406 Epirb Question
Submitted by Rick on Fri, 2009-11-06 19:10
Does anybody know to what depth a 406 Epirb will continue to work ?
The question came up while helping a neighbour fitout his new boat. I advised him to a get one of those safety grab bags for his safety gear. The epirb comes with a mounting bracket so he was unsure whether to put the 406 in the bag or mount it in the holder. So the question was,if the boat went down and you couldn't grab the Epirb how deep before the water penetrated the casing and stopped it working..
Mines is mounted to the boat 
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fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
IP rating
Epirbs will have an IP rating on the label (maybe) then google that IP rating it will tell you the depth and the time at that depth for waterproofness...(is there such a word?....Just checked...they dont but I would expect about a metre for waterproofing but operational I dont know...email the manufacturers
Paul G
Posts: 5215
Date Joined: 12/12/07
cant help you there but i
cant help you there but i would make sure it was the first thing i grabed if the boat went down
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carnarvonite
Posts: 8669
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Depth
About 18months back we[Carnarvon Sea Rescue]had a mayday call out from a boat that was sinking at 0100 in the morning.The rescue boat was on the scene at around 0230 and went to there last known position.The signal from the epirb[then a 121 not a 406] was giving readings some 5 miles away each time the satelites did a circuit.
Eventually they,2 men and a boy were rescued some 10 +1/2 hours later,when asked why the readings were all over the place one of the blokes said he wasn't letting it go so he stuffed it into his jumper,then it worked its way down to his pants muffling the signal.If he had let it float free on the end of its tether they would have been rescued hours earlier.
Mine is mounted in a bracket on the console where its in easy reach in an emergencyand can be inspected/tested without having to look for it.
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
I'd mount it
in as accessible a spot as practicably possible. No good having your safety device on the seafloor........
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
I have a float bag for that
I have a float bag for that reason too.
mako
Posts: 22
Date Joined: 18/09/09
read the book
they have mounting instructions included.
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
EPIRB!
Most all 406 EPIRBS that i've sold at Oceanside Tackle and Marine have been Waterproof to 33FT (10M)
I prefer & recommend that ppl mount the EPIRB where its easy/quick access in a life threatening situation and i'm not one for storage bags with EPIRB/flares etc unless its on the deck!fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
Effeciveness
Waterproof maybe operational (or effective)is another question!
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
"Effectiveness"
Rick Quote "So the question was,if the boat went down and you couldn't grab the Epirb how deep before the water penetrated the casing and stopped it working..
Waterproof to 10m is my answer to that part of the question. To get the actual "depth effectiveness" on EPIRBS (other part of your question) it cant be done Rick. The signal cant work correctly underwater, it needs to be on the surface or higher to transmit correctly!
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Mine is on deck, that way if
Mine is on deck, that way if the boat flips, its on the water. Much better than rooting around in a hatch on a boat that is sinking.
Rick
Posts: 1112
Date Joined: 22/12/06
Interesting answers
Mine is mounting on the side I always fish from,and its just to the right of my favorite spot to stand. Have a grab bag that sits real handy and that has 2 sets of offshore flares and the old Epirb (just in case)........
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Alan James
Posts: 2224
Date Joined: 30/06/09
Accessibility
At the Bob Sleights skippers ticket course I did the recommendation was (space permitting) to have a 20 litre waterproof plastic container or similar that would hold your epirb, flares, torch, whistles, mirrors etc. Leave this loose on the deck so that in an emergency it was immediately accessible and could be tossed over the side. Tethering it to a bollard would be on option if you have positive buoyancy.