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5
OPERATING PROCEDURE
An EPIRB is a piece of life saving equipment. Its sole purpose is to call for help.
It must only be used in situations of grave and imminent danger.
Misuse can involve a severe penalty.
5.1
Sinking
If you have a category 1 "float-free" enclosure (see marking on enclosure label), then
if your vessel sinks, the EPIRB will automatically release itself from its enclosure
before it reaches a depth of 4 metres. The EPIRB will float to the surface and start to
operate because its sea switch
is activated.
If possible, the EPIRB should
be recovered and tied (using its
lanyard) to the survival craft. An
EPIRB is meant to mark
survivors, not the accident
scene.
For best operation leave the EPIRB floating in the sea near the survival craft, as this is
the condition for which it was designed and tested.
NOTE: Satellite coverage at the time an alert is transmitted and, if activated onboard a
ship or raft, overhead obstruction on the ship or raft, may affect whether and how soon
an alert is received by the satellite system.
5.2
Abandon ship
If the vessel is sinking and there is time to fetch the EPIRB then this should always be
done. Release the EPIRB from its mounting bracket as described in section 5.4 or 5.5
and carry it to one of the liferafts. Once the liferaft is in the water, uncoil the lanyard
and tie it to the liferaft, then throw the EPIRB overboard so that it floats next to the
liferaft. The EPIRB will operate because its sea switch will activate.
5.3
GPS Operation (Smartfind Plus only)
The GPS receiver needs a clear view of as much sky as possible in order to acquire
signals from sufficient satellites to determine its position. Should it fail to do this, the
beacon will still transmit the 406 MHz distress signal, and its position will be
determined by the COSPAS-SARSAT satellites using Doppler techniques.
Page 12
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