Paddle King Lo Pro Angler Owner's Manual - page 15
U.S.C.G. Approved visual distress signals. Vessels owned in the United States operating on the high seas must be
equipped with U.S.C.G. Approved visual distress signals.
These vessels are not required to carry day signals but must carry night signals when operating from sunset to
sunrise:
Recreational boats less than 16 feet in length
Boats participating in organized events such as races, regattas, or marine parades.
Open sailboats less than 26 feet in length not equipped with propulsion machinery.
Manually propelled boats.
Pyrotechnic Devices:
Pyrotechnic Visual Distress Signals must be Coast Guard Approved, in serviceable
condition, and readily accessible.
They are marked with an expiration date. Expired signals may be carried as extra equipment, but cannot
be counted toward meeting the visual distress signal requirement, since they may be unreliable.
Launchers manufactured before January 1, 1981, intended for use with approved signals, are not required
to be Coast Guard Approved.
If pyrotechnic devices are selected, a minimum of three are required. That is, three signals for day use
and three signals for night. Some pyrotechnic signals meet both day and night use requirements.
Pyrotechnic devices should be stored in a cool, dry location, if possible.
A watertight container painted red or orange and prominently marked "DISTRESS SIGNALS" or
"FLARES" is recommended.
U.S.C.G. Approved Pyrotechnic Visual Distress Signals and associated devices include:
Pyrotechnic red flares, hand-held or aerial.
Pyrotechnic orange smoke, hand-held or floating.
Launchers for aerial red meteors or parachute flares.
EACH OF THESE DEVICES HAS A DIFFERENT OPERATING (BURNING) TIME. CHECK THE LABEL TO
SEE HOW LONG EACH PYROTECHNIC DEVICE WILL ACTUALLY BE ILLUMINATED. THIS WILL ALLOW
YOU TO SELECT A WARNING DEVICE BETTER SUITED TO THE CONDITIONS WHERE YOUR BOAT
WILL OPERATE?
Non-Pyrotechnic Devices:
Non-Pyrotechnic Visual Distress Signals must be in serviceable condition, readily
accessible, and certified by the manufacturer as complying with U.S.C.G. requirements. They include:
Orange distress flag:
Day signal only.
Must be at least 3 x 3 feet with a black square and ball on an orange background.
Must be marked with an indication that it meets Coast Guard requirements in 46 CFR 160.072.
Most distinctive when attached and waved on a paddle, boathook, or flown from a mast.
May also be incorporated as part of devices designed to attract attention in an emergency, such as
balloons, kites, or floating streamers.
Electric distress light:
Accepted for night use only
Automatically flashes the international SOS distress signal: (... — — — ...)
Must be marked with an indication that it meets Coast Guard requirements in 46 CFR 161.013.
Under Inland Navigation Rules, a high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals from 50-70 times per
minute is considered a distress signal. Such devices do NOT count toward meeting the visual distress signal
requirement, however. Regulations prohibit display of visual distress signals on the water under any
circumstances except when assistance is required to prevent immediate or potential danger to persons on
board a vessel.
All distress signals have distinct advantages and disadvantages. No single device is ideal under all conditions
or suitable for all purposes. Pyrotechnics are universally recognized as excellent distress signals. However,
there is potential for injury and property damage if not properly handled. These devices produce a very hot
flame and the residue can cause burns and ignite flammable materials.