Visual Distress Signals

The most common method that a mariner uses to notify the Coast Guard that they are in distress is via their marine VHF-FM radio. I strongly encourage all boaters to have a radio on board their vessel, especially if their boating activities take them offshore. During the past year Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce has responded to at least 75 cases in which the boat and crew were reported overdue. These vessels would have been able to call for and obtain help a lot sooner if they had a radio on board. In one case the vessel with its two occupants were drifting north at four knots in the Gulf Stream. They are very lucky that we were able to locate their speck of a vessel on the vast expanse of the ocean

Annex IV of the Coast Guard's Navigation Rules publication lists many of the additional distress signals that can be used to attract attention. They include a gun fired at intervals of one minute (extreme care must be used when firing weapons), a continuous sounding of a fog signaling apparatus, red flares, SOS morse code, the words Mayday spoken over the radio telephone, the international call letters N.C. (November, Charlie), a visual signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or any thing resembling a ball, flames on a vessel, orange smoke, slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side, emergency positioning indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), in inland waters only a high intensity white light flashing at 50 to 70 times a minute.

The Coast Guard requires that recreational vessels carry three day and three night visual distress signals. The exceptions to this regulation are powered vessels under 16 feet and open sailing vessels under 26 feet without motors. These two exceptions are required to carry them if operated at night on coastal waters. Coastal waters are defined as:

1. The territorial sea (ocean)
2. Great Lakes
3. Bays, or Sounds which empty into (1) and (2) above
4. Rivers over two miles across at their mouths and upstream to where the river narrows to two miles

The Coast Guard requires that the three required day night signals be Coast Guard Approved. Table (1) below, provides a list of the required signals, and describes whether they are a pyrotechnic signal and whether they are approved as day, or a day and night signal. The electric distress light must be able to automatically flash the signal SOS, three short, three long, three short.

At the present time the serviceable life of a pyrotechnic device is rated at 42 months from its date of manufacture. Pyrotechnics beyond this 42 month date should be replaced with new devices. I strongly encourage that you carefully check the expiration date before purchasing pyrotechnics. The disposal of expired pyrotechnic devices should be done in accordance with local county and state hazardous waste regulations, Please check with these local authorities to obtain the correct disposal procedures.

Table 1: Visual Distress Signals
Pyrotechnic Visual Distress Signals
CG Approval Number	Description	Use
160.021 160.022 160.024 160.036 160.037 160.057 160.066	Hand-Held Flare Floating Orange Smoke Pistol Parachute Red Flare Hand-Held Parachute Red Flare Hand-Held Orange Smoke Floating Orange Smoke Red Aerial Pyrotechnic Flare	Day/Night Day Only Day/Night Day/Night Day Only Day Only Day/Night
Non-Pyrotechnic Visual Distress Signals
160.072 161.013	Orange Flag Electric Distress Light	Day Only Night Only