Maritime Safety Victoria (MSV) has partnered with AMSA to urge boaters and paddlers to carry a distress beacon. Carrying a means of calling for help when out on the water is standard for most boaters and many paddlers, however many believe that a mobile phone and/or hand-held radio are enough.
A GPS-enabled emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) registered with AMSA or a personal locator beacon are great solutions for getting help if things go wrong. In fact, according to MSV Safety Director Rachel Gualano:
Mobile phones or hand-held radios might not work when wet and touchscreens may be unresponsive to cold wet fingers
Boaters are only required to carry an approved 406 MHz EPIRB when more than two nautical miles from the coast, but MSV recommends taking one every time they are out on the water.
In order to help boaters survive in case something goes wrong, AMSA provides the following recommendations:
- Know the weather
- Practise getting back on
- Carry a distress beacon
- Lock in a buddy plan
- Wear a lifejacket
Namely, according to Ms. Gualano, one of the greatest risks to boaters and paddlers is unexpectedly entering the water, and then not being able to get back onto their vessel or call for help. Specifically, many boaters and paddlers tend to underestimate the risks and overestimate their capabilities.
Namely, 37% of paddlers and 31% of coastal boaters who reported that, on their last outing they did not have any equipment to help them get back onto their craft, really needed to have a distress beacon with them.
No matter how experienced you are, things can still happen that are outside your control
