Ocean Signal - London Boat Show: Ocean Signal Safety Products Trusted by Leading Ocean Rowers

London Boat Show London Boat Show 2018, ExCeL, 10th to 14th January, Marine Super Store Stand LB039, Cactus LB057

Ocean Signal’s beacons, flares, SART and VHF radio are currently providing crucial safety reassurance for three rowing teams as they embark on challenging ocean crossings in early 2018.

Solo rower Lia Ditton, Ocean Brothers charity rowers Jude Massey and Dr Greg Bailey and Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge team Carbon Zerow are all trusting in lifesaving equipment provided by communication and safety at sea specialist Ocean Signal.

All the attempts are set to break world records if they are successful. Lia will become the first woman and only the third person to row solo across the North Pacific Ocean if she completes the 5000 nautical mile crossing from Japan to San Francisco starting in the spring. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Jude, from Ocean Brothers, will become the youngest man in the world to row any ocean if the duo succeed in the unsupported 3000nm crossing from Gran Canaria to Barbados to raise funds for the British Skin Foundation starting 15^th January. Due to finish in early February, four-man Carbon Zerow team are currently on course to become the first carbon neutral expedition to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Now in intensive training in the bay of San Francisco, professional sailor and writer Lia, 36, is taking two Ocean Signal rescueME PLB1 Personal Locator Beacons, a SafeSea E100G EPIRB Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, a SafeSeaV100 VHF handheld radio and a rescueME EDF1 Electronic Distress Flare with her on the ‘'Row Lia Row’ expedition.

The Ocean Brothers are just days away from the start of their crossing. Just over two years ago, they launched their campaign to raise funds for skin cancer research and generate awareness after Peter Massey, Jude’s father and Greg’s stepfather, passed away after a 16-year battle with the disease. They have already raised more than £60,000 towards their target of £100,000. Jude and Greg are equipped with three Ocean Signal rescueME MOB1 man overboard devices, three Ocean Signal rescueME PLB1s, an Ocean Signal SafeSea S100 SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) and two Ocean Signal rescueME EDF1 flares. Ocean Safety, UK distributor for Ocean Signal, has also provided an Ocean ISO 4-man liferaft.

The British-American Carbon Zerow team of UK-based Kyle Smith and James Lamb, plus Brian Kerr and Philip Van Benthem, who live in Washington DC, have four Ocean Signal rescueME PLB1s, a SafeSea E100G EPIRB and a SafeSea V100 VHF radio for their ground-breaking attempt which started in December.

The Ocean Signal beacons can be easily activated in an emergency to alert the search and rescue services quickly via the designated 406 MHz Cospas-Sarsat satellite system with position provided by a 66-channel GPS and a 121.5MHz homing beacon. Meanwhile, the MOB device transmits an alert to AIS receivers in the vicinity.

Ocean Signal’s Lifesaving Products

Suitable for use on land or at sea, Ocean Signal’s rescueME PLB1 is the world’s smallest personal locator beacon and is specifically designed to be small and light enough to carry or attach to clothing for instant access to emergency services at the press of a button.

In the event of a person falling into the sea, the rescueME MOB1 is automatically triggered the moment the life jacket is inflated, sending the first alert within 15 seconds. The device transmits an alert to all AIS receivers and AIS-enabled plotters in the vicinity, with the integrated 66-channel GPS ensuring accurate position data is sent back to the boat and any other assisting vessels for at least 24 hours. The integrated strobe light with moulded lens ensures the survivor is easily spotted in poor light conditions.

The Ocean Signal SafeSea E100G EPIRB is attached to the boat and communicates a survivor’s location to the rescue authorities. It has the longest quoted operational battery life in the industry with enough capacity to operate the EPIRB continuously, typically for four whole days (96 hours).

The rugged and fully waterproof SafeSeaV100 VHF features ergonomic design, durable laser etched keypad, high contrast backlit LCD and backlit keys and is supplied with all the 21 international simplex channels required.A highly efficient transmitter helps to maximise the battery life.

The lightweight rescueME EDF1 is 40% smaller than similar devices and burns for six hours whereas a traditional flare burns for about 30 seconds.

The SafeSeaS100 SART is designed to assist in the rescue and recovery of the crew in liferafts and survival craft and transmits a series of pulses which provide a bearing.

For more information on Lia Ditton, go to www.rowliarow.com, follow Lia on Twitter @RowLiaRow or Facebook at www.facebook.com/rowliarow.

For more information about Ocean Brothers, go to www.oceanbrothers.co.uk, follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/oceanbrothers0/ or Twitter @Ocean_Brothers.

For more information and the latest news on Carbon Zerow, go to their website at www.caronzerow.org, or follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @carbonzerow.

The Ocean Signal products will be available at this year’s London Boat Show on the Marine Super Store and Cactus stands. A pre-recorded interview with the Ocean Brothers will feature on the Show’s Legends Theatre throughout the five-day period.

For further information about Ocean Signal’s products, visit www.oceansignal.com.

Ends

For further information, please contact:

James Hewitt

Ocean Signal

Tel: +44 (0)1843 282930

E-mail: james.hewitt@oceansignal.com

www.oceansignal.com

or

Jules Riegal

Saltwater Stone

Tel: +44(0)1202 669244

E-mail: j.riegal@saltwater-stone.com

www.saltwaterpr.com