Cold Water Dangers

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.

Hunters Need PLBs Too

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!

Ditch Bag 101

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!

Another Great EPIRB rescue story!

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.

MORE Good Information EPIRB and PLB differences!

Is your EPIRB so 1993

The new Fastfind 210 is the smallest 406 MGz PLB with a GPS .....it is the size of a Blackberry....The second pic is of the very first 406 MGz EPIRB wow....1993. We have come a long way and the technologies have too. We at Triad strongly recommend having an EPIRB or PLB. The newest one is small and affordable so we say no excuse not to get one now. Perfect for boaters, campers, hikers, and hunters. If you are going to be anywhere alone away from a populous area then the Fastfind is great.

Learn more about the Fastfind here

http://www.reveresupply.com/revere_2008/8_press_new_fastfind.html