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Visual Distress Signal Requirements

Boats used on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, and those waters connected directly to them, up to a point where a body of water is less than 2 miles wide, must be equipped with Coast Guard approved visual distress signals. Boats owned in the United States, operating more than 3 miles offshore, also must be so equipped. They must be in serviceable condition and readily accessible.

Vessels exempt unless operated from sunset to sunrise
Recreational boats under 16 feet in length, including personal watercraft.
Boats participating in organized events such as races, regattas, or marine parades.
Open sailboats less than 26 feet, not equipped with motors.
All manually propelled boats.

Meeting Visual Distress Signal Requirements
Three pyrotechnic devices, any combination of red flares or orange smoke, are required to satisfy the day requirement.
Three pyrotechnic red flares or an electric distress light will satisfy the night requirement. The simplest solution that satisfies both day and night requirement is three red flares, hand-held or aerial.

Examples of device combinations meeting requirements.
3 hand-held red flares (day and night)
1 hand-held red flare and 2 parachute flares (day and night)
1 hand-held orange smoke signal, 2 orange floating smoke signals (day) and 1 electric distress signal (night only)

Regulations prohibit the use of visual distress signals on the water at any time except when to require assistance to prevent immediate or potential danger to persons on board. The Coast Guard dispatches a vessel and/or aircraft each time they receive a report of a distress signal. Unless there is immediate danger, do not fire off flares until you are sure there is a chance of an airplane or other vessel seeing them.

Typical plastic flare pistol and
aerial flare cartridges.
Hand held flare. Less expensive
than a pistol if you don't already have one. Also may be safer around children.

Flares do not show well in daylight
and although legal, you might want to consider carrying orange smoke which is more visible.

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