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MNZ on VHF


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Flares are only useful if there are other people/vessels/aircraft in view. If not, they are very likely to be wasted.

Sometimes they are the right option. Sometimes other things are better.

Carry multiple options. Imo.

Yep what he said.

Anyone that thinks that going with pyro or electronics exclude the other option needs to take a deep breath.

When you’re in a desperate situation the more options available the better.

Electronics are getting better all the time, and we have AIS MOB’s on lifejackets.

Great for rescuing your own crew, or if another vessel is within about 5 miles.

Useless if the mothership sinks & there’s no one else around.

And EPIRB’s on board. Awesome, except sometimes they don’t work.

So I still wouldn’t go out without flares.

Easiest thing to see from a helicopter? flare or orange smoke. And a human head in the water is near invisible from a km away. That’s if it’s flat calm, in a chop, you are invisible.

 

They are all tools in the toolbox when the sh*t hits the fan.

 

Hard to fathom 6 pages of “my ways better than yours!”

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Never mind about the relative virtues of VHF,PLB,AIS,DSC ,Flares tea towels or what have you. Self preservation and own responsibility should kick in way ahead of those. Off Tairua yesterday and 3 jetskis blasted past on their way to the Alderman Is. Notwithstanding jetskis are the biggest blight on the seascape yet devised by man those 3 could be described as attempted suicide ! They probably did make it as I haven't heard of a search .They would have rationalised the expedition as it was calm,there were 3 of us,we had cell phone,vhf etc etc. Oh OK someone else will rescue us if our plans go awry.Should never have been out there .

 

Just curious as to why you think they shouldn't be out there? 

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I will buy into this. very Very VERY few JS operators 1/ know the rules (clearly evident in the absence of a registration number) 2/ obey them or c/ can be bothered. Am I stereotyping? It's a case of got the money, buy one and go rip hit and bust. We have all I am sure had encounters with them. One out here now as I type towing two kids around on a water toy, no obsever. I've seen them rip past nesting bird sanctuaries, wharves, swimmers, divers and what really boils the alcohol system is they get away with it! No one to police it until someone gets hurt or killed. It's as though there is a particular mindset of the people attracted to that sort of thing and worrying about how others feel is not of great importance to them.

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Yes pretty sure some fairly major trips have been done by JetSki including I think a circuit of nz. And with 3 travelling together they were a lot safer than one alone. Noisy and annoying and inefficient but often used as rescue craft in big surf so no less safe perhaps than your average single engine power boat.

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VHF...by a long way (with DSC) .

Flares are a useful tool, but are far better used to do close quarters locating. There are just to many variables for flares to be a reliable means of attracting attention.

We (Marine rescue ) have done tests close to a very major city and not a single person reported the flares to relevant authorities....

 

If you haven't let one off before, then contact a rescue organisation and see if you can jump on a training day... They are hot and powerful little beasts and it is very easy to get burnt by them.

PLB,s are top of the list of "please help me NOW" equipment.

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Yes pretty sure some fairly major trips have been done by JetSki including I think a circuit of nz. And with 3 travelling together they were a lot safer than one alone. Noisy and annoying and inefficient but often used as rescue craft in big surf so no less safe perhaps than your average single engine power boat.

 

I have ridden them long distances including to offshore islands and in the surf when the lifeguards won't go out because the conditions were too bad for them, as well as in white water rivers. Sweeping generalisations relating to some users behaviour doesn't mean that the craft themselves are not capable or suitable. I've seen plenty of users of powerboats and yachts that shouldn't be out there too. 

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Jetskis should be an Olympic Class.

 

The current static targets they use in the Winter Olympics Biathlon are booooooorrrrrrrrriing. If they were moving...... ;)

 

Even better is each jetski has a convicted murder currently with more than a life sentence driving it. If one can make it the entire course without being shot then they get their sentence reduced to 10years.

 

The shooters, the radiance, the murder and best of all the harbour users. Everyone can be a winner :)

We currently have piano wire strung between us and the moored boat next door...sitting in the cockpit with a glass of hooch...waiting!

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Halfway through my summer cruise around Northland coast and I’m operating in my normal mode with ch16 on from morning to night. I literally turn it in when I wake up and turn it off when I turn in. Main set in saloon with separate repeater / handset in cockpit with independent volume control (in case family sleeping below with me upstairs). It’s not at all intrusive. Today sailing from BOI to Tutukaka it was literally hours in between hearing any traffic on ch16. But when a report of a flare off Cape Brett was reported by Police it made the news on ch16. Thats all.

 

My firm belief is that everyone with a vhf onboard has a moral obligation to keep listening watch on ch16. Try it - you’ll be surprised - you don’t hear the endless trip report rubbish on the working channels and occasionally you hear something interesting. And it’s not intrusive.

 

You’ll only need to call for help once to start cursing all the other boats in visible range who are clearly not listening on ch16 - and to change your opinion.

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