Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) has approved an exemption allowing Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) to be used in place of an EPIRB for lightweight craft, with certain conditions.
Lightweight craft are off the beach type craft, human powered kayak and canoe, small sailing ships (less than 6m in length) and personal watercraft. These lightweight craft are now entitled to have the operator/master of the craft wear a PLB in place of or in addition to carrying an EPIRB.
In brief, the PLB must comply with the following items:
- comply with the AS/NZ 4280.2 standard,
- it must have current and up to date registration,
- it must be worn on the operators person,
- it must float, and
- must be GPS enabled.
A copy of the exemption containing the detail specifics for your reference can be downloaded here.
Copies of the relevant Act and subsequent regulation can be viewed at the following links:
>> Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994
>> Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation 2016
