I Fish the Bay Do I Need a PLB?

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

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

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!