GRAND RAPIDS, MI — When a motorboat began capsizing in Lake Michigan's chilly waters off the coast of Chicago one evening in June, the four occupants had no way to call for help.

The boat's VHF radio wasn't working and there were no cell phone signals. It's only by chance that a fisherman came upon the lone survivor the following morning, after the engine caught fire and the vessel sank.

The outcome could've been much different had the boaters been equipped with a personal locator beacon or emergency position indicating radio beacon, devices that send out emergency distress signals to a satellite that the Coast Guard monitors. In less than a minute, personnel can track the boater's location within 3 feet. Personal locator beacons, or PLBs, are hand-held devices activated by the push of a button.

PLBs, which run a few hundred dollars, are designed to save lives when people are in the worst emergency situations - the type of scenarios boaters never think they'll face. That's probably one reason why no Coast Guard rescues on the Great Lakes have been prompted by PLBs.

"People don’t think that they need them, and it's true until it's not true," said Lt. Davey Connor, public affairs officer for the Coast Guard's Cleveland-based Ninth District. "We don’t need anything life-saving until your life is in danger. People think, 'I've got my cell phone, I've got a radio.'"

Connor wants boaters to proactively plan for the dire situations, such as the Chicago incident, when a radio and cell phone can't be relied upon. That’s when a $200 piece of equipment could save your life.

The battery-operated devices transmit a 406 MHz frequency to the Search And Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Authorities receive the boater's location, as well as personal information about the boater, such as the type of vessel and emergency contacts, if the PLB is registered with NOAA.

"It knows where you are even if you don’t," Connor said. "The most important thing is that we are notified and we get that information even if you are not in the position to pass it along."

PLBs are useful for paddle craft that aren't equipped with VHF radios, Connor pointed out. The beacon can attach to a life jacket. Ideally, each person aboard a vessel should have a PLB, Connor said.

Large boats used for off-shore voyages are recommended to have emergency position-indicating radio beacons. The devices are more rugged than PLBs. They're mounted to the side of a vessel and self-activating in water.

Bill Isenberg has taught marine electronics for the Grand Rapids Sail and Power Squadron for many years. He's observed that most boaters aren't familiar with the electronics on their boat.

He often tells boaters to rent emergency beacons through BoatUS. If purchasing, he says to invest the extra money in a quality device.

There's clearly times when emergency beacons aren't necessary, yet Connor says a PLB should be in every boater's tool box of live-saving signals. You never know when you'll need to make a last-ditch effort to save your life.

"When it comes to life on the water and enjoying yourself on the water, I don’t think you can be too safe," he said.

That's it for this week's Boat Talk. Stay safe on the water, and email me at ajackso3@mlive.com if you have questions or suggestions for future columns.