Marine VHF radio

[Tunces]

....an '80's style fanny pack does the trick....

[adamT]

I recommend the Standard Horizon HX280s

http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS. ... Archived=0

Best value/performance

Get a life jacket while your at it, this is not a fashion show.

Check out.
HX850X: FLOATING MARINE TRANSCEIVER WITH GPS
I like the oh sh*t GPS button on this one.. Not sure I will ever use it, but it's nice to know it's there.
http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS. ... Archived=0

[Tony Soprano]

I recommend the Standard Horizon HX280s

http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS. ... Archived=0

Best value/performance

Get a life jacket while your at it, this is not a fashion show.

Check out.
HX850X: FLOATING MARINE TRANSCEIVER WITH GPS
I like the oh sh*t GPS button on this one.. Not sure I will ever use it, but it's nice to know it's there.
http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS. ... Archived=0

That model is $150 more !

[eag]

Carrying options:

3) I've seen guys with harnesses they make for industrial usage - seems kind of overkill unless you are out there talking to your girl back on the beach every 3 seconds.

4) Also seen a guy with a black diamond rock climbing chest harness and the radio strapped to it.

-Rash guard seems like the easiest and most practical.

Yeah inside the wetsuit or rashie works well.

It may be no fashion show, but nothing says "look out for that guy" like the board leash, life vest, radio harness, helmet, camelback combo. I'm all for safety, but if you feel the need to go that far, maybe Crissy isn't the place for you.

[Tony Soprano]

It may be no fashion show, but nothing says "look out for that guy" like the board leash, life vest, radio harness, helmet, camel back combo. I'm all for safety, but if you feel the need to go that far, maybe Crissy isn't the place for you.[/quote]

Crissy is exactly were the more safety equipment the better.
A board leash is a sign that Crissy is not at your level, But a helmet , life jacket and radio is common sense.

I wonder how someone would feel ebbing out the gate with just a little twin tip
and no kite, no flotation or radio, the helmet is to protect you from your board , other peoples boards and hard objects on land.


I have called the coast guard Wednesday and Friday for people in serious trouble.
Wednesday: the kiter for some reason, kite was down, AND he deflated his leading edge, he was in the water for over 30minutes ebbing out towards the south tower.

Today Friday: A kiter had a harness malfunction and lost his kite with lines and bar attached, so here we go a missing kiter in the bay, turns out he was towed in half way by a local and this guy was a strong swimmer, he hits the beach,
many people called the coast guard, helicopter and water craft searching, he is on the beach and does not call the Coast guard to let them know it is his kite tumbling out there and he is safe. Police on the beach etc.

[eag]

I wear a small vest and carry a radio, I was just saying that some people look like they're heading into battle.

[Tony Soprano]

I wear a small vest and carry a radio, I was just saying that some people look like they're heading into battle.

That would be me; :whistle: I know I look like I am going into battle :roll: I wish I had a little style Too. #-o But not fashion pants :lol:

[perukite]

good point. there are so many rescues at Crissy due to the harsh conditions there - you just loose track of what happened, and where. Here was my perception during a one hour session this afternoon:

I came across that guy, swimming about half way between the south tower and Anita rock today and was like WTF? Is this a trialthlete? I went back for a second pass and another kiter had reached him and started the long slog towing the guy back to beach. Lucky, as I initially thought the guy was a sea lion. You become very, very small out there.

About 20 minutes later, hey, why is the coast guard chopper hovering over us? I thought it must be another person in distress - but it turned out they were looking for the previous guy.

About 30 minutes later, on my way back into the beach there was the coast guard boat dropping off a kiter back at the beach who had problems out under the bridge.

I also passed by a guy doing a self rescue towards the beach (imagine, SELF-rescue!!!). Nice form, kite doubled over and full of wind but he was still making very slow progress against the tide.

Then while packing up I watched 4 people swimming in to shore with their kites down in the water, as it was dead on the inside.

Crissy is not a place to mess around with, plain and simple. Crazy currents, difficult gusty/holey conditions and super fast changing conditions from nuclear to dead... Radio or no radio, if you are not out there riding with others in tight trusting group of friends when your harness malfunctions - you are just a spot on the ocean being sloshed around by massive tides and conditions.

Respect, respect, respect.....

[papaiasi]

Couldn't agree more about the precautions need to be taken at the holly of hollies of sailing in the bay area - Crissy field. I was there yesterday (Friday) and as I was having a bliss downwinding back to shore right off GG a dolphin jumped off the water right in front of me. How awesome is that .... so many reasons to sail crissy ... totally worth going through the precautions including throwing my new VHF radio between my wetsuit and rush guard 8)

btw ... Tony, thanks for recommending the HX280 ... definitely a good value ... I ended up going for the HX850 since I am planning on using that for boating as well and liked the GPS option. Its a bit bulkier but a good trade off.

[goosh]

What frequency is the emergency coast guard frequency here?