Question about VHF radios: Based on where I go out, should I get one for my boat?
04-30-2019, 07:00 AM
#12
If you boat on navigable river with a lot of tow and barge traffic one is really a necessity. If you lose power, you better get on the radio and notify the commercial traffic your location and that you are dead in the water. A downstream tow pushing 20-50 barges takes forever to stop and the tow captain needs lots of river to avoid you. I have a permanent and a hand held and would be very nervous without them.
Gold Member
05-03-2019, 09:34 AM
#15
Registered
Definitely, you want a radio to communicate with other boats and/or Coast Guard. If/when things go bad, things happen fast. A cell phone is not sufficient. I'd also suggest you learn how to properly use one in the event of an emergency. ....learn proper radio protocol. Years ago I was offshore several miles off the coast of CT/RI when I once heard a guy hailing for help. Valuable time was being lost while his information was attempting to be sorted out. The guy was not even able to give his location within about 12-mile distance. After about 10 minutes of back and forth chatter it came out that the problem with this guy's boat was it was taking on water and his bilge could not keep up with it......something I'd deem relatively serious. Which brings up another point. Even though you are within sight of land, it is really important to be able to give the most accurate location you can such as a fix on a chart or better yet your actual longitude/latitude. There are plenty of affordable hand-held GPS units that would do the job well. Look at it this way, if you have the gear you really need and never need it, I call that very cheap insurance. Call me conservative, but I also carry a set of waterproof charts as well as having my GPS and radio. I make it a point to always know within reason where I am on that paper chart should my GPS go down.
