Behind the scenes with the Bosun: radio, liferaft, and safety updates
Ron Parker writes…
When I stood down from my role as Technical Director on the Tops’l Board back in 2012, I retained a niche role monitoring a few key areas: the radio licences, EPIRB registration, liferaft registration/servicing, and the CG66/RYA SafeTrx safety registration. These may sound like background details, but they’re vital to keeping our fleet safe, legal, and ready to go. Here’s a quick update on each.
Radio licensing: keeping us legal on the airwaves
All VHF radio installations on our yachts must be registered with Ofcom, which provides each vessel with a unique MMSI number and alphanumeric callsign. If the radios are changed, they have to be loaded with that same MMSI and callsign information. When a boat is sold, the licence is cancelled. And occasionally, changes to the licence are required. For example, when Carina of Solent sailed Dutch inland waters in 2023, we needed to add an ATIS registration to comply with local regulations.
Anyone carrying a handheld VHF on board must also ensure it is licensed. None of our fleet has a handheld aboard as part of the Tops’l provision. Thankfully, there’s no cost for these licences.
EPIRBs: modernising our emergency beacon systems
All of our yachts are equipped with EPIRBs – Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons. These transmit distress signals on 406MHz and 121.5 VHF frequencies for up to 48 hours. They must be registered with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Beacon Registry and de-registered if taken out of service.
EPIRBs typically require servicing and battery replacement every six years. This year it’s the turn of Elfida’s unit, which is our oldest (bought in 2007). Unlike the GPS-enabled McMurdo Smartfind Plus G5 units aboard Jocalia and Carina, Elfida’s beacon does not transmit position data. As the cost of servicing increases, and the industry moves on to more advanced solutions, the decision has been taken to upgrade to the Ocean Signal RescueMe EPIRB1 – at a cost of around £450. When an EPIRB is activated, two designated Tops’l contacts are automatically alerted as the search and rescue system gets underway.
Liferafts: renewed, registered, and ready
In 2022, all three of our liferafts were replaced with Seago Cruiser ISO 9650-2 6-man units. These are container-packed, weighing in at 40kg (so not easily managed by one person), and are strapped to our pushpits. We have registered these with the manufacturer who also does the servicing, required every three years.
They have an effective courier service throughout the UK and their own pick-up service along the South Coast. Jocalia’s unit, for instance, was transported down from Troon, while Carina’s was collected from Port Solent during her time ashore. There’s a wealth of information on the Seago website detailing raft features, what’s contained in its survival pack, and advice on what to include in your grab bag (don’t forget the EPIRB!).
RYA SafeTrx: staying connected with the Coastguard
Before 2021, yachties were encouraged to share vessel details and voyage intentions with the Coastguard via the CG66 system. This meant that if you failed to check in with your shore representative at a pre-arranged time, then a call to the Coastguard could allow that unit to start some enquiries given that they would have on file a lot of detail about the boat, it’s equipment, engine endurance, and so on.
With the changeover to the MCA came the recognition of old, inefficient computer systems not apparently fit for purpose. The RYA came up with the SafeTrx system, principally for very small boats operating along the coast.
Thankfully, the existing Tops’l yacht data from CG66 appears to have been retained and integrated into the new system. I continue to keep these records up-to-date, ensuring our safety details are always on file should the need arise.