Originally Posted By: James_Van_Artsdalen

As for a 406 beacon vs. satellite phone, what do you do with a sat phone? Ask someone back home to dial 911? Even if I had a sat phone link and a doctor said we'd have to evac the kid I'd use the 406 beacon so that all SAR teams got the right assignments, etc, and for the beacon's homing signal.


Apparently with a satellite phone you can report the conditions to the Coast Guard so Navy, Air National Guard, and Medical teams can be dispatched to your actual location with what is needed, which is exactly what Eric Kaufman did.

Beacons do have uses, but in this case the phone was the better tool.

Also steering on a sailing vessel can be accomplished even without a rudder, so I am not sure how much trouble he was actually in regarding the soundness of his vessel.


Edited by chickenlittle (04/09/14 03:17 PM)