Abstract: A fail safe marine locator system (10) for vessels (40) equipped with a marine radio (30) having a dial arrangement (32) for selecting an emergency broadcast frequency upon which a verbal distress call can be transmitted through a radio microphone (34) having a transmit button (33) and including an interface unit (11) having a microprocessor (20) that is coupled to a GPS interface terminal board (23) that will download data from a GPS satellite (60) via a GPS receiver 61. The downloaded data will be processed by the microprocessor circuit board (22) to transmit a digital data signal representative of the vessels location onto a verbal distress call when the microprocessor determines that the dial arrangement (32) is set on an emergency broadcast frequency and the transmit button (33) on the microphone (34) has been depressed.