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Distress Signaling
by Tony Cook*
An experienced sailor will make sure his vessel is seaworthy and
properly prepared: "Ready in all respects for sea", as the Navy would have it.
But each year, boaters find themselves in difficult situations due to weather,
lack of planning, poor navigational knowledge or habits, or plain stupidity.
It is at these times that a clear understanding of distress signaling may mean
the difference between an embarrassing grounding or much, much worse.
Flares:
The most obvious signaling product is the pyrotechnic device, or flare. By
law in most countries and certainly in North America, every vessel is required
to carry a specific quantity and type of currently-dated flares.
 In
Canada, the regulations are clearly spelled out in the
Safe Boating Guide
produced by Transport Canada and freely available. The regulations require that
flares be no older than 4 years from date of manufacture (this date is stamped
on each device). Similar regulations apply in the U.S.
You may still have older flares on board, but they will not count towards the
requirement. Most boaters will retain older flares for up to about 10 years from
date of manufacture, but one is wise to carefully examine all stock for signs of
decay. It is certainly wise to keep the older flares - when trouble arises, you
cannot have enough flares!
Fines for lack of flares or having only outdated devices, can be substantial.
Generally, an inspecting officer having found a discrepancy will likely dig
deeper and find some other contravention, with the fines mounting up. (See
section on inspections below).
Disposal is a problem. You must not simply fire off old flares as it is a
serious offence to release a distress signals when no emergency is active. (Some yacht clubs and
marine stores may hold officially-sanctioned flare days - that's the time to
fire them off - good practice in fact). You must not dump them in the water or
dispose of them in municipal garbage. Some suggest contacting local police, fire
or marine services, but generally they are not able to take old stock. While
Power Squadrons teach
flare handling,
they are not permitted to use or handle live flares in classroom situations.
Sound signals:
As with flares, each vessel must have the required sound signaling device as
listed in the boating regulations. These run the gamut from whistles to horns to
bells, and each must meet specifications for audibility over various distances.
Don't rely on the minimum; equip your boat with horns that can really be heard!
And check every so often that they actually work.
Other signals:
 Distress
cloth - a large, bright orange plastic sheet featuring a black square and
circle - the international distress signal code of "N" over "C". These are
readily available at your marine store. Of course, the actual code flags may
also be flown - but how many recreational boaters know their flags?
The wave: - the boater stands and waves both arms up and down at his
side.
Signal mirror: - an unbreakable polished metal mirror with a sighting
hole in the centre and secured by a lanyard.
Flashlamp: - the international SOS signal _ _ _ . . . _ _ _ (long long
long, short short short, long long long)
Maritime Radio (VHF): - a VHF MayDay call alerts all vessels in a wide
area and will also be picked up by the nearest Coast Guard or Search and Rescue
station. Knowing how to correctly operate the radio is vital. You are also
required to be licenced to operate the radio, but you should ensure that all
passengers know how to turn the device on and send a message. In Canada, the
Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons is the official issuer of Radio Operator
Certificate (Maritime) or ROC(M) - local squadrons provide short courses in
operation and certification.
Mobile phones: - certainly a mobile phone may be used if one is in range
of a cell. In Canada, dialling *16 will reach Coast Guard. However, the mobile
phone is one-on-one, whereas VHF reaches all boaters in the area, one or more of
whom may come to your aid sooner.
Safety Inspections: - a good way to avoid finding
yourself facing an angry law officer, is to have your vessel inspected at the
beginning of the season. Both the United States and the Canadian Power
Squadrons, offer a Safety Inspection service that can be arranged through their
national web sites - listed below. |
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