Interesting to note the line "carry a GPS" in the following release:

(and I continue to believe that every sal****er boat should have at
least a hand held VHF; to the point where a "requirement" wouldn't be
unreasonable)

Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District




Press Release Date: Aug. 14, 2005
Contact: Petty Officer Mike Zolzer
206-220-7237

COAST GUARD SEARCHING FOR 24-FOOT RECREATIONAL BOAT DISORIENTED IN FOG

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard continues to search for a 24-foot
recreational boat with five people on board lost in the fog near the
entrance of the Quillayute River, Wash., Saturday evening.

The master of the boat contacted a Clallam County 911 dispatcher
reporting he was disoriented in the fog and in need of assistance. The
911 dispatcher then contacted the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Station Quillayute River launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat
and Coast Guard Group/Air Station Port Angeles launched a Dolphin
helicopter to search Saturday night.

The crews could not locate the vessel because of the dense fog. The
Coast Guard sent urgent marine information broadcasts to mariners
throughout the night and into this morning about the missing boat.

The Coast Guard continues to search with two 47-foot motor life boats
from Station Quillayute River, the Coast Guard Cutter Osprey, an
87-foot patrol boat stationed in Port Townsend, Wash., and a C-130
Hercules airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, Calif.

The recreational boat did not have a VHF radio on board. If you have
information regarding this case please call the Coast Guard at
206-220-7001.

The Coast Guard would like to remind boaters to equip there vessels for
safe operations in a quickly changing marine environment. The summer
months along the Oregon and Washington coast are known for quick moving
dense fog.

The Coast Guard recommends vessels operating offshore should have low
visibility navigation equipment. At a minimum they should have a
global positioning system and a VHF marine band radio. Radar and
global positioning systems, while moderately expensive, can guide
boaters safely to shore during thick fog. A VHF marine band radio is
essential for contacting the Coast Guard during an emergency.

The Coast Guard can track a VHF marine band radio broadcast to its
source which can speed rescuers to your location. Also when a boater
broadcasts a call for help on channel 16, they are heard by everyone
around them that is also monitoring the radio. Compare this to a cell
phone which only enables you to contact one person and cannot currently
be tracked.

Additional boating information can be found at
http://www.uscgboating.org/index.

###

The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service
within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and
security of America.






View this document online
U.S. Coast Guard - 13th District
13th District Public Information Site