Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
At around the £200 mark, why would any offshore sailor not want to carry a PLB on them when sailing? A modern PLB is light and compact so it will tuck easily into a jacket or lifejacket pocket. Remember that a PLB does not activate automatically – unlike an EPIRB or AIS beacon, it must be triggered manually. This is a design feature intended to stop them being set off accidentally – especially as lowering cost makes them more popular. A PLB will send an immediate distress signal and your position to the rescue authorities via the nearest satellite and is probably one of the most reliable items of safety kit available.