There are roughly 12 million recreational boaters in the U.S., yet many don’t travel far offshore or beyond cellular or VHF range. It is important to have an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) for those who travel far from the coast. These beacons range in price from $600 to $700. That’s a high price and the reason why BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers a rental program for this safety equipment.
BoatUS
Statistical research from BoatUS’s rental program indicates that the average beacon rental length is around 10 days. “Our typical customer is the recreational boater who seldom travels out of sight of land but now needs a beacon, typically for a weeklong sailing race or fishing tournament, or they’ve selected a route that takes them far from the safety net of standard communications,” says Ted Sensenbrenner, director of boating safety for BoatUS. “They usually add on a few days to the rental for round-trip shipping.”
Renting an EPIRB for 10 days costs $120.
