found' (as they're both 'only' 121.5 MHZ units)...I don't see much reason to choose 'your' unit.

I agree, I simply posted it as I thought it was relevant to the discussion. I didn't advocate buying this model. Then I needed to correct String when he claimed that I had been diving with a completely different unit because he read about it in a magazine a year ago.

That unit you found looks smaller and with a higher depth rating; so looks superior.

 

[Ayisha]

I noticed on the link to the Sea Marshall 325' EPIRB, that it needs to be turned on at the point you need it. This presumes that you have the time, ability and presence of mind to turn it on in an emergency, so it could be a potential weakness. Do they all have to be turned on only when emergency help is needed or can any of them keep track all the time, perhaps with a distress call button as well?

 

[DandyDon]

I remember Sea Marshall - Locally Managed Rescue System for Lost Diver, Alerting Unit now. He posted on Intros I think. It used 121.5 MHz; is that the one being phased out? Maybe he will update to the new frequency...?