suds wrote:

"Peter" wrote in message
news:Nvx3c.94061$PR3.1664348@attbi_s03...


A PLB or redundant VHF radios seem to me more likely to be effective than
the visual distress signals.



While the EPIRB is probably responsible for these people being alive, one
can't help wondering why it took over two hours to locate them just 2 miles
of Lanai (~10 miles off Maui.)

Not too surprising. The article didn't make it clear what type of EPIRB
was used, but even the 406 MHz units take almost an hour to get a
position fix and then the search is over an area with a one mile radius.
The ones with GPS capability are much better in this regard with an
accurate position fix within a few minutes of activation.
Still, either is much better than the two days it took after a cell phone
call to the Coast Guard in the rescue I mentioned earlier.