Without question, a 406 EPIRB should be the mainstay of your distress signaling game plan. Its a tried and proven system with worldwide coverage, and it has been in place long enough to work out most hardware bugs. Despite a less-than-perfect record, it remains a mariners best first choice. Whether to choose an auto-deploying model or a manually activated unit is a tougher question to answer.
The external water-sensing contacts and control magnets on Category 1 units can create a false alert. Additionally, violent seas can sweep a Category 1 EPIRB out of its bracket. Even so, auto deployment may be the best bet in the chaos of a collision or capsize. Many sailors prefer to keep a manual unit in an easily accessible ditch kit or grab bag, but climbing into a life raft and leaving the beacon behind can have catastrophic consequences.
For more information on the best types of electronics to survive an emergency and how to use them, purchase Practical Sailor’s downloadable ebook Survival Electronics.
To read more about how to best prepare for an emergency on the water, purchase and downlaod Survival at Sea – The Complete Series at a price that gives you one ebook free when you buy the other two.
