Are Flares Needed?

[Warren Milberg]

As I read the USCG requirements for emergency signalling, it seems that we have a choice of having either nonpyrotechics or pyrotechnics aboard. The only approved nonpyrotechnic device appears to be a 3 -ft orange flag with a black ball in its center. So, the question is: if you are stopped/boarded by the USCG during daylight and have BOTH the nonpyrotechnic flag AND expired pyrotechnics, are you still in compliance with the law? I ask this as it seems to be required that if you have pyrotechnics, they must have a current expiration date and you must have both day and/or day/night devices. No mention is made about the situation I pose above.

Has this ever happened to any of you?

FYI, I no longer sail at night and the BoatUS test referred to in the URL below seems to suggest that carrying and using flares during daylight hours is not very useful as they cannot be seen at any distance.

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/pyro.htm

 

[Richard19068]

33 CFR 175.110 Visual distress signals required.

No person may use a boat 16 feet or more in length or any boat carrying six or less passengers unless visual distress signals selected from the list in 33 CFR 175.130 or the alternatives in 33 CFR 175.135, in the number required, are on board. Devices suitable for day use and devices suitable for night use, or devices suitable for both day and night use, must be carried.


It seems the last sentence requires you to carry signals to cover both day and night use. So if you don't have flares you need another suitable night time device. Like an appropriate distress light. At least you only need to carry one light rather than three flares. The question is... where can you buy a coast guard approved distress light?

 

[Lee Coller]

The question is... where can you buy a coast guard approved distress light?

Good question, googling for an electric distress light only turns up hits for the reg, not anyone selling them. My guess is that they don't exist in real life.

 

[dparilla]

There are firefly strobes for search and rescue that meet the requirements.

 

[twalker H260]

As I read the regs the manufacturer self certifies that it meets uscg requirements. In any case here is one that states they meet the requirement.

http://www.firstchoicemarine.com/sh...-sos-automatic-signaling-light-meets-uscg-req

Found a few using this as the search terms.

SOS distress light uscg

 

[Richard19068]

firefly strobes

There are firefly strobes for search and rescue that meet the requirements.

I don't think a regular strobe qualifies for this purpose. At least I can't find one. It has to automatically fllash the SOS pattern and be marked that it is coast guard certified. 46 cfr 161.013. If you know of one that fits the billl please let me know. The only one I can see (by ACR) has been discontinued.

 

[Richard19068]

twalker - that's no longer available

As I read the regs the manufacturer self certifies that it meets uscg requirements. In any case here is one that states they meet the requirement.

http://www.firstchoicemarine.com/sh...-sos-automatic-signaling-light-meets-uscg-req

Found a few using this as the search terms.

SOS distress light uscg

That's no longer available, as it says in the add on the link. See any others?
Thanks