Ocean Signal has launched ‘Survivor Club’ as part of the company’s newly refreshed website.
This dedicated platform allows customers who have previously activated their Ocean Signal beacons to share their life-saving stories and connect with a community of fellow survivors.
Designed to bring together individuals who have used Ocean Signal beacons in emergency situations, customers can share their experiences and invaluable first-hand insights into using the beacons, encouraging others to take precautionary measures and be appropriately equipped for potential emergencies.
As a special thank you, Ocean Signal offers a replacement beacon to every customer whose story is approved and shared on the ‘Survivor Club’ platform. This gesture ensures that customers remain equipped with the best safety technology for future adventures.
At Ocean Signal, the team are committed to providing the most reliable safety and survival equipment for mariners, adventurers, and outdoor enthusiasts. The launch of the ‘Survivor Club’ underscores this commitment, highlighting the importance of its technology through inspiring stories of survival and resilience. It also fosters a supportive network for those who have faced extraordinary challenges, bringing the community together.
Ocean Signal’s rescueME PLB3 beacon saves lives in harrowing catamaran rescue
In a testament to Ocean Signal’s rescueME PLB3 beacon, seasoned catamaran competitors Theodore Gijsbers and Maud Van Toorenburg share their harrowing experience during an open catamaran competition on the Haringvliet, Saturday, October 14, 2023.
Battling treacherous weather conditions and a capsized catamaran, their survival story underscores the pivotal role the PLB3 played in their rescue.
“The waves were so unpredictable; we lost our balance and found ourselves suspended in the trapeze behind the boat”, recalls Theodore. “The catamaran capsized, and although Maud was able to put it upright again, the wind was relentless and propelled the vessel forward. Despite multiple attempts, we found ourselves clinging beneath the catamaran, being dragged through the water. To have any chance, we just had to let go.”
The Haringvliet presented Theodore Gijsbers and Maud Toorenburg with a formidable challenge, testing their skill and courage in treacherous weather conditions. The duo encountered relentless wind fluctuations ranging from 23 to 28 knots, gusts exceeding 30 knots, and unusually high waves caused by the wind’s unique 13-degree orientation over the Haringvliet.
These conditions made the environment tumultuous and demanding, pushing the participants to their limits. The intensity reached a critical point when The Blue Heron, their F18 Nacra Evolution, capsized, and left the crew isolated in the expansive waters.
After multiple attempts to climb back onto the catamaran proved futile, Theodore Gijsbers and Maud Van Toorenburg were now out of sight of each other and faced the daunting reality of staying afloat and swimming to shore. In a historic turn of events, both survivors independently activated their Ocean Signal rescueME PLB3 beacon, marking the device’s maiden documented rescue.
The rescueME PLB3, recipient of the prestigious 2022 Overall DAME Design Award, proved its mettle as a vital tool for maritime safety. Designed to unite the global response capabilities of the Cospas-Sarsat rescue services with cutting-edge AIS technology, the PLB3 issued an immediate distress alert to rescue authorities while also indicating the exact MOB (Man Overboard) position to nearby vessels.
Floating alone in the northern fairway of the Haringvliet, both survivors fortunately made it back to shore where, within just one hour of beacon activation, they were rescued by a nearby participating catamaran who had been alerted by the AIS MOB signal. Theodore Gijsbers and Maud Van Toorenburg credit the PLB3 as their lifeline in the face of adversity.
Ocean Signal’s PLB3 offers mariners a reliable and effective tool to navigate unpredictable seas safely. As vocal advocates for maritime safety, Theodore Gijsbers and Maud Van Toorenburg call for the adoption of such life-saving technologies to ensure the well-being of maritime enthusiasts globally.
In further support of maritime safety, Ocean Signals Survivor Club program provides a free replacement beacon for all owners of its EPIRBs and PLBs who activate their beacons in an emergency.
