My epirb needs to be replaced , I can buy one online for around $199.00 + shipping $22.00 but I have been told there is a surcharge of an extra $50.00 because the lithium batteries inside are deemed to be dangerous goods.
As far as I can tell lithium batteries are only classified as dangerous with regards to Air Travel.
Are the couriers having a lend of me? $72.00 for shipping from Brisbane To Caboolture a bit hot.
ps If lithium is classified as dangerous should they be on our boats?
pissed off
Al
Its a bit rich. Everyones smart mobile phone has a lithium battery in it. The latest Boeing 777 and 787 run on Lithium batteries.
Check it out I think.
Whole deal sounds iffy. Your life may depend on it. I would pop down the road and buy one from a reputable dealer.
We got stung by something similar a year or so ago. Our club had hired about 20 yellowbrick trackers for yachts to use in a major offshore race. AFter the race, we went to post them back to the UK, but got hit with some surcharge to avoid issues with exporting dangerous / waste material. ie: The batteries. What a crock! 
Tell them to send it Aust Post.
My guess is courier/ seller is taking advantage of the fact lithium is classed as a dg and courier probably has to send a dg classed vehicle to do the pick up as there may be many dg items .
I think the problem with lithium batteries is when they are not installed. In your phone is fine, it's the spare one in your luggage is what cause the problem.
The market for Epirbs is saturated so we can expect a change in regulations shortly forcing us all out there buying an uprated unit!
When I replaced mine, I took old one to battery world for disposal and they told me they can replace battery's for $130
oh well next time I'll now 
Select to expand quoteYara said..
Whole deal sounds iffy. Your life may depend on it. I would pop down the road and buy one from a reputable dealer.
+1
Ramona is on the money. There is a difference between batteries in your device and 'spare' batteries. I tried to copy an image from the IATA Dangerous Goods manual but it was beyond my capability right now.
Still a rip off though.
Racing rules require GPS EPIRB from Jul 15. As Ramona suggests, I don't think it will be that long before state regs require a GPS equipped EPIRB. Spend the extra if you are buying a new EPIRB and get a GPS equipped model. It's worth it!
If you think lithium battery danger is a crock, have a Google and see just how very very luckily some events turned out and others didn't. If your lithium battery has a thermal runaway due short on your boat, you might be able to grab it in your fire blanket and chuck it overboard. If it's in the cargo hold on an aircraft, surrounded by other lithium batteries, you might very well be literally, toast!
The Ethiopian B787 Fire is well worth a light read. It was due to a short in lithium battery wiring on the fixed ELT. If that plane had been in the air, the fire in the carbon fuselage might well have been catastrophic. The UPS B747 freighter crash has suspicion around a lithium battery cargo.
Couldn't have been what downed that Russian jet the other day .....could it??????.
Hi All
Thanks to all for your interest / response.Problem solved , I got off my backside and drove to Mooloolaba and bought a new one , got it for $179.00 bought myself a new pfd with harness attachment while I was there .
ps Battery World said No Deal to changing Batteries
Aussie Post will not send Dangerous Goods
The Courier is an Arsehole
Cheers n Beers
Al
pps It wasn't really the money it was the principle .
Select to expand quotedialdan said..
Ramona
No,where is Terrara ? I have never heard of it.
Al
Near Nowra. One very similar to yours built there and launched at Greenwell Point a few months ago. Up North somewhere now.
