satellite phones

[JohnCranston]

We're taking Reel Cowboy on a 3 day sword trip starting on Sunday. I have the 406 mz epirb, but, still need a 4 man life raft and the best value sat phone out there. Are there any that will let you carry the minutes over to the next year? I'm clueless on the phones like I am on most everything else. I'm needing a raft that's already blown up and not in a cannister...it should fit between my soft top down below and the bottom of the tower's floor which is 18" between the two.
Sorry for all of the dumb questions.
John.

[scot]

John,
Sorry I have no equipment suggestions. My only input is bring fire power, i.e. WEAPONS!
By the way, there's no such thing as a dumb question concerning life saving equipment and precautions when your about to go 100+ miles offshore. Good luck, have fun, catch some fish!

[Rawleigh]

John: You might check and see if you can't rent one.

http://www.satellitephonestore.com/cata ... s/handheld


https://www.google.com/search?q=sat+pho ... channel=sb

[Tony Meola]

John

I have never seen a life raft already infalted. Try one of these for rentals. I tried to find one in Houston but no luck. The first one is in Dallas.


Texas:
C&M Marine Aviation Services Inc. — Dallas 877-878-4835

http://www.landrigancorp.com/products-liferafts.htm

https://bluewaterperformancegear.3dcart ... =contactus

[JohnCranston]

Fellas,
I just got my 4-5 man self deployable raft in the mail...pull on a cord and it inflates. Rawleigh, I've almost saved up enough in the boat account to get one.
Thanks again, guys.
John.

[Rawleigh]

John: Just got this notification from BoatUS. Have you seen these yet?

http://www.inreachdelorme.com/boatus/in ... tion=10065

[SteveM]

I rent a SAT phone from these guys each year. They work. http://www.satellitephonesdirect.com/

[Navatech]

Assuming three day trip means two overnights on the boat and, assuming you won't be moored and, assuming you will be keeping some sort of watch system where the person on watch might be the sole person awake I would add a PLB to be connected to the watch keeper's person...

I know, I made several assumptions but I think for the watch keeper to have a PLB is important... Several people have been lost overboard under such conditions... Most have not been rescued... Also, they are so cheap that a full tank will cost you more then a COUPLE of these PLB's... Basically, in function, they're more or less small sized EPIRB's...