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EPIRB Alert

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by JWY, Aug 19, 2010.

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  1. JWY, Aug 19, 2010
    #1
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2004
    Messages:
    1,568
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    I sold a yacht in 1998 from the original owner to owner #2. Original owner contacted me wee hours to say he had received a call from USCG that the EPIRB on his boat had sent a signal and asking if he was ok. Obviously the "new" owner never registered the EPIRB. Owner #2 last contacted me in January saying that he was cruising in remote waters off Thailand. I had no more information than that to contribute. Received an email several hours later saying that someone onboard must be "messing" with the EPIRB as owners are ashore. Fortunately this was a false alarm of sorts but important reminder:

    (1) Please check to make sure your EPIRB registration and contact information is current! (2) If you are in contact with your broker, drop a note with your current contact information including SatPhone #, sailmail adrress, etc.

    Kudos to the USCG for tracking down the registered owner even though the Canadian phone # had changed from 15 years ago when he registered the EPIRB.

    Judy Waldman
  2. K1W1, Aug 19, 2010
    #2
    K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Messages:
    7,427
    Location:
    My Office
    Hi,

    It would appear that this might not be 100% the new Owners fault if there was a change of flag along with the sale.

    According to this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_radiobeacon

    When a beacon is sold to another country, the purchaser is responsible for having the beacon reprogrammed with a new country code and to register it with his/her nation's beacon registry, and the seller is responsible to de-register the deprecated beacon ID with his/her national beacon registry.

    means that the old Owner should have notified a change in details.