chuck wrote:
[snip]
I'm not sure you need to be talking to people
while you're floating next to your EPIRB! You want
to be rescued. If the EPIRB is working, they will
know where you are. If it is dark, you might wish
you had a flare to help them. But what are you
going to tell them on the VHF? You can't just say
you're 20 yards south of a used car lot or something.

And what would you listen to? The weather?

Save the VHF and bring some water and food instead!

Others will see this situation differently, I'm sure.

Good luck.

Chuck

hi chuck,

i just thought it was normal to have a vhf when you were in the water
in an emergency. that way the rescuers could talk to you, or maybe if
you see their helicopter you can let them know that you see them, or
their boat, etc. i don't yell very loud! lol. it just seemed like a
good idea to be able to talk to them.

The first thing the CG does when getting an EPIRB signal is try to raise you
on the VHF, getting an answer will speed rescue. Hopefully you will still
be on the big boat with working VHF, but if not, a waterproof handheld would
be nice. Recent scuttlebutt has noted some "Waterproof" VHFs survive
immersion, but their battery packs do not.
Lee Haefele

hi chuck,

i just thought it was normal to have a vhf when you were in the water
in an emergency. that way the rescuers could talk to you, or maybe if
you see their helicopter you can let them know that you see them, or
their boat, etc. i don't yell very loud! lol. it just seemed like a
good idea to be able to talk to them.

In article ,
"Lee Haefele" wrote:

Recent scuttlebutt has noted some "Waterproof" VHFs survive
immersion, but their battery packs do not.
Lee Haefele

It is the Charging Contacts on the bottom that cause these to short
out, when dunked in seawater......