EPIRBs, officially known as Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacons, are designed to save your life if you get into trouble by alerting rescue authorities and indicating your location anywhere in the world. Besides wearing a life jacket, an EPIRB is the next best investment a boater can make to ensure rescue in the event of a boating accident. However, many boaters have either never heard of EPIRBs or they have considered these life saving units too costly to purchase. But, what value do you put on your life, and would your loved ones agree?
As the price of EPIRBs continue to become more reasonable, and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are improving as viable alternatives to EPIRBs, not having one is becoming harder to justify. Coast Guard safety laws do not require boaters to have an EPIRB, but they are one of my highly recommended, but optional, safety equipment recommendations.
Since EPIRB technology can be confusing to understand, below you will find links to articles about EPIRBs that will help you to better understand what they are, how they work, the difference between an EPIRB and a PLB, and why every boater should have one. I've also included reviews of different models of EPIRBs and PLBs with pros and cons of each.
Further reading about EPIRBS and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs):
How to Register an EPIRB or PLB
Should You Purchase an EPIRB or a PLB?
The Best EPIRBs or PLBs to Buy
Marine Electronics Review - SPOT Personal Locator Beacon
Marine Electronics Review - ACR Electronics AquaFix 406 I/O Personal Locator Beacon
Marine Electronics Review - ACR Electronics ResQFix 406 GPS Personal Locator Beacon
Marine Electronics Review - ACR Electronics GlobalFix iPRO EPIRB
