Compulsory Reading for all offshore skippers

by Media Services on 7 Dec 2004 This year’s celebratory 60th Sydney to Hobart has brought record numbers of crews heading south. In turn, record numbers of offshore sailors are saving the purchase cost of a personal EPIRB by hiring one for the big event.

EPIRBhire is now beginning its third year of supplying safety equipment, a service begun after the loss of crew members from the yacht Excalibur off Seal Rocks.

EPIRBhire has now expanded its business to include the hire of Wet weather gear, Satellite phones, VHF radios and GPS systems.

Peter Davidson from EPIRBhire is still concerned about the relaxed attitude towards personal safety in offshore yachting.

Personal EPIRB’s are compulsory for the Category 1 races, but they are only recommended for category two races such as the Pittwater to Coffs.

‘We are offering personal EPIRB’s for half the normal price to encourage their use with Category 2 race crews. In many cases they are less experienced than the Category 1 race crews.

‘Boats under kite, are much more likely have crew in the water in a broach or a chinese gybe, than boats hard on the breeze.

We have more incidents north of Sydney Harbour than we do south, yet sadly last year, the Pittwater to Coffs crews hired one-tenth the number that the Sydney to Hobart race crews hired.

We are hoping skipper’s will recognised the importance of crew safety and encourage their crews and their families to carry personal EPIRBs.’

Peter recalls delivering a personal EPIRB last year to a yacht at the RPAYC. ‘We came down the dock to deliver a PLB to the boat and asked for the (female) crew member – the skipper's reply was – oh yes, she is the one we have designated to fall overboard. Needless to say, after a short chat and a few home truths, all the crew hired one and at a good price too.’

A hard southerly can make it cold even for Pittwater to Coffs crews.

Mycoal body warmers, used for many years on the ski fields, are now available for offshore yachting.

What are they? About twice the size and look of a large teapot bag. Three minutes after you open and remove it from the plastic sachet, it gets hot, yes HOT - 68 degrees C, and stays that way for 20 hours.

They are non-toxic, non staining and no preparation is needed; just open the plastic sachet. Tucked them down the front of your shirt - absolute bliss for any offshore sailor.

How do they work? The ingredients are iron powder, carbon and salt - simply explained; they rust and generate heat in the process.

Peter from EPIRBhire says, ‘at $4 per body warmer the crews will spend more on keeping warm and on post race celebrations than they will on personal safety.

The cost is $40 for a pack of 10. These are a must for every first aid kit for Hypothermia cases.

Peter from EPIRBhire says ‘with a body warmer down the front of your shirt and an EPIRB in your pocket sitting on the rail at 4.00 in the morning has never been better.'

For more details contact EPIRBhire:

Peter & Caroline Davidson

EPIRBhire 0415 263 750 02 9974 4733

www.epirbhire.com.au