McMurdo Provides Search and Rescue Products

Legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has chosen McMurdo to provide his personal safety equipment for the transatlantic Route du Rhum Challenge.

The Route du Rhum is a single-handed, transatlantic sailing race where participants race from Saint-Malo to the finish in Guadeloupe. The 3,500 mile challenge is testing sailors to the limits of their mental and physical endurance.

During the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was the first ever man to sail solo, non-stop around the world in 1968-69, is alone and thousands of miles away on his Open 60 Grey Power.

McMurdo has supplied Sir Robin with a range of McMurdo Products including:

SmartFind Plus GPS EPIRB (manual bracket)
SmartFind Plus GPS EPIRB (with SOLAS approved auto housing)
Smartfind S20 AIS MOB device
FastFind 220 PLB
Smartfind S5 AIS SART
Grab bag XL

The devices Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has on Grey Power form part of McMurdo’s evolving range of innovative search and rescue devices, including Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). Both EPIRBs and PLBs use the COSPAS SARSAT network of satellites to transmit alert information to the appropriate rescue coordination center, wherever they are activated - worldwide.

“It’s very reassuring to have these McMurdo devices - you have safety which you never had back when I first started ocean racing. It’s made a huge difference. In those days if anything went wrong you disappeared into the blue. Nowadays you can set off so many alarms the chances of being rescued are very high. However, it doesn’t alter the fact you should avoid needing to use the devices in the first place,” Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said.

“Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is a renowned global maritime professional. He epitomizes the spirit of maritime exploration and endurance. Robin’s decision to select McMurdo is a resounding endorsement of our products and our network of rescue solutions. He has experienced the ocean at its very worst and recognizes the importance of having the best safety equipment, should the unexpected happen,” said Justine Heeley, Managing Director, McMurdo Group UK.

For more information about McMurdo search and rescue products, visit www.mcmurdomarine.com