Steve from Sirius Signal tells first-time buyers what day and night distress gear belongs on board before they leave the dock, and why a phone is not a plan.
On The Next Boat Journey, Brian Burns asked Steve from Sirius Signal a question a lot of new owners never hear answered clearly. What signaling and emergency gear should a first-time boat buyer have on board before leaving the dock, day or night?
If the boat is over 16 feet, Coast Guard regulations require day and night visual distress signals. Even if the trip starts in daylight, the boat can still be out after dark. Night gear is not optional just because the plan was a day run.
Steve walked through a simple compliant kit. An electronic night light that can be tested before departure. A daytime distress flag. A whistle for the sound requirement. Sirius Signal packs those three together so the boat is covered on visual day, visual night, and sound.
The electronic light has no expiration date. Change the batteries once a year. Turn it on before you leave and confirm it is flashing and bright. That test is not available with a flare. Once a flare is lit, it is spent.
Many boaters buy the required gear once and then forget it in a ditch bag. Steve's view is that the kit should be checked every time the boat leaves, the same way a life jacket should be checked for fit and condition.
Cell phones are not a plan. Steve used the run from Marina del Rey to Catalina. Mid-channel there is no cell signal. A VHF radio, a PLB or EPIRB, a distress light and a daytime flag each give the crew another way to say something is wrong.
Boaters heading into Canadian waters on the Great Lakes face a different rule set. Transport Canada does not recognize a white-only light. It recognizes the two-color light. It also still requires a smoke flare and does not treat the orange flag as a daytime signal. The water you are on decides the kit you need.
The Next Boat Journey airs Thursday at 5 PM on Dock Side Live Radio, with encore presentations Saturday and Sunday at 5 PM.
This episode is part of Dock Side Live Radio's ongoing effort to help boaters make better decisions throughout their boating journey, from their first boat to the next one.
Special thanks to our Next Boat Journey Founding Partners: Dockmate, SOS Screens, The Big Bumper Company, Let's Go Boating, The Florida Mariner Magazine, Franklin Pillsbury IV and Sirius Signal.
Learn more about Sirius Signal at SiriusSignal.com.
