Personal Locator Beacon Hire Station

1 Day - $15 = is our minimum
3 Days - $30 =  $10 per day
1 Week - $40 = $5.71 per day

2 weeks - $70 = $5.00 per day
$30 per additional week

Any hire over $100 gets a 20% discount

These Personal Locator Beacons are a distress signaling device of last resort, for use when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted; where the situation is grave and imminent and the loss of life, limb, eyesight or valuable property will occur without assistance.

 What should have been a two day safe and well planned adventure quickly turned into a potential disaster which was diverted thanks to the hired PLB, Maritime NZ Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ), the Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter, and the local fishing vessel who responded to the mayday.

On Wednesday 2 February 2022 John and Mike launched their 11.5 ft inflatable dinghy at Birdlings Flat to make a close-to-shore-trip around Banks Peninsular, with an overnight stop at Hickory Bay, before continuing to their final destination at Charteris Bay. They were wearing full wetsuits, lifejackets, had a short range VHF radio, two cell phones, had tied their equipment to the boat and took the all-important PLB. The launch went well, weather was favourable and the trip was relatively smooth until they were heading around Pompeys Pillar.

The outboard motor prop became tangled with a piece of rope debris and stopped. They were approximately 30 metres away from cliffs. While trying to clear the prop larger waves and a gust of wind capsized the dinghy. John and Mike managed to scramble onto the overturned dinghy and tried unsuccessfully to paddle to shore. After trying to reach the shoreline without success, and battling the increasing gusts of wind, they decided to try and turn the dinghy back over. After a few attempts, with the help of wind gusts they managed to flip the dingy upright.

Their two cell phones had no signal and Mike’s hand held VHF radio on channel 16 received no response to many Pan Pan Pan calls. 

They continued to row but the combination of the sea currents and the increasing wind gusts worked against them and slowly pulled them further from out to sea. They tried to restart the engine but it was waterlogged and showed no signs of life. The wind gusts and waves were getting bigger and they were being pulled further out to sea. It was getting close to dusk and they knew a small dinghy would be even harder to find in the dark. They made the decision to activate the PLB.

John’s wife received a phone call from RCCNZ advising the PLB had been activated. Oh shit! They required further details of the boat they were in and how many were in the boat. She was able to confirm they were in a 11.5 ft inflatable dinghy, there were just two men on board and RCCNZ were relieved to hear both men were wearing wetsuits and lifejackets. A second call from RCCNZ informed her that the nearest vessel to their location was over an hour away, but was responding to the mayday. They advised that they would be sending the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to assess the situation for immediate risk given the nearest vessel, a commercial fishing boat, was so far away. When the helicopter was close by, Mike was able to talk to pilot using his VHF radio to advise they were uninjured, but they had capsized and lost use of the outboard. After a nail biting approximate 30min John’s wife received a third call from RCCNZ advising John and Mike were safe but unable to get to shore by themselves. A fourth call from RCCNZ advised John’s wife the helicopter was remaining close by until the fishing vessel arrived – which would be in approximately 30min. The fishing vessel had difficulty seeing them in the waves but Mike was able to use the short range VHF radio to guide the fishing vessel to them. The fifth call from RCCNZ advised John’s wife both men and the dinghy had been successfully transferred to the fishing vessel and they were on-route to Akaroa main wharf with an ETA of 90min.

 John’s wife hooked up their trailer, threw some extra strops in the truck and headed to Akaroa to pick them up. Mike was able to phone her when they finally had cell phone coverage – she was able to tell him she was already en-route to Akaroa with the trailer to get them. John’s wife arrived in Akaroa 10min before the fishing vessel arrived and soon after received her sixth call from RCCNZ saying the fishing vessel had arrived in Akaroa – she was able to respond that she was already there.

 The hired PLB and all the associated rescue services all played a part in preventing what could have been a fatal adventure. 

Mike, John and their families cannot express how grateful they are to everyone who played a part in the successful rescue. Without the PLB none of these services would have been triggered into action and it could have been a full 24hrs later, when they were due to arrive in Charteris Bay, before the alarm would have been raised by John’s wife. Searching for a 11.5 ft dinghy adrift for 24hrs in the ocean would have been a very difficult task.

Because they were staying close-to-shore on this boating adventure, they had discussed whether it was even necessary to hire a PLB – thank goodness they did! They cannot stress enough the importance of taking a PLB whenever you are venturing into remote areas - $15/day is a very small price to pay when it can save your life. Be prepared for the unexpected. Cell phones and radios are not always enough to raise the alarm.  

Rent a Beacon for you next adventure Outdoors, Hiking, Cycling, Hunting, Fishing

A personal locator beacon takes the ‘search’ out of search and rescue. They’re compact, lightweight and, when compared to the potential cost of not carrying one, inexpensive. 

GPS and 406MHz

All modern beacons transmit a 406MHz signal, but some also transmit the older 121.5MHz signal to help searchers home in on your location once they arrive in the vicinity. Your chosen PLB should also be GPS-enabled so it can send your exact location to searchers.

Registration

It is a legal requirement to register your PLB with the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ). There is no charge to do this and once completed, your PLB’s distress signal will be linked to your personal information – name, address, emergency contact phone numbers, medical conditions – that can offer clues to your specific needs as well as speed rescue response time. 

When to activate?

Distress beacons should be used in life-threatening situations and where self-rescue is not possible. RCCNZ advises people to err on the side of caution and to activate their PLB with plenty of daylight as it’s easier and more convenient to search during the day than at night. Once activated, keep the beacon turned on and in one place (if possible, find a clearing and remain there until help arrives).

How they work

Within a few minutes of a PLB being activated, the signal is picked up by a satellite and sent to RCCNZ, which uses the data to determine the exact location of the beacon. RCCNZ will then contact the people listed on the beacon’s registration details to determine such things as your intentions, the number of people in your party, and the equipment being carried. When the position has been determined, RCCNZ will launch a rescue operation.

Types of beacons

Most beacons work as an emergency device only – sending a signal when you need help. Satellite messengers allow users to send and receive text messages and link to social media accounts so others can follow your progress. These devices are popular among people walking long-distance trails. 

Satellite messengers have rechargeable batteries, an advantage over PLBs which require replacement batteries following activation, or every five to seven years. Message-capable devices require users to pay a monthly or annual subscription fee in order to send and receive messages. 

Tips

Keep your device on you rather than secrete it in your pack. Ensure everyone in the party knows where the beacon is and how to operate it. When possible, have more than one PLB in the group (though only activate one beacon during an emergency). Make sure your PLB is waterproof and can float (or comes with a flotation device).

Personal Locator Beacons and other items contaning lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only.
Please package and protect your Locator Beacon to prevent unintentional activation or damageand so that it won’t accidentally turn on during the flight. Tape safety switch in the "off" position. ACR Beacons have good protection of the safty swich, take extra care of beacons like the KTI as they have a habit of self activating.