| Visual
Distress Signal Requirements |
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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.
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The
following vessels are exempt, unless operated from sunset
to sunrise.
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Recreational boats under 16 feet in length, including
personal watercraft.
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Boats participating in organized events such as races,
regattas, or marine parades.
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Open sailboats less than 26 feet, not equipped with
motors.
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All manually propelled boats.
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| Day
Requirement |
Three
pyrotechnic devices, any combination of red flares or
orange smoke. |
| Night
Requirement |
Three
pyrotechnic red flares or an electric distress light. |
| Best
Answer |
Three
red flares, hand-held or aerial. Satisfies both day and
night requirement. |
| Prohibited
and Permitted Uses of Visual Distress Signals |
The
use of visual distress signals on the water is prohibited
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. |
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Examples
of device combinations meeting requirements.
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| 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) |
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Typical
plastic flare pistol and aerial flare cartridges.
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Hand
held flare. Less expensive than gun if you don't already have
one. Also may be safer around children. |
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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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