Personal AIS MOB Device

As a leading authority on ocean sailing, racing and training, the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria regularly review new safety equipment and technology and occasionally find a device that we think is a must have for the offshore sailing community.

In an person overboard situation, your best chance for a quick rescue is likely to be from the yacht you became separated from or other nearby competitors. If the person overboard has a rescueME AIS MOB1 fitted to their lifejacket, it will automatically activate when the lifejacket inflates, which will transmit their position information via VHF and trigger a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) VHF alarm. All boats with AIS within 5 to 7 miles of the MOB position will be alerted to the emergency. As most yachts in our events now have AIS, if they are within range, they will receive the alarm.

It is alarming how easy it can be to lose sight of a person in the water, particularly in adverse conditions. With a rescueME AIS MOB1 you’ll know exactly where the person in the water is, in any conditions.

Australian Sailing Special Regulations for Category 1 or 2 races, currently require all crew to carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).  So why would you buy an AIS MOB device when you already have a PLB?

• An AIS MOB Device does not replace the need for a PLB. Having both devices provides you with the absolute best life-saving technology available.
• AIS MOB Device can be setup to automatically activate
• PLBs need to be manually activated
• AIS MOB Devices have limited coverage and transmit your distress to vessels with AIS within range
• PLBs have global coverage and transmit your distress via satellite
• PLBs transmit your distress and position via satellite to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in Canberra, who coordinate the rescue including liaison with our Incident Management Team, other competitors and other rescue assets. Activating only a PLB could take some time before the person overboard position gets to the yacht they became separated from or other nearby competitors.
• Activating an Ocean Signal rescueME AIS MOB1 Personal Locator Device will transmit the person overboard position to the yacht you became separated from or other nearby competitors within seconds.

The RORC’s Fastnet offshore race does not require crew to carry a PLB but all crew must have an AIS MOB Device.

Ocean Signal’s website  http://oceansignal.com/products/mob1/

Videos on setting up and fitting

Fitting it to your Life Jacket 

How to Program your MMSI number