Triad Marine Kemah Texas

PLB Talk

2011-09-26T10:38:00.001-05:00

Again I will just talk some PLB talk. It is to important not to talk about them. PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) are such a great item for hunting, fishing, sailing, kayaking, and pretty much any other outdoor activity you can think of doing.

Having a PLB could very well save your life. Today's PLBs are small, light weight, and very inexpensive compared to PLBs of the past. Check your facts about the PLB you are looking to purchase and remember the difference between a PLB and a personal signaling or tracking device will be the 406 MHz Signal. A true PLB that is intended to be a life saving device is FCC approved to operate on the 406MHz signal, requires a minimum operating life of 24 hours and is registered with NOAA.

The 406MHz signal is internationally recognized for land and sea, monitored by a world wide coalition of rescue authorities and transmits to the COSPAS/SARSAT satellites.

The battery transmits for 24 hours as laid out by the rescue authorities and the FCC before approval can be granted to be a PLB.

Registering with NOAA allows for the best information to start a search and contact your emergency contacts as well as knowing who the authorities are looking for. If you are a boater they even ask for a boat description.
I hope you have found the following information helpful. You may visit Triad Marine's Web Store for great PLBs and pricing information.

Cold Water Dangers

2011-06-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

Even though it is summer and the water is warm in Texas doesn't make it so everywhere. I just read a story from the Coast Guard News about a young man who fell out of his Kayak in Lake superior and has died. Apparently the water temperature is only 49 degrees there still and that is definitely cold enough to get hypothermia.
A couple of things that stood out about the story he had on a blue life vest.. as they stated this makes visibility harder because you blend in.
He had a wetsuit but it was half way on... He did not put it on before starting out on the trip, it is almost impossible to grip anything once your fingers get cold. There is no way to finish getting the wet suit on.
No strobe light and the article doesn't mention if he had a whistle but you need one on your vest.

Whether it is cold water or warm you need a brightly colored PFD. Outfit the PFD with a strobe light and a whistle. For added safety get a small and portable PLB (personal locator beacon).
If it is a cold water situation dress appropriately from the beginning.
Make sure you don't go alone, unfortunately his friends lost site of him.
File a float plan, just tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Be safe and have fun.

A great strobe light for your PFD is the ACR Auto-Hemilight 2

Of course if you need any help with safety gear we are here to assist you.

Swim Safe

2011-06-03T13:08:00.001-05:00

Today I will touch on swimming safe because marine safety covers all water activities.
The top 3 rules for swimming safe
Never Swim Alone
Never Swim while intoxicated
Never Swim in unknown remote waters

Swimming alone means you don't have anyone looking out for you. Should you become tired or swallow water the wrong way and the process of drowning begins no one would know.
When you are intoxicated you are impaired and your body reacts differently. Your ability to make good judgements is clouded. Drinking and swimming do not mix for those very reasons.
Swimming somewhere unknown can be an issue because you never know what is under the water. There could be drainage pipes that cause currents or even ones big enough to get sucked into. There could also be dangerous debris, which could injure you causing you to drown.
I touched on swimming safety before and you can read it hear.

Make sure you have flotation devices in case they are needed, provide life jackets for children, and watch out for each other.

We have already had some drowning accidents in our area and I hope there are no more this summer.

National Safe Boating Week Post #4

2011-05-27T15:34:00.000-05:00

This week we have been focusing on safe boating for National Safe Boating Week if you missed the first 3 post you can read them

Kick Off Post about PFDs (life vests)

Post #2 About EPIRBs and PLBs

Post #3 about Ditch Bags

Today in Post #4 I am going to write about life rafts which are crucial pieces of life saving gear. Also they are the number one defense against becoming shark food if your boat goes down. All right so that is probably not the nicest thing to say but the point is anything can happen!

If your boat sinks or capsizes how will you get out of the water. Did you know, that in addition to being at risk of injury from floating debris or drowning you are at risk of hypothermia even in warm water.

I know people believe that they have unsinkable boats, so did the owners of the Titanic..Remember how that went down (pun intended). Even if a boat is unsinkable it can still capsize. Attempting to hold on the hull of your capsized boat is hard enough but what if the seas are rough or you are injured then it is nearly impossible.

You need a life raft, as with any piece of equipment it does not guarantee you will survive but it improves your chances greatly. Getting out of the water can be crucial to your survival.

A life raft is not a set it and forget it item either you need to service the raft as the manufacture instructs. The equipment in the life raft is dated and the CO2 cylinder needs to be checked, as that is what makes it so vital the fast inflation in an emergency.

Life rafts come in several options for person capacity, equipment pack and service intervals so don't be afraid to contact a professional like Triad Marine (us) or another life raft sales and service center. A place that services them as well as sells them will ultimately be more knowledgeable about the contents of the raft and how they work. We even offer people Demonstrations and will go through your raft with you the first time you get it serviced.

Be safe when boating buy the gear you need for the voyages you make. Ask for help in making the choices if you are unsure. Make choices with the worst in mind and the the best is even better.

Remember even the smallest craft like a canoe or kayak needs safety gear, so as the boat grows the list of safety gear should grow with it.

National Safe Boating Week Post 3

2011-05-25T15:55:00.000-05:00

Ditch Bags...
Every boat big and small needs some kind of safety gear and there are ditch bags for all purposes, they come in different sizes and shapes.
Consider if you have a small vessel or even a canoe or kayak you need to have identification and at the very least a signal mirror but a PLB is optimal for small vessels.
You may consider a document pouch style bag that will hold those items.
If you have a larger vessel we suggest building the best bag for your boating needs, consider the number of persons on the boat, the distance you will travel from shore, the length of the trip and other equipment already on board the vessel.
Some basic items to consider are as follows
Flares (USCG)
Signal Mirror (we always suggest Coast Guard Approved equipment)
Fishing Kit
Sea Sick Pills
Floating Flash Light
Strobe Light
Batteries and Spares
Water (the packets we put in the life raft store easily)
Food (We suggest the same kind we put into the life rafts)
First Aid (as much as your skills allow for proper use)
PLB or EPIRB
VHF Radio
Identification and other documents (at least copies)
Sea Sick Bags
Dye Marker or Rescue Streamer
Sunscreen
Bug Repellent
Any Prescription Medication taken by members of the crew
Isothermal Blankets

Just remember when packing a ditch bag that it will be your resources should your boat sink or capsize. You need one and you need to make sure it is packed properly for each trip.
It never hurts to double check the dates and contents 2-3 times per year. Don't let it become a set it and forget it boating item.

For more information on packing a great Ditch Bag contact Triad Marine.

Perfect for small Boats

National Safe Boating Week Post #2

2011-05-23T15:23:00.000-05:00

Today for National Safe Boating Week we are going to talk about EPIRBs and PLBs. An EPIRB stands for Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon and PLB stands for Personal Locator Beacon. Both EPIRBs and PLBs operate on the 406 MHz signal using the same COSPAS-SARSAT Satellite system, which is directly monitored by Search and Rescue Personnel.

Different boaters will have a different need when it comes to choosing an EPIRB or PLB, although both units operate the same way there are key differences in each unit. EPIRBs have a longer battery life and they are designed to float upright in the water when tethered to a person or life raft. You can get and EPIRB in an automatic and manual activation model. PLBs will have a lower battery operating time and will all be manual activation. The good thing about a PLB is the size and potability you can take with you for all of your land based adventures as well.

When choosing the right EPIRB or PLB remember to stay away from gadget devices, remember only a device that operates on the 406MHz signal is an EPIRB or PLB. These will be the only units using the COSPAS-SARSAT system and monitored by rescue authorities. While gadgets have a place and a purpose but should not be your only signaling source for emergencies.

Coast Guard Rescues 3 They had a PLB

Here are Other posts about PLBs

PLBs are not Gadgets

If you missed the Kick off to National Safe Boating Week find it Here

There is no doubt that EPIRBs and PLBs save lives, they also cut down on search and rescue time as well as the expense.

If you are injured or in the water you want the Rescue Authorities there as soon as possible.

Here is a good note from the Coast Guard about upgrading to an EPIRB or PLB with a GPS signal built into the unit.

National Safe Boating Week Kick Off

2011-05-20T11:31:00.001-05:00

Lets kick off National Safe Boating Week in style ... Today was wear your Life Jacket to work day ...
Also Saturday is Ready Set Inflate Day

I did not wear mine to work but I can see some inflatable PFDs from my desk that are for sale if you need to stop by Triad Marine and get one to wear to work. Did you know the most important place to wear a life jacket is in the boat! If you are not wearing it then it simply can't save you from drowning. Make sure to check the life jacket laws in your state.

You can find the Texas Laws here

"70% of all boating Deaths are from Drowning, and 90% of those who drowned were not wearing a life jacket." This fact comes to you from the U.S Coast Guard Facebook Fan Page

There are many types of Life Jackets which are sometimes called PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices), choosing the right one for you and your activities in accordance with the laws is really important. Never feel you have to go this alone, reach out to your local marine retailers. If you can't find it locally take to the web, even though we are in Texas we answer questions from all over the country. Why? Because Triad Marine and our employees care about people being informed.

I am a big fan of the inflatable PFDs just because they are so comfortable.

Yes that is me showing off a stylish, comfortable, Pink Mustang Survival Inflatable PFD

Feel Free to Snag this picture and use it for all of your Social Media Profile Pictures we did!

Be Safe Wear Your Life Jacket
Make sure everyone on your boat wears one too
Make sure it fits properly
Make sure it is in working condition
Enjoy the time on your boat!

Sold Boats for the Week

2011-05-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

Today we delivered 2 boats from 2 different manufactures for 2 totally different purposes. Inflatable boats just have that sort of versatility.

This is an Achilles SG156 Inflatable Boat that will be used by a Fire Department in Magnolia Texas.

This boat typically comes open and is used with a tiller handle motor, but at Triad Marine we can customize your inflatable boat to meet your needs. We added a jockey style console seat with remote steering for the motor. We hope this boat has many good years on the water working because that is what it is for.

The next boat to leave the store sold is a Zodiac Pro Open 650
This boat will be used as a coaching boat for kids that sail, not by the sailing organization but by their parents. The mom plans to use it to capture good pictures of the kids doing their thing.

The boat is 21'4" and is powered by a Yamaha F150 Outboard Motor. This boat will be fast, stable, and fuel efficient. It will not require a large tow vehicle and can also be used for some family fun.
The removable tube set on this boat makes it a real winner as it can be replaced if needed and it can be removed for repair if a customer lives far away from here. They would be able to ship just the tube set using UPS or Fed Ex rather than bringing the whole boat.

Meet "Jibby" as it will be called

Happy Boating "Jibby"

Spring Boating ... Be Safe In the Water Too

2011-04-20T10:19:00.002-05:00

Spring is here and well every where else in the country too, though I am sure those of you having snow still have not started boating..
If you have a boat then you should have your safety needs in mind.. Did you follow our Spring Safety Check List Posts , if not you can click the link and read them.

Triad Marine reminds you to be safe while boating this Spring and Summer as well as anytime of the year, but today I want to talk about safety when playing in and around the water.
Remember the ocean and rivers have currents even if they look slow moving or still, water can always be in motion.
Never swim alone.. it is just bad practice anything can happen. Take flotation devices with you and your swim partner, the best ones are worn and the worst one is the one you left at home. Keep watch over your swim buddy at all times. If you are in a moving body of water wear the life vest... Weak swimmers should wear one at all times and strong swimmers should consider it.
Keep in mind the temperature of the water can affect your ability to swim...
Watch for the weather to change, when the wind picks up so do currents and that is when people get swept away.
Drowning can happen with no warning signs, most victims of drowning never make a sound or thrash like you see on TV or would imagine.

From This Article by Mario Vittone you can read about most drowning cases and how they really look

Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

Be safe my friends and at Triad Marine we believe marine safety encompasses a lot more that just boating.

A comfortable solution to Traditional PFDs is the belt pack..

Spring Safety Checklist- Life Rafts

2011-03-24T10:06:00.001-05:00

Starting the safety check list on life rafts ..Do you have a life raft? If not you should consider it a purchase for your Spring Boating needs. You can expect to pay between $1200.00 for a very simple single tubed life raft and up to $6000.00 or more for a top of the line offshore life raft. Always access your boating needs and trips to determine which new life raft will best suit them. Different life raft manufactures require different servicing intervals on each life raft so that may be a consideration during purchasing as well.
When purchasing a new life raft remember to consider the number of persons on your boat most of the time and try to match that number to the person capacity of the life raft.
Purchasing a life raft can be a tough decision so let someone help you.

Servicing a life raft is super important to the life of the life raft as well as the functionality. I have written other posts on servicing a life raft such as this one and this one and the point is always the same ...If you do not service the life raft you are taking a big risk that the life raft will not function properly. In one of the posts I highlighted the importance of servicing because the batteries in the flash light became corroded and battery acid leaked out all over the rest of the equipment. The raft had not been serviced one time in it's 10 year life... That particular raft should have been serviced 3 times.

I don't know about you but I would hate to be the first one in that life raft after struggling in a desperate situation just to find out I had no flash light, no first aid kit, and no flares thanks to leaky batteries.... Can servicing always guarantee a working raft so every one is spared from the worst, no but it can up the odds a lot. Remember being safe on the water involves a lot of factors and having the best equipment and knowledge are your best defense against a bad situation.

Here is a good quality Made in the USA Life Raft
The Switlik MD-3
Offshore Life Raft
ISO-9650-1 approved
6 Person capacity
$5190.00 in a soft valise
$5255.00 in a hard fiberglass container

EPIRB and PLB Spring Check List

2011-02-28T15:17:00.001-06:00

If you read THIS POST last week then you know we are trying to help you check the safety gear on your boat before Spring arrives and lots of boating gets under way. This week will will focus on EPIRBs and PLBs. Both EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) (**note that the link is very helpful but a bit dated as the 121.5 MHz signal is no longer monitored as an emergency response signal and is now used as a fly over homing signal only**)and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacon) operate in the same way. There are differences including a longer battery life, floatation and deployment options, but they all have a battery life and expiration date!

EPIRBs and PLBs operate on the 406 MHz frequency, if you still have 121.5 EPIRB you will need to replace it.
Starting on 1 February 2009, the Cospas-Sarsat System stopped processing signals from the deprecated 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz beacons; now only signals from 406 MHz beacons are processed. The switch to 406 MHz is expected to result in a substantial reduction in wasted use of SAR resources on false alerts while simultaneously increasing the responsiveness of the system for real distress cases.

COSPAS-SARSAT

If you have an EPIRB or PLB locate the battery expiration date and check it.

If you do not have one you should strongly consider purchasing one.

The gentleman in this post was not going to buy one but we encouraged him to purchase at least a PLB and it saved his life.

EPIRBs have to have a minimum battery life of 48 hours, they are designed to float in the water up right and transmit a signal, they also have a tether line to tied them to you or your life raft. EPIRBs come in Manual Deployment Versions and Automatic Deployment Versions. The Automatic Deployment EPIRBs have a housing and a Hydrostatic release unit that will set the EPIRB off and release it from the housing, allowing it to float to the surface and transmit. EPIRBs are also available with and with out a GPS transmitter built in. The GPS will help narrow down the search area.

PLBs will have a minimum operation time of 24 hours, they all have to be manually deployed and even though some models float they are not designed to float up right and transmit in the water like and EPIRB. PLBs usually have to be held with the antenna facing the sky. This doesn't mean your signal would not transmit if there was not a clear view of the sky, it is simply the best case scenario. Most PLB models have the built in GPS transmitter which will give rescuers a better idea of exactly where the user is.

So the check list is as follows:

Be sure the EPIRB is a 406 MHz and not a 121.5 MHz operating unit. It is OK to have both.

Be sure the battery is not expired

If the battery is expired find a factory authorized replacement center in your area.

Preform the manufactures self test

If it is an Automatic Deployment Unit check the date on the Hydrostatic Release

(good for 2 years)

Make sure the Housing is in working condition

For PLBs

Check the battery and perform the self test.

Safe boating is the best boating. Come back later in the week as we highlight some rescue stories and introduce you to AMVER (Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System , there are some rescue stories like these that resulted because of AMVER.

Also don't forget to fan us on Facebook for our Daily Deal section of our Website using QR Code and a password only fans get... the savings are Awesome!!

PFD Talk - Spring Safety Check List for Leisure Boating

2011-02-22T12:34:00.001-06:00

I would like to talk about PFDs (personal flotation devices), they are required for all boaters by the USCG. With Spring approaching it is a good idea to start checking all of your boating safety gear, my suggestion is start with you PFDs. Inspect each one for rips, tears, holes and frays at the seams. Check all straps and hardware for damage, check the buoyant materials for shrinkage and damage, and finally put it on and check to ensure it still properly fits from last boating season.

The USCG recreational boating requirements for PFDs are different than commercial vessel requirements and are the same across the board for children. All children must be wearing a PFD while on the boat.
Bellow are the rules for recreational boaters in our home state of Texas. Always check your state's laws about boating, also remember to check out boating rules if you will be traveling and boating as they may not be the same.

Texas PFD Requirements

Children under 13 years of age in motorboats under 26 feet must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD while underway.
All vessels under 16 feet (including canoes and kayaks) must be equipped with one Type I, II, III or V for each person on board.
Vessels 16 feet and longer, in addition to the Type I, II, III or V for each person on board, must have one Type IV which must be readily accessible. Canoes and kayaks over 16 feet are exempt from the Type IV requirement.

So now we can talk about leisure boating and PFDs the USCG has a great informational page on PFDs you can CLICK HERE to visit. They have advice on how to choose a properly fitting PFD, checking them, caring for them and great information about cold water survival all in one place. There is a whole section that describes each "Type" of PFD for Example a Type I is Best for all waters, open ocean, rough seas, or remote water, where rescue may be slow coming. Abandon-ship life jacket for commercial vessels and all vessels carrying passengers for hire.

Type I PFD

Besides the USCG Type given to the PFD there are a couple of styles of PFD traditional inherently buoyant and Inflatable. Both styles have a Type given to them and can be identified at the time of purchase.
Inflatable PFDs are not for use by persons under age 16 as they may not be able to fully understand their operation. This means someone under age 16 will likely not understand how to manually activate the inflatable PFD if the auto activation should fail.

Mustang Inflatable PFD MD3184

Revere Comfortmax Plus Inflatable PFD

Revere general boating inherently buoyant PFD

The best PFD is always one they you are wearing and fits properly. This gives inflatable PFDs the advantage because they are more comfortable. For leisure boating in Texas carrying a life jacket of the proper type meets the requirements but will not save your life if you go overboard without it.
Many inflatable PFDs have 34-35 pounds of buoyancy where most standard non-inflatable PFDs only provide between 15.5 and 22 pounds of buoyancy depending on the type.

I would like to introduce you to the Mustang Survival MD0450 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT (Life-saving Inflatable Flotation Technology) This vest features Auto Hydrostatic Activation and has 40 pounds of Buoyancy when inflated. This is a high quality inflatable PFD designed to meet the needs of offshore boating. You can purchase high quality Mustang Survival products from Triad Marine.

Spring is around the corner and as we prepare the boats for another season of fun we need to make sure we are checking the boat's safety equipment. Check your PFDs and replace damaged ones. Consider purchasing at least one new safety item every Spring to accompany the current safety gear. There is always room for a PFD you will wear on every boat.

Please feel free to contact us if you need help choosing a PFD or any safety equipment for your boat. Also remember regulations and laws change from time to time so it is a good idea to check each Spring to make sure you are in compliance.
Happy and Safe Boating!

Life Raft Servicing is Important

2011-02-17T11:58:00.001-06:00

In this post I discussed why you should service your life raft, Today I would like to touch on the subject of servicing again. Servicing the life raft is the life of the raft, we see several life rafts come in that have not been serviced in several years and many times this results in putting a really good life raft out of commission or a really high servicing bill.

Some things to keep in mind about serving is that when you bring a life raft to a service station a technician will open the life raft and inspect it for malfunctions, air tests will be performed and all parts of the life raft and equipment are inspected and replaced if they are deemed out of date or non-functioning. If your life raft cannot be certified as safe and usable it will be decommissioned.

Keep in mind there are items in a life raft they can cause problems, recently we opened a life raft that had corroded batteries in the flash light. The battery acid had eaten through the flash light and gotten all over much of the equipment. Imagine finding this out on the ocean instead of at the shop. This particular life raft was 7 years overdue for servicing.

Life rafts are as important to a boat as the brakes on a car and like the brakes they need to be serviced. For more information on life raft servicing or to visit our store and see an open life raft contact us. We are proud to support Maritime Safety and Education through community outreach; we take pride in not just selling and servicing a product but educating customers on how to use a product.

Inflatable Boats- Not Just Dinghies

2011-01-27T11:02:00.000-06:00

Many boat buyers see inflatable boats as just dinghies and move on, but there are inflatable boats for all applications.
There are inflatable boats you can use in the rivers
Such as high quality Achilles River Boats

There are inflatable boats you can use with you RV
Such as the Zodiac Cadet Compact and Achilles HB300FX
Both have a folding transom and stow fairly flat making them ideal for motor homes and RVs, but if you need something that folds up even smaller you can get boats such as
Zodiac Fastroller ACTI-V and the Achilles LSI Models

A great weekend boat or tender is an Inflatable with wooden or aluminum floor boards, the floor boards provide better rigidity than an air floor boat (when properly inflated) but the boat will still break down to stow in a relatively small space some of the models you may consider are
Zodiac Cadet , Achilles SPD, and Achilles LEX

Looking for a Rigid Hull Tender (RIB) for your boat or to use in the lake, you can choose from models
Like these
Achilles HB Series Boats, Zodiac Cadet RIB Series Boats and Caribe C Series Boats

But most people know about those models and what you can do with them, people want to know about bigger boats ones you can fish from, pull someone on a tube in, relax and sunbathe in and use as a main family boat
You could look to these models to fill those needs
Zodiac Pro Series Boats
Zodiac Pro Open Series Boats
Zodiac Bay Runner Series Boats

Inflatable boats also serve as commercial use boats world wide in everything from Swift Water Rescue to transport boats. Companies and individuals turn to the stability of inflatable boats when they want the safest boats. Inflatable boats are more buoyant than aluminum boats that are often used in the same applications.
If you are considering an inflatable boat and need more information call us, we are the inflatable boat experts. Triad Marine opened in 1992 and our owners come from the back grounds of inflatable boats and life rafts. With so much experience under one roof you are sure to learn something about inflatable boats, amd hopefully decide to become the owner of one!
Enjoy some pictures of boats Triad Marine has put on the water

Zodiac Pro Open 650

Achilles HB350LX w/ Eurohelm

Achilles HB240LX

Zodiac Zoom 310SR

Zodiac Zoom 310SR in Bag

Zodiac Pro 550 (12 Man)

Used by Jamaica Beach Fire Department

Zodiac FC420

Zodiac FC530

Zodiac CZ7

Zodiac FC470

Caribe C13

4 Zodiac FC420 Boats to be used in Dallas by the Fire Rescue

Zodiac Pro 550 (12 man) Leisure Application

Achilles FRB 124

Small Craft Safety Equipment

2011-01-25T11:09:00.001-06:00

Every boat needs safety equipment... From the smallest aluminum boat to the biggest commercial tankers you need the right safety gear. The size of the vessel and the waterways you use can be a factor in choosing the minimum safety gear.
On a small craft the number one essential piece of equipment is a life vest for every single person on board! This is a no exception to the rule piece of safety gear no matter the size of the vessel but in small craft it is often the only safety gear. Make sure they are working properly and all of the straps are in good shape.
To supplement your life vest you can add a strobe to the vest that will go off should you fall over board and end up in the water. You may also consider a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) not to be confused with a messenger device like SPOT which also has a place and a purpose. My advice with SPOT is be sure you pay your subscription fees and double check your batteries.
If you have a small craft over 20 feet you may want to consider a small life raft such as a Revere Coastal Compact, it is light weight and only a single buoyancy tube but will get you out of the water if you capsize. You may accompany the life raft with a small ditch bag.
Pick a safety package based on where you will be in your small craft. Consider the possibility that your boat could capsize, consider the possibility they there may not be anyone else around if you go off course, and remember to consider the fact that cell phone batteries die and most all cell phones are not water proof.
I feel compelled to talk about small craft safety today based on a couple of recent stories in Texas.
Safety gear is no guarantee that you will come out of the situation alive and well but, you have to arm yourself with the best possible equipment to have the best chance at survival.

Coast Guard Rescues 2 After Boat Capsizes in San Antonio Bay Near Port Lavaca

And this story
Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Fisherman in Galveston Bay

Here is my small craft Safety Equipment Package Idea

This package includes:

*Revere Coastal Compact 4 Life Raft with Canopy

*Revere Survivor Ditch Bag

*4 Revere Comfort Man Inflatable PFDs Auto Activation

*1 USCG/SOLAS Hand Flare

*2 USCG/SOLAS Parachute Flares

* Revere Day Pak Plus First Aid Kit

* Revere Hear Me Whistle

* Revere See Me Strobe

* McMurdo Fastfind 210 PLB

Remember we can customize a package for you!

Zodiac Pro Series Boats

2010-12-21T10:04:00.001-06:00

Today I want to talk to you about a versatile RIB (rigid inflatable boat), the Zodiac Pro Series Boats offer a range of sizes, 2 color choices in one fabric choice and one color choice in the other fabric choice. In addition they also offer the boats in a host of ways ranging from open with no seating for use with a tiller steer motor to fully rigged with many seating configurations and power options.

The boats also feature a removable tube set making them ideal for people in commercial settings, it allows them to purchase and extra tube set that can be put on the boat if the original is punctured and in need of repair. This keeps them working while the tube set is being repaired.

This boat is now offered in a series called the Bayrunner which provides a different seating style to make it a family friendly Bay style boat. Zodiac Pro Series boats start at 13'9" and go up to 20'8".

Triad Marine will be happy to talk to you about your options when choosing a Zodiac Pro Series boat and how to make it the perfect boat for your application.

Other advantages of the inflatable boats are the stability , buoyancy, and weight. The lighter weigh will allow you to use a smaller tow vehicle as well as make it more manageable in the long run. Inflatable boats can be used anywhere you would use a fiberglass or aluminum boat. Just remember to care for them properly and run them inflated to the proper pressure.

Come and see the Zodiac Pro 500 boat at Triad Marine we have the open models here leaving all of the options up to you! The Pro 500 is 15'5" in length and can take a maximum of a 70 horse power motor. Let us help you decide which way the Pro 500 will work best for whatever you do on the water.

Pro 500 (9 Man) $10835.00 open boat in Red PVC or Grey Hypalon in stock and ready to become your dream boat!

**pictures are examples and actual product may vary**

Coming Soon Achilles Folding Transom RIB

2010-12-10T16:26:00.000-06:00

Triad Marine is proud to offer you the first look at the Achilles HB300FX folding transom RIB (rigid inflatable boat).
We will have this boat on display at 55th Annual Houston Boat Show happening January 7-17, 2011.

This folding transom RIB is made of hypalon material, has a fiberglass transom, wooden seat, 2 seat attachment points, oars, foot pump, repair kit and a storage bag with 3 handles for easy lifting. The boat also features towing d-rings, a bow lift eye and a stainless steel motor mount. Achilles is offering you the same great quality as the other HB series RIBs but in a portable package. This boat will be perfect for sail boats, RVs, cars, trucks and SUVs.

At 9'10" in length the boat will offer plenty of room for four people. At this time we do not have the final specifications with a horse power rating, weight and beam but we will keep you updated.

Stop by The Houston Boat Show and see us in Booth 7030 to see this brand new Achilles Model as well as many other great inflatable boats, life rafts and lots of marine safety gear!

Colder Weather Means More Boating Risks

2010-12-07T11:26:00.001-06:00

As the cooler temperatures make their way south to the Houston area we find increased risks with boating...Should you fall over board and remain in the water very long you are at increased risk for hypothermia. Hypothermia is actually defined as any time the core body temperature falls below 95* F. Taking extra precautions in cooler temperatures is the key to avoiding a tragic outcome. On Friday December 2, 2010 we had a shrimp boat capsize in our waters and 3 of the 4 men were rescued clinging to debris, sadly they have to be treated for hypothermia which leaves a grim reality that the 4th person in the water probably has hypothermia as well leaving them at greater risk of drowning. He has still not been located and the Coast Guard suspended it's search for him. You can read the full story here.

Make sure there is a working PFD for each person aboard and make sure they are wearing it. By having the life vest on you give yourself an advantage should you fall over board. Once you fall into the cold water if you begin to lose dexterity and function you will not be able to swim to keep your head above water a PFD is designed to help you stay afloat. Wearing it is the only way to be sure it will work.

With that being said there are some things that can make your journeys on the water safer and help protect you against hypothermia. The first thing you need is a life raft this will help get you our of the water if your boat were to capsize or sink. even if you go into the water and become wet and cold you can increase your chances by having a way to get out of the water. Pack some extra isothermal blankets in your ditch bag and use them to attempt to stay warm once you are in the life raft. Purchase an EPIRB or PLB or both and keep the PLB with you. The sooner they can find you the better chance you have of recovering fully from hypothermia.

If you plan on making overnight trips in cold weather you may want to consider an immersion suit for each crew member. The immersion suits are designed to help you stay warm, they will make a big difference in how quickly your body begins to go through the stages of hypothermia.

As always file a float plan, check dates on safety gear, check all components of the boat, and be prepared for the worst conditions and you will always have a more enjoyable boating experience.
There are a lot of ditch bag items that can help one survive and if you need help choosing these items we will be happy to sit down and help you. We can also provide you with more information on PFDs, PLBs, EPIRBs, and Life Rafts.

Survival Times in Cold Water Without Protective Clothing

Water Temperature		Loss of Dexterity	Exhaustion or	Expected Time of
Degrees C	Degrees F	with no protective clothing	Unconsciousness	Survival
0.3	32.5	Under 2 min.	Under 15 min.	Under 15 to 45 min.
0.3 to 4.5	32.5 - 40	Under 3 min.	15 to 30 min.	30 to 90 min.
4.5 to 10	40 - 50	Under 5 min.	30 to 60 min.	1 to 3 hrs.
10 to 15.5	50 - 60	10 to 15 min.	1 to 2 hrs.	1 to 6 hrs.
15.5 to 21	60 - 70	30 to 40 min.	2 to 7 hrs.	2 to 40 hrs.
21 to 26.5	70 - 80	1 to 2 hrs.	2 to 12 hrs.	3 hrs. to indefinite
Over 26.5	Over 80	2 to 12 hrs.	Indefinite	Indefinite

The above table is simply a reference, remember each person's body reacts differently and one may become colder more quickly if they suffer from certain illnesses or if they take blood thinning medications.

Safety Man Part 2

2010-11-11T15:26:00.002-06:00

Show & Go Video Series Part 1

2010-11-11T13:20:00.002-06:00

Thank you for taking the time to watch our Show & Go Video Series. Keep an eye out for part 2 coming soon ...Inflatable Boat Care and Cleaning

Safety Man Part 1

2010-11-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

Stay tuned for Safety Man part 2 Coming soon you will meet his arch enemy ...DOPE (Doesn't Own Proper Equipment)

Zodiac FC420 Inflatable Boat

2010-10-27T11:11:00.003-05:00

Triad marine is the leader in Zodiac Military Profesional products in Texas. Remember this post titled "Another Zodiac FC420 to be used by a Fire Department" well there have been plenty more sold by Triad Marine since then!

The Zodiac FC420 is a versatile inflatable boat constructed for professional and military usage. This boat has features that set it apart from other professional use inflatable boats such as the intercommunicating valves. These valves allow the boat to be used with a rapid inflation system. This boat also has heavy duty construction and is made of hypalon/neoprene fabric. The boat is 13'9" and weighs around 265, making it a good size and weight for portability and stowing.

Many of our Texas agencies are equipped with the Zodiac FC420 boats, largely thanks to TEEX. They have chosen the Zodiac F boats as their boat line of choice based on the ease of deployment, construction and consistency. The Zodiac FC420 is a great size for the fire departments as a search and rescue boat that can be portable but still big enough for the job.

The Zodiac FC420 boasts an impressive payload capacity of 1,918 lbs. and 23.19 sq. ft. of usable floor board space, allowing searchers plenty of room to make a rescue. The Boat is rated for 50 horse power and it is recommended that you put 30 horse power on it, but is nicely outfitted with 40 horse power. Triad Marine can equip the boat with a Yamaha or Evinrude E-Tec engine. Both manufactures of engines offer 40 horse power, the differences are Yamaha is a four stroke 40 horse power motor available with electric start and a tiller handle the Evinrude E-Tec is a two stroke motor and is available with manual start and a tiller handle. (*Evinrude engines are only available to Government Agencies*)

A quality boat with 2 quality engine options allows Triad Marine to fully cater to the needs of our first responders in Texas. Triad Marine is first class in the delivery, after sales care and repair of you Zodiac FC420. Choosing Triad Marine as your source for Zodiac Military Boats gives you distinct advantages of working with a dealer who cares about you, your boat and keeping you on the water. Priority servicing as well as complete follow up knowledge set us apart when we sell these boats.

Triad Marine will be happy to quote you a boat but in addition to that we will explain the things about the boat and motor that make it relevant to you and your situation. We pride ourselves on customer service and satisfaction.

Zodiac Pro 12 Man In Action Used By a Fire Department

2010-10-26T14:20:00.001-05:00

A chance to see a one of the boats we sold doing it's job!

The Jamaica Beach Fire Department bought a Zodiac Pro 12 Man Inflatable Boat powered with a Yamaha F75 HP Outboard motor. We showed you some pictures in this post.

Saturday October 23, 2010 they put the boat to use, working to rescue stranded boaters. You can read the full story here.

(Photo from Police News)

Thanks to the hard work of the Jamaica Beach Fire department and their Zodiac these boaters were rescued. Good Work Guys!

Inflatable Boat Care Part 1-Pump It Up

2010-10-05T10:22:00.001-05:00

Achilles Inflatable boats reccomends 2.8 PSI for the working Pressure of their hypalon boats

There are a few things that go into caring for and inflatable and during the month of October we will showcase them.

This week we will discuss running the boat at the proper pressure.

It is important to know the working pressure of your inflatable boat and to make sure the boat is all ways at that pressure before putting it in the water for use.
Typically most hypalon boats will have a working pressure of about 2.8 PSI to 3.0 PSI and most PVC boats will have a working Pressure of about 3.0 PSI to 3.3 PSI (check the owner's manual for the exact working pressure of your boat make and model as it varies by manufacture).
Inflatable boats are mostly volume air so inflating them with the provided and recommended foot pump will not take as long as one may think. You could purchase a small 12 volt inflator but note you will still need to finish with the foot pump to achieve the proper working pressure...
NEVER USE A COMPRESSOR!
Inflatable boats have baffles inside them which divide the chambers and compressors can damage these baffles causing all kinds of problems for your boat and even make it unsafe to use.

There are pressure gauges available for use but if you don't have one you can simply pump with the foot pump until no more air will go into the boat ....You can't over inflate with the foot pump.
Most customers will tell me they did not know the boat should be up to pressure before every use, these are the same customers who are generally having performance issues or possible leak issues. Pumping the boat up hard is key to performance, leak prevention and even puncture resistance.
Even if you wake on a cool morning top the boat off, even f it is going to get hot in the afternoon even though the boat will expand some it will not cause the boat to pop. They are designed to expand and contract when needed.

Seaglow- Conditioner

2010-09-30T10:31:00.002-05:00

As a part of the October blog series on maintaining and caring for your inflatable boat I would like to tell you about Island Girl Seaglow. This product can help bring a new look back to the fabric of the inflatable boat.

From the Island Girl website you can read about Seaglow here!

"Hypalon

Inflatable dinghies, RIB collars, ignition cables and more. Benefits include prevention of deterioration due to UV oxidation, algae & mildew (very important on white hypalon e.g. Novorania, Achilles, etc). "Using a product like Seaglow can help keep your inflatable looking its best and don't forget a non-petroleum based protectant as well. For More care tips come back and Join us every Thursday in October as we help you keep your inflatable in tip top shape!

Here are a few sample pictures I took on a hypalon inflatable and a fiberglass boat

As you can see the part we treated with the Seaglow looks great ...

Did you know there are other uses for Seaglow such as removing the yellowing on your tennis shoe soles.
You can see and read about this right here on the Island Girl Website

Need to know more contact us and look for Island Girl coming soon on Our Website

Mobile Pet Adoptions Coming to Triad Marine!

2010-09-23T11:15:00.001-05:00

October 16, 2010 from 9 AM until 2 PM join the Friends of League City Animal Shelter and Triad Marine for Mobile Pet adoptions .... Thinking adoption first helps keep animals from being euthanized and can bring many years of joy to a family.

You can click here to visit the League City Animal Shelter's Website

They have a wish list as well as a list of their adoptable pets! My dog Bailey came from there in February of 2008 and she is truly a member of the family.

This is her sweet and loving

This is from the League City Animal Shelter website

The most asked question in the Animal Control field is

"Why put animals to sleep?".

No one in the Animal Control field likes to put animals to sleep. It is a necessary job due to people's irresponsible behavior of not taking better care of their animals.
The answer is simply there are not enough homes for them all. A large number of animals enter Animal Shelters all across the United States on a daily basis. This is mostly due to not enough animals being spayed or neutered. Animals that breed at will produce 6-12 animals per litter. This cycle happens twice a year. This alone leads to a staggering number of animals. It is said a pair of uncontrolled breeding cats will produce 420,000 cats in a six year breeding life. Two dogs will produce 4,372 dogs in 7 yrs. It is not hard to see when considering how many animals are out there that are not spayed or neutered and allowed to breed at will causes the over population problem we are faced with today.

Please consider adopting a pet or donating items on the wish list!

PLBs are not Gadgets!

2010-09-17T13:20:00.000-05:00

I have written a few posts on PLBs and today I am going to write another and I am also going to layout some information to help you choose a PLB over just a gadget ....If you feel the need for the gadgets have both ...PLBs are so affordable now you would be crazy not to have one...
Boaters, Hunters, Fishermen, Kayakers, ATV enthusiasts, Hikers and anyone who participates in outdoor activities are candidates for needing a PLB!
Here are just a Few Posts from the past
A Tale of a PLB Rescue

10 Reasons to Buy an ACR Aqualink

Hunters Need PLBs Too

I Fish the Bay do I need a PLB

All of these post put you in different shoes when it comes to PLBs we give you information and tools to help you choose we show you a real rescue story and we urge you to be safe in any outdoor environment .

Here is a video from the nice guys at ACR about PLBs versus gadgets

Consider always having a back up plan and remember a PLB is a life saving device and not a gadget. Gadgets are nice and have a purpose, but saving your life is not their purpose.

Why Service Your Life Raft

2010-09-15T11:01:00.001-05:00

Life rafts come in a variety of brands, sizes, person capacities, and have a variety of equipment package options. Every life raft is inflated the same way via CO2 cylinder but that is pretty much the only thing that is exactly the same. Life rafts are meant to be opened and serviced, some manufactures say every year and some manufactures have vacuum bag sealed life rafts that are every three years.

What happens when a life raft is serviced?
The life raft is open and the dates of all the internal equipment are determined so the service technician will know what needs to be replaced. The date of the last CO2 cylinder refill is determined and if it has been five years then the life raft is gas inflated, tested and the cylinder gets refilled. The technician will also air and pressure test the life raft for defects and leaks.
All of these processes help ensure your life raft has a longer life and the best chance of working the way it is supposed to when you need it.

What are some things I can expect at each service?
If you have a life raft with one year service intervals the first 2 services will be pretty basic and include replacing of repair cement (glue) and batteries for the flash light as well as the set of spares.
There will be a charge for the service currently ours is $300.00 but they vary by station. You may also have charges for manufactures certificates, gaskets, seals, bursting straps called commonly bands (only on container style life rafts).
Three year service interval life rafts and the third service on a one year life raft will incur charges for all of the one year items in addition to replacing all of the flares in the raft. Also a three year service interval life raft will be in a vacuum bag that must be replaced at this service, the bags typically cost around $150.00 and up but vary with manufacture and the size of the life raft.

What happens if I skip a service or two?
Typically the rafts will be fine if they have been stowed properly and not submersed in water, however sometimes natural conditions and water can make the life of a life raft shorted especially when it has not been opened and allowed to breathe, dry and be cleaned if needed.
Also not servicing a raft at the manufactures intervals will void the manufactures warranty of the life raft.
The worst thing we see in waiting to service is the cost becomes high because you have so many things to replace at one time. You will incur however many years of charges on one bill and this often makes customers feel like it is not worth it for a service, even if the raft is in very good condition.
Like anything you purchase there are care instructions and not following them can result in costly repairs and frustrations. Why would you risk your life saving equipment failing when you need it.
Should you have questions or concerns about your life raft and servicing the life raft please contact us.
To avoid extra high services bills, maintain the warranty of the life raft and ensure the equipment is working properly servicing is key!

Hunters Need PLBs Too

2010-08-31T11:14:00.003-05:00

Copy Right Warner Brothers

Hunting Season is right around the corner....Whether you hunt for deer, geese, dove, turkey, or even (wabbits) rabbits a PLB is as important as ammunition.
Hunting can take one to very remote places and can leave us all alone so this is certainly a time when you would want to have a back up plan in place. One device that weighs less than one pound and will operate all over the world where cell phones do not could save your life. There are many uncertainties with hunting, you could fall and become injured, what if you were attacked by a wild animal and injured, you wreck your ATV leaving you unable to walk or barely move for that matter, you could become lost and so many other unpredictable things that mother nature may throw your way. Why take chances with your life there are PLBs that are as small as a mobile phone and cost less than $400.00, some models are less than $300.00....I know that this may seem like a lot but it is 5 years worth of maintenance free insurance and peace of mind...A PLB goes where you go from hunting to fishing to hiking to kayaking...A PLB is the best investment you can make to increase your chances of beating unthinkable disastrous odds while outdoors.
By arming yourself with a PLB you only have to worry about how to find those trophy animals.
Think of your friends and family, all of the emotion and sadness of searching for you in case of the unthinkable. Save rescuers time and money as well as saving your family grief just by spending less than $400.00!
As you set out on any outdoor adventure safety should be your first thought so the rest of the thoughts can be about enjoying the adventure! Good luck this hunting season and please be safe!

McMurdo Fastfind 210 PLB

Buy It Here

ACR Aqualink PLB

Buy It Here

Both of these great PLBs have internal GPS signal and operate on the 406MHz signal as well as having the 121.5 MHz homing signal for fly over searches

Thanks to ACR Electronics for the following information on how EPIRBs and PLBs work

I hope the videos are helpful!

I have a (Insert Unsinkable Boat Name Here) so I don't need one of "Those"

2010-08-16T11:38:00.000-05:00

In the title it says I have a (unsinkable boat) you can choose your favorite brand name as my point is not to bash the boats but the mentality that comes with the word unsinkable. Also in the title I don't need one of "those" you can make this a few items EPIRB, PLB, Ditch Bag, or a Life Raft.

"In 2008 the #1 cause of deaths - 278 of them -- in boating accidents was because of capsizing, flooding or swamping.

Last month the U.S. Coast Guard awarded a two-year grant to the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and Davis & Company (boat surveyors) to investigate capsizing and swamping occurrences in recreational boating. The last time the USCG investigated this category of accident in a special study was in the 1970s. In 2008 there were 856 reported accidents involved with capsizing, swamping or flooding, and 535 (62.5%) of these involved "cabin motorboats" or "open motorboats."

To me 62.5% is a big number of cabin and open motor boats, that is more than half. So these unsinkable boats do you think they capsize ...Of course when you are doing things wrong like this little story below or mother nature decides the weather will change and the seas will be rough.

"Katherine Martin was operating a 17-foot Boston Whaler when she crashed with an 18-foot Larson Bow Rider operated by Eric Meyer at 12:15 a.m., police said. The ~~Boston Whaler~~ (unsinkable boat) capsized and sent all five people on board into the water. "
See the full story HERE

Beyond capsizing there are chances of motor and electronics failure so every boat no matter the sinkable factor needs to be properly equipped for every trip you make on the water.

Should your unsinkable boat capsize would you be able to hold on the the hull of the boat in rough seas and manage to hold on to your kids, wife, family, or friends. If you are in an area where no one may see you for 17 hours like THIS POST how will you fair. Do you have an accessible life vest for everyone on board or better yet are they wearing them. A PLB could have changed their story and reduced time in the water how could it change yours.
Remember This Story From Last Summer a PLB or EPIRB could have re-written this as well.
Safe boating is the most important part of boating, in the event your unsinkable boat leaves you stranded or capsizes wouldn't you like to just say that it did not matter because I had my back up plan in place.

No one at this point can make recreational boaters have life rafts, EPIRBs and PLBs as these are not regulated under laws like the commercial vessels, so it is up to each boater to put forth personal responsibility in the matter. Not every boat needs to be decked out with every piece of safety gear available but at least choose safety gear based on where you boat and the number of people you are going to be responsible for while on the water.
Everyone from the Kayaker to the ocean cruiser can benefit from safety gear, starting with a small and simple PLB and going all out with an EPIRB, Life Raft, PLB, Ditch Bag, VHF radio, Sat Phone and many other items you may want when doing an ocean sail or cruise.

Remember unsinkable means nothing to mother nature, unsinkable doesn't mean the battery won't go down, the engine and electronics won't fail or that your boat won't capsize.
Something as simple as spending less than $400 on a PLB can re-write your story!

As Small as most Mobile phones sells for $279.00

Buy it Here

use Coupon Code BLOG at check out to save $25.00

This Larger PLB unit is full of features and will come with a belt clip, lanyard and floats!

Also now with yearly subscription you can get the "I'm OK" service to learn more visit 406 Link

$395.00

Buy it Here

Use Coupon code BLOG at check out to save $25.00

Don't go on any outdoor adventure without the peace of mind a PLB can bring.

I Fish the Bay Do I Need a PLB?

2010-08-12T10:23:00.000-05:00

Yes even if you just fish the bay you need a PLB!
The story below could have been written differently, with the help of a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon).

Two boaters rescued after 17 hours in the water
Posted: 09 Aug 2010 09:18 AM PDT
HOUSTON – The crew of a towing vessel rescued two boaters Monday morning after their vessel capsized Sunday afternoon in Trinity Bay.
The crew of the T/V Diamond Back rescued the two people at approximately 8 a.m. Monday morning. The survivors left in a small pleasure craft Sunday from Eagle Point in Galveston County, and were forced into the water after their vessel capsized at approximately 3 p.m. They reported that they were unable to make a distress call.
A 25-foot Response Boat – Small from Coast Guard Station Houston is en route to transport the two back to shore. Their survival is attributed to wearing their life jackets and staying with their vessel after it capsized.
“Due to the circumstances of their situation, they were unable to make a distress call,” said Bill Segelken, an operations unit controller at Sector Houston-Galveston. “The fact that they were wearing their life jackets, significantly increased their ability to remain afloat throughout the night.”
“Staying with their vessel after it capsized, contributed to them being visible and able to be rescued,” he said.
According to the National Safe Boating Council, 85-90% of people who drown in boating accidents are not wearing life jackets.

These boaters and so many others could have decreased their time spent in the water by having a PLB on them. When you are on any boat in any body of water anything can happen. These boaters were in an area they felt was relatively safe and they were smart to have life jackets but they could have been out of the water much sooner with the help of a PLB.

This story has a happy ending of rescue not recovery but the rescue could have been much sooner with the right equipment. There are PLBs as small as a mobile phone now, that cost less than a lot of phones, so not having one is just a matter of not wanting to have one. Put yourself in those soggy shoes and ask how long would you want to be in the water especially over night. Even near shore and in the bay a PLB attached to your life vest could save your life.

As Small as most Mobile phones sells for $279.00

Buy it Here

use Coupon Code BLOG at check out to save $25.00

This Larger PLB unit is full of features and will come with a belt clip, lanyard and floats!

Also now with yearly subscription you can get the "I'm OK" service to learn more visit 406 Link

$395.00

Buy it Here

Use Coupon code BLOG at check out to save $25.00

Don't go on any outdoor adventure without the peace of mind a PLB can bring.

Portability of Inflatable Boats

2010-08-10T11:24:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wanted a boat so you could get off the bank of the lake? Are you one of those people who thinks you can't own a boat because of the size? I am here to show you that you can, just like out newest customer T. He has a small car and yet he will be the guy in the middle of the lake fishing this week while you are on the bank. Let me show you that anyone can join T out in the middle of the lake, all you need is an inflatable boat. Many inflatable boats stow away small enough to fit in the back of a truck, a RV or even a small car. With a portable outboard motor and one of the many portable inflatable boats you can be in the middle of the lake too! Go fishing or just cruise around and see the sites. Inflatable boats are not just tenders, they are versatile boats that can be used in many applications. I will show you some pictures T was nice enough to share with us. Should you have any questions about inflatable boats we have years of knowledge and experience to answer each question and assist you in deciding which inflatable boat is right for you.

T chose the Zodiac Zoom 310SR it is a Semi-Rigid Inflatable Boat, meaning that it has a fiberglass floor but fold at the transom to store in a more compact way. As you can see it fits perfectly on the roof rack of his car. He can have this boat unloaded, inflated and ready to use in less that 20 minutes (including clamping on the motor). What a great way to get on the lake. Thanks for sharing your pictures T, we wish you many happy years of boating!

Ditch Bag 101

2010-07-07T10:01:00.000-05:00

In all best case scenarios your boat never sinks, you never need to be rescued and the ocean is your friend... OK so on one of those worst case scenario days what do you do? How have you prepared? What did you take with you?
Here are my top 3
1. Life Raft (inspected and ready to use)
2. EPIRB and or a PLB
3. Ditch Bag packed and ready

So today I want to talk about ditch bags ...
What is in your ditch bag?
Here are a few starter suggestions:

EPIRB or PLB
Handheld VHF Radio
Copy of your ID
Emergency Contact information
Water, Food Rations, Radar Reflector, Signal Mirror, Flares, Sea Sick pills, first aid kit, flash light, strobe light, sea sick bags (which can be used to collect rain water as well), isothermal blankets, sunscreen, lip balm, any medications you take daily, a rescue streamer and a dry shirt if one will fit....
Of course you can add or take away anything that you would need, put in as many first aid items as your skills and training allow you to use.
There are a variety of ditch bags out there along with a variety of products you can use. We are happy to discuss options with you and help you to custom build a ditch bag that is perfect for you, your family and your typical boating ventures. Never be caught on the worst day without being well prepared with the best equipment and you will increase your chances of survival!

Click here to visit our ditch bag section at the Triad Marine Webstore!

Now tell us what is in your ditch bag!

Yamaha Outboard Usage in Oil Contaminated Waters

2010-06-25T10:55:00.000-05:00

Passing along this information in case someone needs to know.

Help Me Choose a Dinghy

2010-04-16T10:59:00.002-05:00

To RIB or not to RIB: That is a Great Question!

As a Sail Boat owner you already know that maximizing space is the key to happy functional sailing. We intend to provide you with a few tips to choose the best dinghy option for your boat. Everyone wants a RIBs Rigid Inflatable Boats…But do you have room for an RIB? Will you be able to get it on the boat? Sometimes these questions can invole things like davits, motor lifts and swim platform mounts. If you determine you can make it happen there are lots of choices out there, choosing a quality RIB from a trusted manufacture can make you love your inflatable. We offer Zodiac and Achilles, both companies are trusted and tested through the years, The Achilles RIBs come in a deluxe and a light version making the options wide open to creating that perfect inflatable boat experience.

What if you are not in the “boat” for a RIB that’s fine too we have a great option for you, it is a high pressure air floor inflatable boat. These are offered by both Zodiac and Achilles and we would be happy to sell you either but today I would like to talk to you about the Zodiac Fastroller with the ACTI-V Floor and Keel. There is no other air floor inflatable boat like it. The Zodiac Fastroller is a PVC boat which gives them the ability to Thermobond or as we say “weld” the seems, by having welded seems you can get the pressure of the floor up to 11 to 11 ½ PSI versus a hypalon boat with glued seems that just have a working floor pressure of 8 to 8 ½ PSI. The Zodiac Fastroller also has a high pressure keel as the keel and the floor fill from one valve, not only is this convenient but the rigidity of the keel will give you a better performance over all. It is easy to inflate and deflate the average weight is 75 lbs and it stows in a bag. This option is great for boats with limited space you can roll it up put it away and when you need it again just inflate it, that’s right no assembly, no floor boards to get in place and no headaches.

There are also boats with wooden floor boards and the inflatable boat options are limitless, having a dealer who knows about the boats and the brands that stand the test of time can be a real advantage. We are here for you we not only sell the boats but we repair them that’s right a full service dealership specializing in fewer products so we can provide the best answer to every question even ones like “ To RIB or not to RIB”

Zodiac Fastroller 310

Life Raft Debate

2010-03-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

The life raft debate is an annual event held at University of Montevallo, to make a long story short here is the gist of it…. Imagine there is a nuclear disaster and several survivors are setting out to repopulate society, each professor argues for their discipline for the last place in the life raft and why the world needs them.

Now to my business I sell life rafts and as I listened to this debate on NPR driving recently I could not help but think about the “real” debate on life rafts. There are so many in this business like myself who see this as a debate we should not have, if you have a boat that will be used more than 5-10 miles from shore you need a life raft. To accompany this life raft you need an EPIRB or PLB, by having the right equipment if disaster strikes you can help ensure your rescue as well as saving millions of dollars used to search for you. Of course these things don't guarantee survival but they certain stack the odds in your favor.

I would like to step back to last summer when 3 men set out for a simple fishing trip that turned out to be a disaster for them. The boat is one that most people considerer seemingly unsinkable, well it did not sink but due to a bilge pump failure it took on water and capsized. These 3 men survived 8 days on the bottom of the catamaran with a blue bottom. Search and Rescue crews looked diligently for 7 of those days and then called off the search. They were so close but yet so far away because of the color of the boat it was impossible to see them in the water. They were happened upon by a leisure fisherman and rescued on day eight. Each man was lucky to be alive.

I am reminded daily of the dangers on the water, Mother Nature can show her worst side at any moment and the only way to help yourself is through preparedness.

My life raft debate today is simply one sided go back to this post and you can compare a life raft and a dinghy. Again it is a one sided debate there is really nothing to argue about. Each piece of equipment has a purpose and a place on your boat.

Imagine if the 3 fishermen mentioned above would have had a life raft and a PLB ….

Imagine how different an outcome it would have been for the students aboard the S/V Concordia if they had not had life rafts…..

Imagine what it could have been like for the 4 men (2 of which were NFL Players) who went down in Florida last spring…. The 3 deaths were due to hypothermia a life raft, EPIRB or PLB could have brought them all home.

As we approach spring and summer many of our locals with hit the water and it is my hope that each one of them has been impacted in some way that makes them choose safety first.

I will end with this imagine watching your friends or family suffer hypothermia and perishing in the water because you chose not to arm yourself with any safety defenses.

Spring is On the Way

2010-03-18T15:04:00.000-05:00

Spring begins on March 20th....Have you made plans for using your boat? Are you getting ready for a fun summer on the water?
Triad Marine has everything you need to spruce up an old dinghy including a full service factory authorized repair facility.
We have parts and accessories as well as repair materials for the hands on do it yourself kind of people.
If you don't think your dinghy is worth sprucing up and you are thinking of a new one we can help. We sell quality name brand inflatable boats.
Our sales staff is committed to knowing about the boats we sell. We do not sell products that we have no knowledge of. We are an inflatable boat dealership not a warehouse store and not a super marine store. Why settle for any inflatable boat when you can buy a quality inflatable boat.

Spring specials and closeouts available take a peak at Triad's Webstore

Warm Weather is Coming..

2010-03-09T11:38:00.000-06:00

Did you know that we can put a bimini top on your inflatable boat? Well we can and if you come before April 15th you can save $20 on any installed bimini top!

Don't let the sun beat down on you all summer long!

Reminders for Spring

2010-03-03T11:49:00.002-06:00

This should cover most of your list come and see us or call today!

Now until April 15th save $20 on any installed Bimini top

Save $10 on any boat cover

Save $10 off of the ACR Aqualink PLB

Get professionally installed Boat Number Plates for any inflatable for $140.00!!!

Under Seat Storage bag with Cushion $40.00

Visit our website Triad Marine

Thoughts for Thursday

2010-02-18T11:36:00.001-06:00

LIfe Raft

Dinghy

Today’s Thursday thought will be about Life Rafts and Dinghies!

Many of our customers come through our doors ready to purchase a dinghy… Never once do they mention a life raft. I have gotten to where sometimes I just ask “Do you have a life raft on the boat?” And here are two common responses I get

1. Yes but I could not tell you when we last serviced it …it came with the boat

2. No we are going to use the dinghy if we get in trouble…..

So here are my thoughts on each of these responses

1. SO you don’t know when the life raft was serviced last…How do you know it works? I guess some people are willing to take the chance that the CO2 that is in the bottle will still be there and still fill up the life raft….So this happens now…what does the equipment inside look like…is the raft going to stay together… Well having it serviced to meet the manufactures guidelines you increase the chances of everything working correctly on the life raft. You are more likely to produce a positive result and you will feel better knowing this. There are never any guarantees when you are in a survival situation but I like to think upping the odds sure feels nice.

2. Ok so you want to use the dinghy as a life raft….Life rafts are designed to deploy in less than one minute….Good to know in a survival situation because seconds can make the difference… Lets say you are in a weather related disaster and the wind is up, seas are high and your dinghy is not even inflated…Well it takes someone about 12-15 minutes to inflate the average 9-10 foot dinghy with a foot pump. This is in favorable conditions…OK so it is inflated… You have to get it into the water! No easy process here….and every boat is different. Once you get in the dinghy in the water well like I said the seas are high and the wind is blowing hard so your dinghy will likely turn over…Hopefully it will not blow away when this happens…Why won’t the life raft turn over and blow away? Well it is the ballast bags under the life raft; once you deploy the raft and get it into the water the ballast bags fill with water and help hold the raft down against the wind. The ballast bags also help the raft from flipping over…So there you have my thoughts comparing a life raft and a dinghy are like comparing an apple and an orange…They are not one in the same and they both have a purpose and should have a place on your boat!

Zodiac Yachtline Deluxe 420

2010-02-05T11:31:00.001-06:00

Spring is right around the corner... don't be left on the dock while your friends play on the water...

You can get this high quality Zodiac Yachtline Deluxe 420 infltable boat with a 60 HP Yamaha Outboard motor for $25830.00

Pictures are samples if you would like pictures if the actual in stock boat email us at sales@triadmarine.com

We will be happy to go over all of the features this boat has to offer.

Houston Boat Show 2010 Our Booth

2010-01-20T12:34:00.002-06:00

Once again we participated in the Houston Boat Show at our booth we displayed Inflatable boats from Zodiac and Achilles as well as EPIRBs and PLBs from ACR and McMurdo

Boat Show Robot 2

2010-01-15T11:39:00.003-06:00

Houston Boat Show Robot

2010-01-15T10:22:00.003-06:00

Follow Up on the EPIRB story from Last Week!

2009-12-23T10:23:00.001-06:00

Last week I blogged about a customer of ours being saved using his Fastfind 210 PLB ...you can see the original post HERE

Fastfind 210 PLB

This week there is some good news for Mr. Ketchum the rescued war Veteran...Someone recovered his sailboat and they are returning it to him for free ...what a great gesture around the holidays. We wish Mr. Ketchum the best and a very Merry Christmas!

You can see the article about the recovery HERE

EPIRBs Save Lives! Another Tale of Rescue not Recovery!

2009-12-16T09:34:00.001-06:00

Not too long ago our company Triad Marine sold a Fastfind 210 PLB, Revere Offshore Commander 4 in a valise and a new Achilles dinghy to a gentleman who was heading to Belize in a sail boat. Sailing to Belize this time of year is not to unusual but the weather has not been that great and the customer is 80 years old and had decided to sail solo. Given all of those conditions no good could come from this trip.

When the gentleman left we were all a bit worried and we had reason to be, the news reported that the Coast Guard rescued and 80 year old man who had set off his EPIRB after sending a radio distress signal stating he was unable to fend for himself.

I have never been happier to have sold someone a PLB. This story turned out to be a rescue and not a recovery. Apparently he did not need his life raft because he was able to be rescued before his boat had taken on too much water.

3 Hours and the Coast Guard was there! PLBs and EPIRBs work and save lives!
See the story below!

EPIRB leads Coast Guard to distressed mariner
Dec 15th, 2009 by cgnews.

SABINE, Texas — Following a distress from an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) onboard a 34-foot sailing vessel, the Coast Guard found a missing 80-year-old man Tuesday who had departed Houston ten days ago.
The Eighth Coast Guard District command center received the distress alert located approximately 115 miles south of Sabine at 9:30 a.m. The Coast Guard contacted the owner of the EPIRB and was notified by a family member that the 80-year-old owner of the sailing vessel, Enchantress, departed Houston approximately ten days ago and was headed toward Kemah, Texas.

A Coast Guard MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston and an HU-25 Falcon rescue plane and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi launched and located the owner and his sailing vessel at approximately 12:30 p.m. The man was hoisted and transported to Coast Guard Air Station Houston where he met by ambulance and transported to South East Memorial Hospital.

"The gentleman said over the radio to us that he was 'unable to fend for himself.' We safely hoisted him into the helicopter, and as soon as we started to hoist the swimmer, lightening struck within close proximity of the aircraft. The storm front began moving in and definitely made the situation more tedious, but we fell back on our training and the mission was a success," said Lt. Aaron Mader, air craft commander, Coast Guard Air Station Houston.

The Coast Guard reminds mariners to have a registered EPIRB onboard the vessel and to file a float plan with family members and friends.

Click HERE to see the video of him being rescued.

Now ask your self is $299.00 too much to spend to be able to return home to your family!

I may save your life!

Thank you to the Coast Guard and to the makers of the Fastfind 210 both for a job well done. We are so happy to see our customer is safe and that a product we believe proved it's self once more!

Warning From the USCG on EPIRB Battery replacements

2009-12-04T13:35:00.001-06:00

November 30, 2009 Alert 08-09

Washington, DC

UNAPPROVED EPIRB BATTERY REPLACEMENTS

Fishing vessel safety staff in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District has received at least three reports in

the past few months regarding unapproved replacements of 406 EPIRB batteries by servicing

companies having no association with the EPIRB manufacturer. These unauthorized battery

installations would likely result in a failure of this critical item of lifesaving equipment, and as such are

not in compliance with the operational readiness requirements of 46 CFR.

The following is a typical excerpt from an EPIRB manufacturer report:

“The unit was opened and a foreign battery was found inside. The battery was built up using

(manufacturer) fuses and wiring salvaged from the original (manufacturer) battery. They then

covered their battery with the original (manufacturer) yellow heat shrink, (manufacturer) labels

and taped it together. This was then covered with a black heat shrink wrap. The connections

were soldered and not spot welded, as is required by the design and is performed in

(manufacturer) production. The battery measured 8.7 volts. Our batteries read 9+ volts when

they are new. This battery was installed one week prior to it being brought into (manufacturer).

There was also evidence of water intrusion due to the crack in the top cap, which (servicing

company) did not recognize as they are not trained in these matters.

The EPIRB was condemned by (manufacturer) and the customer was notified when he came

to pick the unit up.”

Every approved (i.e., accepted by the FCC) EPIRB is tested during its approval process using a

battery, or batteries, specified by the manufacturer. Approved EPIRBs come with a user's manual

which describes battery maintenance and replacement procedures. In order for the EPIRB to remain

within the conditions of its approval, the manufacturer's instructions in the user's manual must be

adhered to. To ensure that replacement batteries are of the same type with which the EPIRB was

approved, and are correctly installed, manufacturers typically specify that battery replacements only

be done by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved shop.

Any modification or changes to an EPIRP must be made in accordance with the manufacturer. The

use of alternative replacement parts or batteries is prohibited and may prevent the device from

meeting lifesaving requirements. The Coast Guard strongly reminds EPIRB owners and servicing

facilities to be aware of the compliance implications and potential for equipment failure stemming from

any EPIRB modification or unauthorized battery replacement.

This safety alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or

international safety, operational or material requirement. Questions regarding the information

presented in this alert may be addressed to LCDR Vince Gamma of the U.S. Coast Guard

Headquarters Lifesaving & Fire Safety Standards Division at 202.372.1396 or

Vincent.A.Gamma@uscg.mil.

********

Another Great EPIRB rescue story!

2009-11-24T12:12:00.007-06:00

ACR Rescue Stories

Fifty miles off the Baja Peninsula, a crew of five people aboard a 40-foot sailboat happened upon a pod of humpback whales and were jolted by an impact with one of the giant mammals. The steering rudder became completely dislodged and tremendous amounts of water began pouring into the disabled vessel.

The crew was sure they were well prepared for emergencies because they had pre-packed an ACR Electronics' RapidDitch™ Bag with safety and survival gear and the boat had an ACR SATELLITE2 406™ EPIRB mounted in a bracket inside the cabin.

Traditional means of communicating their plight proved unsuccessful. They had placed Mayday calls on the VHF radio in Spanish and English but there were no answers. They were out of cell phone range.

Eventually they realized they couldn't stem the flow of seawater. Captain Eugenie Russell grabbed the EPIRB and brought it on deck and assigned a crew member the important task of protecting the EPIRB, eventually transferring it to the life raft. Some minutes later when it was clear that abandonment was imminent, Captain Russell activated the satellite-detectable emergency distress signal.

With the deck going underwater, the crew went into the water and held onto the raft. They scurried into the covered life raft, bailed out cold seawater for over an hour, took stock of their emergency stores, read the raft survival instructions and then floated in windy, high seas awaiting rescue.

Around 2 p.m., they heard a USCG Jayhawk helicopter in the distance. The helicopter crew hoisted all five sailors safely aboard for transport to San Diego. USCG Petty Officer 3rd Class Henry Dunphy described the rescue as "pretty incredible" because of how isolated the racers were and how flawlessly the technology worked. "The first sign of trouble came to us from the EPIRB signal. As soon as we got the signal, we launched right away. The EPIRB brought us right to them. Then survivors set off flares and we went straight to the raft. Everyone who owns a boat should have an EPIRB," Dunphy said.

Demak reiterated the importance of the EPIRB in his rescue. "Without question, having the EPIRB and knowing how to use it saved our lives. Everybody needs to understand how to register the EPIRB with accurate and up-to-date information. Our actions and our level headedness helped, as well as being prepared with the right equipment," he said.

Boat Number Plates Custom Made for your Department

2009-11-12T13:35:00.001-06:00

These custom reflective lettering patches are made by the folks at Boat Number Plate, these were custom ordered for the Jamaica Beach Fire Department. Here at Triad Marine we can professionally glue these onto your department's inflatable boat. We will be happy to work with you on a quote and the customization that best suits the needs of your department and will fit your boat the best. Forget about cracking paint and spray on stencils, this is an investment and will last for years to come. As a matter of fact boat number plate guarantees the lettering for 10 years against fading! Call today for your quote and stop repainting your departments ID every few months!

See the Boat number plate website HERE

Zodiac Pro 12 Man to be used by Jamaica Beach VFD

2009-11-12T12:19:00.001-06:00

This is a Zodiac Pro 12 Man with a four stroke Yamaha 75 we added the light bar, lights, the reflective lettering and several other accessories to make this boat perfect for rescue use.

More Great EPIRB and PLB info

2009-11-05T14:54:00.002-06:00

A great Article from Soundings Magazine

New technology improves EPIRB searches

Posted on July 31, 2009 Written by Jim Flannery The DF-430 direction finder allows rescue aircraft to home in on beacon signals with greater accuracy

Response time is critical when there's an emergency on the water, and the DF-430 helps pinpoint the location of an EPIRB signal for rescue authorities.

It started 10 years ago with a promise to one fisherman’s mother. Her son’s boat, the F/V Still Crazy V, had started taking on water on a cold, calm, clear February morning on Winyah Bay off Georgetown, S.C. Capt. Tony Culler, a grouper and snapper fisherman, went below to try to stanch the flood.

He couldn’t, and when he came back up soaking wet he probably was already hypothermic. As the bilge filled, Culler activated his EPIRB, and he and crewman Tim Hamm launched a raft, climbed aboard it, and waited for help.

“He was in his life raft shivering to death and holding on to his EPIRB,” says Greg Johnson, the Coast Guard’s commercial fishing vessel safety examiner in Charleston, S.C. The pair could see the helicopters flying search patterns looking for them. Rescuers knew they were there, but couldn’t pinpoint where.

“The good news is they made it back, and they’re still fishing,” Johnson says.

Coast Guard vessel safety examiner Greg Johnson helped the agency implement the use of the direction-finder.

A rescue helicopter found them, but Culler’s worried mom wanted to know why it didn’t find him straight away. Her son had activated his EPIRB, so why couldn’t the helicopters follow its signal right to him?

Johnson promised he would find out. A retired Coast Guardsman and grandson of a California tuna fisherman, Johnson, 59, has spent the last 16 years as a Coast Guard civilian working with fishermen to make their jobs safer. “As a kid, I knew people who didn’t make it back [from fishing],” he says. “This Coast Guard thing is real for me.”

That helps explain why Johnson has spent the last 10 years fulfilling that promise to a fisherman’s mother. He has collected data. He has analyzed EPIRB rescues — just about every one during the last decade. He has interviewed survivors and air-rescue crews. And he helped find a more reliable piece of equipment for homing in on 406 MHz EPIRBs from the air.

It is the Rockwell Collins DF-430, a direction-finder that homes in on the EPIRB’s 121.5 homing signal and its 406 MHz alert signal. As a homing device, the DF-430 is vastly superior to the old direction-finders that picked up the 121.5 signal only, says Johnson’s boss, Larry Yarbrough.

The 406 signal — a half-second pulse emitted every 52 seconds — is 200 times more powerful than the 121.5, so with new technology that can lock on to a pulse, the 406 is much easier for aircraft to home in on and from much greater distances.

“With a DF-430, we get lock-ons [to a 406] at 150 miles sometimes,” Yarbrough says. “An aircraft that is locked on knows where you are. The pilot has a needle to steer by. That’s a big step forward in rescuing you in a timely manner.”

The 121.5, by contrast, works only as a homing signal at short range — often less than five miles, according to a Coast Guard Office of Search and Rescue report delivered at the 2008 beacon manufacturers’ workshop in San Diego.

All Coast Guard aircraft will eventually be equipped with DF-430s, which can home in on a 406 MHz EPIRB, such as ACR's GlobaFix iPRO, easier and from greater distances.

Starting with $2.6 million from its Integrated Deepwater System Program for modernizing aircraft and vessels, the Coast Guard began equipping its C-130Hs and Falcons with 406 MHz homing equipment in December 2006. Now it is installing the gear on its helicopters. Eventually all of its aircraft will have DF-430s.

This is a game-changer, says Yarbrough, 62, a retired Coast Guard captain in charge of the agency’s fishing vessel safety program in the Southeast and Caribbean. “Most of the aircraft we launch on search-and-rescue cases have it now.”

Aircraft equipped with 406 MHz direction-finding capabilities find boats that planes or helicopters equipped with older technology don’t. Here are two cases in point:

• On April 11, 2007, Paradox, a 35-foot catamaran en route from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to Anclote on Florida’s west coast, capsized in a 48-knot squall 175 miles southwest of Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico. The capsize activated the vessel’s 406 MHz EPIRB. Tom and Stanna Galbraith of Durango, Colo., hunkered down in the overturned hull, and Tom used a battery-powered saw to cut a hole in the bottom so they could crawl out when rescuers arrived. A Falcon jet equipped with the old direction-finder couldn’t find Paradox, but a prototype C-130 with the new 406 direction-finder located the catamaran, and a helicopter rescued them.

• Early Jan. 25, 2009, the crew of the sailboat Audrey issued a mayday over VHF radio after their boat lost power and shredded its sails 37 miles southeast of Cape Fear, N.C. Because of the boat’s distance offshore, radio communication was erratic and difficult to use to triangulate its position, but the two people aboard also were carrying a 406 MHz EPIRB with GPS, which they activated. The EPIRB gave the Coast Guard Audrey’s position, and a helicopter with 406 direction-finding gear homed right in on the boat. Audrey’s actual position turned out to be about 40 miles from the location that had been triangulated using the broken-up mayday.

The DF-430 has helped save or assist 47 boaters in 26 months, says Cmdr. Joseph Deer, a C-130 pilot and head of the DF-430 project for fixed-wing aircraft. “As a pilot, I’ve used it,” he says. He has locked on to a signal from 60 miles at an altitude of 5,500 feet. At 20,000 feet, aircraft lock on from more than 100 miles away. The higher the aircraft flies, the farther away it can lock on.

“These are sci-fi numbers,” he says. “We’ve never done this before.”

Deer says the DF-430 homing device ratchets up the efficiency and effectiveness of airborne search and rescue, but he stresses it won’t help unless boaters carry a 406 MHz EPIRB or personal locator beacon. In the best of all possible worlds, a boater will be carrying a 406 MHz with GPS, which sends rescuers the disabled vessel’s GPS-derived position with the distress signal.

An EPIRB with GPS on a disabled boat working together with a DF-430 on a rescue aircraft can shave minutes, hours, even days off rescue operations in which minutes sometimes make the difference between rescuing a grateful survivor and recovering a victim.

“You can go nearly anywhere on the planet and turn this on, and rescue resources will detect it,” says Deer.

And they’ll find you because the technology for alerting rescuers and leading them to a distressed boater just keeps getting better, Johnson says.

The 121.5 signal is a carryover from when EPIRBs transmitted emergency alert signals at 121.5 or 243 MHz. As of Feb. 1, the International Cospas-Sarsat System, which detects alerts via satellite and sends them on to the Coast Guard, no longer monitors either of those frequencies, only 406. The 406 EPIRB still uses 121.5 as a homing signal, but it isn’t as effective as it once was. As an alert signal, 121.5 originally transmitted at 75 milliwatts, powerful enough for Coast Guard direction-finding gear to home in on the signal pretty efficiently. But the Federal Communications Commission cut the signal strength to 25 milliwatts when it became a homing signal so it wouldn’t interfere with aircraft rescue frequencies, according to the workshop report. That reduced its range and made a “huge difference in the instability of the signal and our ability to find it,” Yarbrough says.

The 121.5 is an inherently bad signal for direction-finding anyway, according to Yarbrough. It is easily absorbed and deflected by obstacles. If boaters hold an EPIRB close, their bodies can block the signal and prevent it from reaching an aircraft behind them. The signal also can be blocked if a boat turns turtle with the EPIRB trapped inside. And when a 121.5 MHz signal is deflected, Yarbrough says, rescuers sometimes find themselves chasing it in the wrong direction.

One advantage of 121.5 for homing is its continuity. The 406 is a pulse signal, and until DF-430 arrived it couldn’t be used for homing. “The technology didn’t exist to home in on it because the pulse was so short,” Deer says.

Now airborne searchers lock on to the 406 as far out as they can to guide them to a disabled boat, then home in on the continuous 121.5 when they get in close.

Yarbrough says the Coast Guard plans to install 406 direction-finders on its landside Rescue 21 communications towers to augment the VHF radio

direction-finders its watchstanders use at coastal stations to triangulate the position of a VHF mayday source. It also is acquiring portable 406 direction-finders to put on its rescue boats so boats can home in on 406 alert signals, too.

“We’ll be able to send help [to a boat] right from the station,” and it will be able to lock on to the 406 signal, he says. “We won’t have to send a helicopter.”

Most rescues occur within 20 miles of shore, a compelling reason for even inshore boaters to carry a 406 EPIRB. “I wouldn’t go out on Biscayne Bay without an EPIRB,” Yarbrough says. “I understand what a terrific piece of safety equipment that is.” (I love this quote!)

Good information

2009-11-05T11:01:00.001-06:00

COSPAS/SARSAT
Everyone should know about this information and how this system works especially boaters.

EPIRBs and PLBs are monitored here but not the SPOT messenger.

PLBs Could save your Life!

2009-10-28T10:11:00.000-05:00

Everyone who will be in any remote area needs a PLB!

Very Important if you Own a Fastfind 210 PLB from McMurdo

2009-10-15T10:33:00.003-05:00

If you own one of these units please read this announcement

If you lift the red tab in the back of the unit (see picture below) , then you have broken the seal and the unit is no longer water tight. The unit is still not active until you press the on button, but you will have to purchase a new sealing piece as this can not be refitted.

The sticker tells you not to open it but...the sticker is under the piece you should not open.

The red seal is to remain unopened until you have to use it!

This information is also stated in the owner's manual, which the manufacture says each purchaser should read. Most people do not read the owner's manual to much of anything they buy. I am guilty myself so I want to put the information out for each of you. See the picture below of the page in the owner's manual.

Please pass this along to everyone as there may be someone with this unit who needs this information.

I am so glad they had an EPIRB and everyone is SAFE!

2009-10-12T12:12:00.001-05:00

From Twitter Coast Guard News

Coast Guard and Good Samaritan rescue 7 from Gulf of Mexico

Oct 10th, 2009 by cgnews.

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of seven people this morning whose vessel capsized in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 130 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas late yesterday.

Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District command center in New Orleans received an alert from a 406-MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 10 p.m. yesterday registered to the vessel Missin’ Link, homeported in Freeport, Texas.

The Coast Guard immediately issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB) requesting mariners in the area to assist in the search, then launched an HU-25 Falcon search and rescue jet plane from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, and a MH65-C Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station New Orleans, and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry rescue plane from Aviation Training Center, Mobile, Ala., and the Coast Guard Cutter Skipjack, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Galveston, Texas.

Watchstanders called the owner of the vessel who confirmed the approximate location given by the EPIRB and said that there were seven people aboard the Missin’ Link. At approximately 3 a.m., the HU-25 arrived on scene and located a life raft with six people on board, and dropped an additional life raft and radio into the water.

The 250-foot research vessel Mystic Viking responded to the UMIB, and at approximately 6 a.m. today, located a person in the water and the crew safely brought him aboard.

At approximately 6:40 a.m., the Coast Guard HC-144 located the life raft with the remaining six people on board and directed the Mystic Viking to the life raft’s location. The crew of the Mystic Viking was able to safely bring them aboard.

The Coast Guard is currently coordinating the medevac of one of the rescued crewmembers and is arranging for the transfer of the remaining crew back to shore.

“The crew of the Missin’ Link was very prepared and had a working and registered 406-MHz EPIRB and life raft,” said Kevin Robb, a search and rescue controller at the Eighth District command center. “The EPIRB gave us a spot-on location to search.”

The 406-MHz EPIRB’s signal allows satellites to detect its signal and provide a more accurate search area for rescue crews. For instance, a GPS-embedded 406-MHz EPIRB can shrink a search area to about 100 yards and can pinpoint the position of a distressed mariner within minutes.

“The crew of the Mystic Viking was very helpful in locating and rescuing the crew of the Missin’ Link. They responded quickly to our request for help and were able to locate and rescue the one person in the water and later safely rescue the remaining six people from the life raft,” Robb added.

Another Zodiac FC420 to be used by a Fire Department

2009-10-08T10:44:00.001-05:00

The Zodiac FC 420 is becoming a favorite among Texas rescue agencies of all kinds. With a host of features and portability, the Zodiac FC 420 is definitely unmatched in the inflatable world. The inner communicating valves, ability to use fast inflation kits, and the speed tubes are just a few features that make this boat perfect by design. See more here FC 420 Specs

MORE Good Information EPIRB and PLB differences!

2009-10-07T12:43:00.001-05:00

Good Information How the EPIRBs and PLBs work

2009-10-07T12:41:00.001-05:00

5 PSI Pressure Gauge

2009-10-02T12:21:00.006-05:00

This is a great way to ensure you are running your inflatable at the proper working pressure. One of the best maintenance tips is always run your boat properly inflated. Using a pressure gauge can help every inflatable owner know exactly how much air their boat needs. We sell this gauge for $59.99. Let us know if you would like to order one!

Zodiac SRMN (Sea RIB Marine/Navy) 600

2009-10-02T11:42:00.005-05:00

Zodiac SRMN 600 with Yamaha Four Stroke 150 Horse Power engine!

Boat came in bare and we added helm and seating custom to the customer's specifications.

Let our military professional sales personnel help you chose the right boat for all of your applications.

Not to worry if a big boat like this is not in your department's budget we certainly have many options and will help you choose what will work for you and your budget!

I think this is a worthy cause so check it out! From 2cool the fishing forum

2009-09-30T12:02:00.001-05:00

First Ever Clean Shores Event- please read
This is a repeat from a post I put up on TTMB over 12-hours ago, with less than 75 views and not a single comment. I should have mentioned something about pizza or the weather instead of the enviroment- fishing or like post get more than four times the hits over here.Almost a year ago I rallied for support for the same issue http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=180588 and realized then that much more organization was needed. Well here it is, thanks for checking it out!For years and especially post hurricane IKE I've been looking at the trash and refuse that has collected on the shorelines of our Texas shorelines. I feel like the Indian chief "Iron Eyes Cody" from that 70's era pollution commercial, with tears filling my eyes as I've run parallel to our shorelines. I am sick and tired of seeing it, all of it- five-gallon buckets, aluminum cans, plastic lawn chairs, laundry baskets, plastic bags, styrofoam cups, rope...etc. You get the picture and likely way too clear if you have been on the water in any of the bays here in Texas.I've decided to do something about it by founding Clean Shores, a grass roots organization backed by like minded environmentally conscious anglers of our Lone Star State. Our goal will be to rid the shorelines of refuse through voluntary bi-annual cleanup efforts, scheduled cleaning, seasonal shoreline conditioning and by providing public education for preventative measures.The organization is in it's infancy, a website URL has been reserved (www.cleanshores.org) and the first ever cleanup is planned this month in Port O'Connor on Saturday September 26th. A board of directors have been put into place, steps to incorporate into a 501(c)(3) organization have been made and some funds have already been donated by concerned sportsman.Our plan is to provide written material outlining our mission/cleanup effort and a plastic refuse bag to each boater launching from the chosen boat ramps. Our goal is to load flat bed trailers with the refuse collected by the boaters and dispose of the waste properly.All of the boat ramp owners/managers gave us a big thumbs up, several flat bed trailers have been made available and volunteers to man the boat ramps have been put into place. My boat and at least two others will be concentrating on the Mitchell's Cut and Saluria Bayou shorelines. If you are available on that day your efforts will be greatly appreciated.Additional monetary donations are needed to offset expenses of trash bags, refreshments for participants and the costs associated with disposal of the trash. Any unused funds received will be deposited into the Clean Shores bank account for use during our next round of cleanups being planned for March 27th. Hopefully with more participation other ports and coastal communities on the Texas coast will benefit from our efforts.Donations can be made directly through PayPal (use captlowtide@airmail.net for now) or by pledging an amount for every 100 pounds of trash removed and hauled to the landfill. I already have had interest in pledges from 25 cents up to $1.00 per hundred, any donation will be greatly appreciated.Feel free to contact me via email, PM or by cell phone at 361-564-7032 with any questions or comments. Looking forward to cleaning up and making a difference- Curtiss Date- Saturday September 26thTime- 6:00 am until 5:00 pmPlace- Froggie's Bait Dock, The Fishing Center and Clark's Marina
__________________Make a difference- Donate a day for the bay

USMSA Information you may want to read

2009-09-29T09:50:00.002-05:00

United States Marine Safety Association
Your International Resource for Marine Safety ********************************************************************
Coast Guard Authorization Bill 2010
The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 has been introduced by RepresentativeOberstar (H.R. 3619) to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard forfiscal year 2010, and for other purposes.It once again calls for revocation of the approval of survival craft that donot keep the occupants out of the water. USMSA members may take pride in theyears of hard work by our members on this issue and the efforts of thoseserving on the Small Passenger Vessel Initiative committee for continuing topromote and further this initiative.
USMSA will continue to work on this important issue. We encourage members to get involved.The act also contains many of the same initiatives previously contained inHR 2652 (see June 4, 2009 eblast below)H.R. 3619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USMSA News Flash! H.R. 2652 - A Bill Concerning Marine Safety Issues6/4/2009
United States Marine Safety Association
Your International Resource for Marine Safety ********************************************************************
New Marine Safety Bill ~ H.R. 2652A new bill has just been introduced in the US House of Representatives to amend title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations concerning a variety of marine safety issues. Some of the proposals addressed in this bill were previously contained in last year's Coast Guard Authorization bill, which was not passed. Among the issues of interest to our industry: - Fishing vessel safety - Unsafe operation and termination of voyage - Equipment approval - Survival Craft - revokes approval of survival craft that do not ensure that no part of an individual is immersed in water - Merchant mariner licensing - Blended fuels in marine applicationsYou are encouraged to download and review the portions of this bill that are of interest to you and your business. We will need your insight and comments as we develop our positions on these issues. More information to follow after we have had the opportunity to review this further.HR2652

Free PLB for the 8 day survivor!

2009-09-21T11:32:00.004-05:00

After surviving 8 days in the Gulf of Mexico floating on a capsized catamaran James Phillips has a lot to smile about. Saturday with the help of our friends at Revere Supply Company, Triad Marine gave him one more reason to smile. Pictured above Mike Goforth presented James with a FREE McMurdo Fastfind 210 PLB. We were so thrilled to meet and talk with James and we hope he enjoys many more years of fishing. Now armed with his new PLB he can fish with a peace of mind that should the unthinkable happen he has a great weapon of defense.

We enjoyed our visit with James, his wife and some of their friends, we talked safety and also about their amazing tale of survival. He is even asking his wife for a ditch bag for Christmas and she seems plenty happy to get it for him. Go catch the big one James and may the rest of you tales about the sea be happy ones!

SPOT messenger or PLB you decide!

2009-09-15T10:15:00.005-05:00

What’s the difference between a SPOT and either a Personal Locator Beacon or an EPIRB?We like to say it’s an apples to oranges comparison. If your intention is to buy a life saving device, the most important part is to do your research and ask the right questions. We like the SPOT product, it’s a neat little tracking device, but it’s absolutely not a replacement for an EPIRB or Personal Locator Beacon.

What are the power and frequency differences?Power and Frequency are two key areas to consider when researching a life saving device. If you’re not an engineer, these two subjects can be a little intimidating. Think about it like this: Satellites are thousands of miles away from earth, so your beacon’s signal needs to have enough power to travel that far and be able to go through anything between you and the satellite (trees, weather, out of slot canyons, etc.).

Power

SPOT is powered by 400 milliWatts while ACR 406 MHz PLBs and EPIRBs use 5 Watts. Think about the Total® cereal commercial where they show you how many bowls of the other cereal you need to eat in order to get the nutrition from one bowl of Total. In our example, you would need 12.5 SPOT units to equal the POWER of one ACR PLB or EPIRB. When your signal has to travel 22,000 miles to reach a satellite, you want to make sure you have more than enough power to get it there!

Frequency

The basic principles of frequency are that the lower the frequency, the easier it can penetrate buildings, trees and meteorological activity that appear between the transmitting device (PLB, EPIRB or SPOT) and the receiving device (the satellites). FM radios and TV channels work on a lower frequency which is why they can penetrate buildings and the environment pretty easily. Now think about radar which uses a really high frequency. Radar works by hitting an object and bouncing off, that’s how radar knows where to place an airplane on the radar screen. So the higher the frequency, the less likely it can penetrate things in between, the lower the frequency, the easier it can penetrate. 406 MHz PLBs and EPIRBs use a dedicated frequency set up by the search and rescue community that is in the same range as UHF TV stations. SPOT uses the 1.6GHz frequency which is four times higher in the frequency spectrum. This means SPOT’s frequency is four times less likely to go through an object or weather than the lower 406 MHz frequency.

Summary

Considering power, combined with frequency, ACR’s 406 MHz beacon stands head and shoulders above satellite messenger systems like SPOT. ACR has 12.5 times more power and is four times more likely to penetrate objects in between the beacon and the satellite than SPOT.
Testing and ApprovalsSPOT is not a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). We’ve seen some websites calling it one, but make no mistake, it is not a PLB. Personal Locator Beacons, like EPIRBs, must be submitted to an independent test lab that verifies the frequency, operating life, testing in extreme temperatures, environmental testing, etc. From there, the product must go to Cospas-Sarsat, USCG and finally the FCC (or other comparable agencies in each country) for approval to certify that the EPIRB/PLB meets the standards for Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) and that it exceeds required operating and mechanical conditions that will appear in the marine environment. PLBs and EPIRBs are rigorously tested by governing agencies to confirm they will work properly in the environment. This is a big difference from SPOT which only has to self-test and self certify that it meets Part 15 FCC. If you are not familiar with Part 15, check out your garage door opener, it is approved with the same self certified rule.

Made in the USA vs. Made in China

ACR PLBs and EPIRBs are MADE IN THE USA, SPOT is made in China. While outsourcing a product to Asia can ultimately reduce the cost to manufacture a product, you also lose process control over the manufacturing, which is key to Quality. ACR strongly believes that products whose sole intention is to save lives must work the first time every time, PERIOD. The only way to meet this goal is to oversee the entire manufacturing process and test, retest, and test again during the process. If you watch our factory tour videos on our website, Facebook or YouTube, you will see the extreme steps we take to make sure we have a zero defect ratio. We actually had to email SPOT’s customer service to find out where they manufacture their units because they do not mark this information on the box, in the product support manual or on their website. “Axonn is the manufacturer and they out source labor in China” – Raquel Talarico, SPOT Inside Sales and Marketing (raquel.talarico@findmespot.com).
What does Search and Rescue (SAR) say about the differences?A 406 MHz signal coming from an EPIRB/PLB is recognized by SAR as a true emergency, and they act immediately. By law, search and rescue is required to find and turn off any 406 MHz beacon once activated. Search and Rescue has made it very clear that SPOT and other tracking gadgets are to be treated as a missing persons report: until they get more information regarding the distress message, they are going to wait and see, and not deploy their forces for the possibility that someone simply has a flat tire on the side of the road and needs help. Additionally, if the SPOT unit is unable to download and retransmit a GPS position (see frequency and power issues above), SAR has no idea where the transmission has come from and will not put their forces in danger looking for a needle in a hay stack.

Redundancies

Murphy’s Law has taught us all that whatever can go wrong will go wrong. We embrace that philosophy with every product we make so that you are given every opportunity available to get rescued. PLBs and EPIRBs have multiple ways to contact SAR in order to get you rescued. SPOT has one single transmission method. PLBs and EPIRBs can contact SAR via 406 MHz, which locates your beacon using Doppler Shift, it can contact SAR using GPS data and it also has a 121.5 MHz homing frequency so when SAR forces get a few miles away from you, they can home in directly on your beacon and find you faster. SPOT uses GPS only to send its location. If you cannot download GPS, SAR will have no idea where you are.
Satellite Monitoring406 MHz signals are monitored by a governing agency in each country. In the U.S. that’s the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and in Canada its The National Search and Rescue Secretariat. These agencies maintain the registration, and alert search and rescue of any activation. SPOT has hired a company called GEOS to monitor and alert search and rescue of an activation. The Cospas-Sarsat and NOAA have had over 26+ years of experience monitoring these frequencies and alerting Search and Rescue. GEOS is relatively new and not well known to the SAR community and does not have authorized use of the SAR system.

Coverage

EPIRBs and PLBs use the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system which contains 2 different satellite systems (LEOSAR – Low earth orbiting and GEOSAR – Geostationary). These two systems cover every inch of the planet. SPOT tracker is part of Globalstar and uses the Globalstar (Nasdaq: GSAT) satellite system which only covers a certain percentage of the earth, but has quite a few locations that are undetectable.

Experience

If you had to have knee replacement surgery, would you have your family doctor do the procedure or would you rather have someone who has nothing but knee replacement experience, someone who helped write the latest surgery techniques, someone who teaches other doctors how to do knee replacement surgery? The Cospas-Sarsat satellite system has been in place since 1982; it is a collaborative system of the worlds search and rescue community dedicated to saving lives. The system is credited with saving over 24,500 lives thus far. Of all of the registered 406 MHz beacons, ACR accounts for more than 60 percent. We have over 25+ years of experience building life saving beacons, 53 years of experience building life saving signaling products. When you buy an ACR product, every single product comes with that experience, knowledge and lessons learned of how to effectively build the world’s most quality life saving products available. The Globalstar satellite system began commercial service in 1999 and has had a shaky operating life thus far. The satellite system was designed for voice communications and SPOT (launch in December of 2007) is their first product aimed at providing a form of safety.

Overall

One other thing to be aware of is that SPOT requires an annual subscription fee of $99 or $149.99 if you want tracking. The device cannot be used until the subscription fee is paid. The 5 year ownership of a SPOT unit is much more expensive than a PLB or EPIRB: $149 unit cost, $499 in subscription fees, $250 for tracking fees, plus GEOs insurance (total 5 year cost can range between a minimum of $648 to as high as $1,649). If the Globalstar company were to close, your SPOT tracker would not work anymore. EPIRBs/PLBs do not require a subscription fee since they use the Cospas-Sarsat satellites (a humanitarian SAR system fully funded by member states of the U.N.). If you are looking for a tracking device that does not have to work every time, get a SPOT. If you want a life saving device, designed and manufactured to work when your life depends on it, get an ACR EPIRB or PLB.

This was taken from the folks at ACR and I thank them for taking the time to write this!

The Tale of Two Life Rafts

2009-09-02T12:24:00.003-05:00

The tale of two rafts
Once upon a time in a factory far far away two life rafts were packed …twins in fact. Packed with care and shipped out to their new owners. One lucky raft got an owner who cared for him and serviced him according to the manufactures book. The other poor raft was tossed on the boat in a storage locker and never serviced. Twenty years and many safe trips later the good owner took his faithful well cared for raft to be serviced and as thing turned out a life raft ages when you inflate it with the CO2 gas. This would be his fourth time to get gas inflation, and as it turns out life raft years are not people years they are more like dog years. The poor life raft could not pass his inspection and so the good owner let him go and ordered a new one. The twin raft lived a much different life and had never been serviced. His owner took him off of the boat wiped off the years of dirt and grime and snapped a great picture. He then placed the picture on the internet with a for sale sign. Some poor shopper thought it was a great deal to pick up this fine piece of life saving equipment for only one fourth the costs of a new one. So after completing the sale the new owner noticed the inspection on the raft was not current and diligently to it to be serviced. After 20 long years of hanging out in the sun, rain, cold and wet the poor old raft was in terrible shape and was ashamed to even be opened in front of anyone for he knew he could save the life of no one. His valves did not work, his CO2 bottle only two thirds full his seems dried and aged. He knew he could not hold the air or even survive the CO2 inflation for this is hard on an old life raft. As the service tech fired the bottle and the raft inflated only half way and the seems were barely holding. All his equipment was old and unable to be used as it had been wet for many years causing it to mold and mildew. The smell oh he knew he would smell awful and was glad he could not cry tears for he would have many. Packed all those years ago with such love and care given a job like no other; possibly saving someone’s life oh how great he was. But the years of neglect were showing now and the new owner was in disbelief, how someone could sell him something so bad. As the new owner sign the condemnation he thought for a moment and though he was out some money at least he and his family would not be in the ocean when they discovered the poor old life raft was past his prime and unable to do the job of saving them.
THE END

A Free PLB for James Phillips (Found Boater)

2009-09-01T11:53:00.003-05:00

I posted this to the fishing forum and hope James see this and comes down to get his PLB from me as I would love to here the amazing tale in person.

My first words to these guys are welcome home. We have been following the threads on the fishing forum from work and home just waiting to see the words FOUND ALIVE… and when we did we were all thrilled. We realize you may not be ready to get back on a boat any time soon but when you are we want to make sure it is a trip you make with peace of mind. That being said we would like to offer James Phillips Captain of the boat a free PLB. This is made possible by Revere Survival Products. We get McMurdo EPIRBs, and PLBs from them as well as selling and servicing their life rafts. We appreciate them for this, helping the community by doing outreach programs and life raft demonstrations are very important parts of our business. We are so glad you all had the will to survive and we are still all amazed and thankful you are home safe. To any of the other boaters out there I want to take a moment to remind you we never want to read this kind of thread again…. We love a good fish story that’s what we want to read so if you need a life raft I will be discounting the Revere Life Rafts until September 20th, 2009 as well as the McMurdo full sized EPIRBs. I have the Fastfind 210 PLBs in stock and on sale. They are only $279.00 equipped with 406 MHz signal as well as GPS. We want you to know we are not just trying to sell you things but we are also here to answer questions and discuss any concerns you have. If you want to see a life raft demo please let us know we do them on a pretty regular basis and they are FREE! We can help you get all the safety gear you need to enjoy your time on the water. I also have to say to the boating community you guys are an awesome bunch …the out pouring of support for these guys was something unbelievable and we should all be so lucky to have that kind of support from strangers.

To all 3 survivors again we are glad you are home.

Please contact me at arust@triadmarine.com we would love to chat with any of you about the best solutions for you and your vessel.

FOUND ALIVE!!!!!!

2009-08-31T09:14:00.001-05:00

We are so happy to announce the missing boaters were found alive! We are so happy for them and their families as they have been reunited.

Missing Boaters Please keep your eyes open if you are out this weekend

2009-08-28T16:45:00.003-05:00

Anything helps and all eyes are needed if they are out there someone can find them. Please pass this on.

On the subject of EPIRBs

2009-08-27T14:02:00.002-05:00

This is link is to a great article. Thanks to these guys for putting this out there.

http://www.soundingsonline.com/news/dispatches/252-aug-25/239482-epirbs-a-primer

Thank You for Your Business

Adrienne Rust

Triad Marine & Industrial Supply

1155 FM 518

Kemah,TX 77565

281-334-0815

Fax- 281-334-0041

arust@triadmarine.com

From Twitter Coast Guard News Site

2009-08-27T11:28:00.002-05:00

Coast Guard continues search for three overdue boaters in Gulf of Mexico | Coast Guard News http://ow.ly/lxMJ

Thank You for Your Business

Adrienne Rust

Triad Marine & Industrial Supply

1155 FM 518

Kemah,TX 77565

281-334-0815

Fax- 281-334-0041

arust@triadmarine.com

Missing boaters still not found!

2009-08-27T09:29:00.005-05:00

I found something that has hit us in the safety business close to home. As much as we use safety equipment to make money we get a good feeling when someone walks out of our doors with and EPIRB, PLB or Life Raft. We are a small business and we try to be involved in our community and spread the good word about safety and the need for the proper equipment. Someone finally posted what we have been thinking for a while.

EPIRBs
If this doesn't make the case for requiring, by law, an EPIRB beyond the state water boundary, I don't know what would. I'll say another prayer for these men and their families.

This is from the fishing forum and I can't help but think about the way many of these situations could have ended differently.

A PLB is between $300.00 and $600.00 with a GPS on board the unit ....skip a weekend of fishing and use the $300.00 you would have spent for food, drinks, and fuel to buy a PLB! It could very well save your life!

If you have a 121 Signal EPIRB it is time to upgrade!

2009-08-26T16:07:00.003-05:00

We suggest when you upgrade to 406 signal you also include a GPS as it is just one more tool you will have should they need to look for you!

February 1, 2009: The Phaseout of 121.5 MHz Beacons
for Satellite Distress Alerting

In October 2000 the International Cospas-Sarsat Program, announced at its 25th Council Session held in London, UK that it plans to terminate satellite processing of distress signals from 121.5 and 243 MHz emergency beacons on February 1, 2009. All mariners, aviators, and individuals using emergency beacons on those frequencies will need to switch to those operating on the newer, more reliable, digital
406 MHz frequency if they want to be detected by satellites.

The decision to stop satellite processing of 121.5 / 243 MHz signals is due to problems in this frequency band which inundate search and rescue authorities with poor accuracy and numerous false alerts, adversely impacting the effectiveness of lifesaving services. Although the 406 MHz beacons cost more at the moment, they provide search and rescue agencies with more reliable and complete information to do their job more efficiently and effectively. The Cospas-Sarsat Program made the decision to terminate 121.5/243 MHz satellite alerting services, in part, in response to guidance from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These two agencies of the United Nations are responsible for regulating the safety on international transits of ships and aircraft, respectively, and handling international standards and plans for maritime and aviation search and rescue. More than 180 nations are members of IMO and ICAO.

NOAA, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, and NASA (the four Federal Agencies who manage, operate, and use the SARSAT system) are strongly advising users of 121.5/243 MHz beacons to make the switch to 406. Meanwhile, anyone planning to buy a new distress beacon may wish to take the Cospas-Sarsat decision into account.

Here is a link to the page so you can get more information as it could be helpful to you in the future. This is an important switch and the information is vital!

http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/phaseout.html

From the Fishing forum in relation to the missing boaters

2009-08-26T09:57:00.001-05:00

Taken from TBH, and still praying for their safe return.Will,Here's a link that shows all of the searches that we've done through today...
http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=644268

My office, and my guys, are in charge of coordinating all of the search efforts for James, Curt, and Tressel. So far we've conducted approx 30 searches, covering about 30,000 square miles, and have not found any signs of the boat, people, or debris. We continue to search though. Yes, we got the report about the yellow rope tied off to a rig and something underwater, but neither James' wife, or friends can ever remember seeing a yellow rope on his boat, so we don't believe that is related. Also, CBP (Customs) did have an aircraft in the air today doing a normal patrol, and we asked them to keep an eye out for James' boat, but they are not part of our organized search efforts. They have their own mission to complete, but are trying to assist us by offering more eyes in the sky. They also assisted by being comms relay between us and our aircraft further offshore.Also, just to clarify, there is no "3 day search limit" set in stone for any case. Each case is different and we evaluate each case based on a variety of factors. In this case, the biggest factor is the large search area, and possibility that they could be anywhere out there. I'll PM you my number if you want to give me a call tomorrow.