EPIRBs

Our EPIRBs selection covers Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons for offshore distress alerting – registered to your boat and transmitting your position via satellite to alert the Irish Coast Guard directly, for anyone regularly boating beyond close inshore waters.

An EPIRB is typically mounted where it can be reached in an emergency, or fitted to auto-release and float free if the boat sinks, and transmits a distress signal with your position via satellite – far more reliable than a flare alone for raising the alarm if you’re out of sight of other vessels or the shore. It’s registered to your specific boat, so search and rescue services know exactly which vessel is in distress as soon as it activates. Every EPIRB must be registered with the Irish Coast Guard after purchase – an unregistered beacon still transmits, but registration means responders know who and what they’re looking for immediately rather than losing time on unknown-vessel protocols.

For a boat that only ever potters close inshore in good conditions, a PLB (carried by an individual rather than mounted on the boat) may suit better – see our PLB & AIS Units category for that option.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register my EPIRB?

Yes – register it with the Irish Coast Guard after purchase, so responders know exactly which vessel and crew they’re looking for as soon as it activates.

EPIRB or PLB for my boat?

An EPIRB suits a boat regularly out of sight of shore or other vessels; a PLB is personal and portable, worth having per crew member alongside or instead of a boat-mounted EPIRB depending on your boating.

Does an EPIRB replace the need for flares?

No – most offshore sailors carry both. An EPIRB alerts rescuers to your position via satellite; flares remain a useful visual signal if help is already nearby.