A final checklist of emergency gear Lindsay McRory October 28, 1995 (Editor's Note: Lindsay has delivered the Hakuna Matata from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Norfolk, Virginia. He is now back in Canada to gather the rest of his family together and return to the boat for a November 1 departure.) As we make final preparations for departure, it's a good time to review some of the basic safety gear that will help the Hakuna Matata deal with most common emergencies you would expect to encounter at sea. In addition to basic first-aid, communications, and navigational equipment, we have: Alden 406 MHz Emergency Positioning Radio Beacon (EPIRB) An EPIRB, as it is commonly called, is an Emergency Positioning Radio Beacon. The 406 is the radio frequency at which the unit operates. You manually activate the unit. It then transmits the name and position of your boat to numerous orbiting satellites. The satellites then relay the information to the nearest Coast Guard or search-and-rescue facility. That's the sales story anyway. Each 406 MHz EPIRB has a unique serial number that it transmits when activated. A new unit is registered to your name and vessel by the company that sells the unit, and by the new owner. At any time, there are at least four active satellites orbiting to receive transmissions from distress beacons. The satellites (which orbit the earth every 106 minutes) are in low orbit and consequently have only a limited "view" of the earth. According to the manufacturer, the elapsed time between activation and the reception of a signal can vary from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on your location. We mounted Hakuna Matata's EPIRB on the bulkhead for easy access from the cockpit or the cabin. Dunlop Beaufort six-person life raft We went with a commercial-quality raft. It is easier to get into, a little stronger, more expensive, and much bigger than a six-person yacht life raft. Packed inside the raft are emergency rations of water and food, fishing gear, a flash light, glow sticks, flares, a compass, buckets, and an EPIRB. Many people buy a life raft without ever actually knowing what's inside. I was lucky enough to live close to the dealer and watched as the raft was tested and packed. Lifesling The lifesling is our primary man-overboard recovery system. Inside the package is a floating sling attached to a floating line. There is a block-and-tackle system that attaches to the mizzen boom for hauling the victim out of the water. Jack lines Jack lines are used at night or during rough weather to prevent people from falling overboard. During these times, anyone above deck wears a chest harness. A short line from the chest harness clips to a rope called a jack line. Once clipped in, you can walk all the way to the bow without unclipping. Hakuna Matata uses half-inch climbers webbing for jack lines. The flat webbing will not roll out from under your feet--not a fun way to fall overboard--while you move about the deck. You must have one hell of a wife. Yup.