Man Overboard!

I have been on a high technology safety kick at Suite101 with a focus on man overboard devices. Topics comprise man overboard alarms, personal locator beacons (PLB), the MOB Guardian System and engine kill switches There is growing interest in this field and new ideas are arriving everyday. Your own crew situation will dictate the most effective solution available for your vessel. Single-handed sailors have requirements that vary from a boat carrying multiple occupants or crew.

Single-handed sailors should consider the use of an engine kill switch or a MOB alarm that has this feature and a PLB. Self rescue is possible if the boat does not run out of reach and a PLB will actively broadcast your position information to search and rescue authorities.

Crewed vessels are well served with using a man overboard alarm system. Operators need to consider the effect of wind and tide on a person in the water with GPS based track-back programs. Carriage of an EPIRB would provide many additional safety benefits to all aboard.

The equipment runs the gamut of radio frequency, global positioning system, and sonar technology that often combines it in single systems.

Man Overboard Alarms use radio frequency or sonar technology to activate an alarm if someone goes over the rail. Some models also provide track-back navigation information to the person in the water and kill the engine.

Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) are the personally worn versions of the emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB) that broadcast a coded radio signal to overhead SARSAT-COSPAS search and rescue satellites on the 406 MHz frequency. Information transmitted by the PLB includes a unique identifier tied to a data base and can also provide GPS coordinates in some models.

MOB Guardian System is a hybrid that takes the best of man overboard alarms, personal locater beacons, and emergency position indicting beacons. These technologies are joined in a holistic system that tracks a ship's position with the Iridium satellite network, providing an active data link to search and rescue authorities and sounds an alarm if there is a man overboard emergency.

Engine Kill Switches do just that. They operate with a mechanical lanyard or a wireless equivalent that shuts down the boat engine if operator is thrown off the boat or has a fall. These devices are important to single-handed sailor safety. Uncontrolled boats can circle back and hit an operator in the water.

Tags: MOB, Man Overboard, Boating Safety, Crew Safety

Related Link

Food Security and Subsistence

Gillian took us through a twisting, if not torturous path concerning comfort food. Was it a lack of sleep? Alas, there is no macaroni and cheese to be found. It seems so unfair. If I followed the path presented correctly, the discussion leads from comfort food to possibly food safety or food security. I know it’s a bit of stretch, but I'll still take it.

Many people live on the coast of Alaska because of food security or more accurately security borne of a reliable food supply. Compared to many regions, rural Alaskans depend on maintaining a subsistence lifestyle and a close relationship to the environment. In what seems like another life here in Southeast Alaska, I was a member of the Southeast Alaska Federal Subsistence Advisory Council. The Council serves as the interface between the subsistence community and the Federal government. Until the State of Alaska changes its position on rural preference for subsistence foods, people depend on the Federal government to preserve their access to food and a lifeway.

In the ten years that have followed since I was on the Council, I have grown more concerned with the growing divide that exists between urban and rural residents, and promoting clean boating practices. My move back to rural Southeast Alaska has only reinforced my concerns for preserving the health of our rural communities. Access to subsistence foods is an important part of that goal. The food sounds better to me than bogong moths. Herring eggs, dried salmon, kelp, halibut, and crab are a few of our food resources used by people living here.

So in Blogchain No. 9, the discussion has moved from avoiding the comfort zone to comfort food to food security. What will Kelly at Organized Chaos do with this thread?

Tags: Absolute Write, Absolute Write Blogchain No.9, AW, Southeast Alaska

Related Link