The featherweight Icom M-24 VHF is an affordable, no-frills non-DSC handheld radio with a nifty “float and flash” feature that causes a red LED to start flashing as soon as it hits the water—even when it’s turned off. In addition to making the radio easier to recover, this can help draw attention to a person who has fallen overboard. In fact, the unit’s light weight and small size make it a natural addition to the list of gear worth tossing to a victim in the water since they can then take an active role in their own rescue. It’s a lot easier for them to spot a masthead light a half mile away than it is for the crew onboard to spot someone in the water.
$179. Icom America Inc., icomamerica.com
