In 2015, the Sirius Signal electronic flare from Weems & Plath was US Coast Guard approved as a nighttime distress signaling device. At the Annapolis Sailboat Show last week, I discovered that many new boaters didn’t know about this option. It is a HUGE improvement over burning flares.
The problems with traditional flares are legion:
- If you ever have to use one, there will be burning material falling — hopefully into the water, but there’s a good chance it can go onto your boat or life raft. Or your hand that is holding the flare. That’s potentially going to make a bad situation even worse with a burning boat, holed life raft or seriously burned crew member.
- Flares have expiration dates, meaning that you have to buy new ones every few years and dispose of the old ones.
- It’s gotten to be almost impossible to find anywhere to dispose of old flares. Neither the Coast Guard nor fire departments will take them, and you can’t light them off if there isn’t an emergency. So we end up carrying more and more flares or illegally disposing of old ones with their toxic chemicals.
- Flares burn for a relatively short period of time (1 minute or less) and you have a limited number of flares, so you have to light them when you think they have the best chance of being seen.
- Can’t be shipped by air nor taken on airplanes — a real problem if you’re in a place where they are not sold and you need to get them shipped to you or brought back with a crew member.
- Many flares are not waterproof (some are).
- Require training to use safely — but most of us don’t get the appropriate training.
- Impossible to test.
One Weems & Plath/Sirius Signal electronic flare satisfies the US Coast Guard requirements for most boats. It’s sold with a daytime distress flag, which gives you both the day and night required signals in one package. Since flares are the most common reason for boats to fail a Coast Guard inspection, it’s nice to know that this will never again be an issue on your boat!
- It flashes SOS and is visible 10 miles.
- On/off switch.
- Nothing burning to harm a boat, life raft or person.
- Never expires — buy once. Decidedly cheaper in the long run.
- Never have to worry about disposal.
- Fine on airplanes, both shipping and in luggage.
- Operates 60 hours on 3 C batteries. Carry extra batteries for even longer signaling ability.
- C batteries are easy to find almost everywhere.
- Floats.
- Waterproof.
- No training required.
- Can easily be run up a mast for greater height.
- Can easily be owner tested.
The included distress flag meets the legal requirement for a daytime signaling device, but you may wish to have other devices such as a dye pack or rescue streamer to provide a larger target for an airplane or helicopter to spot.
We keep batteries in our electronic flare and carry 9 more batteries (3 sets of spares) in a waterproof Lock & Lock container in our ditch bag. Links (all products on Amazon):
- Weems & Plath Sirius Signal Electronic Flare
- 12-pack of C batteries
- Lock & Lock waterproof container for batteries
- See/Rescue Streamer — 25 foot
- See/Rescue Streamer — 40 feet
- Orion Fluorescent Dye Marker – 2-Pack
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Brian says
If I am not mistaken, I was told by a Canadian boater that electronic flares are not legal in Canada.
Carolyn Shearlock says
They may not meet Canada’s legal requirements (and so you’d have to have old-fashioned flares), but I’d say it’s still worth having one aboard in case of an actual emergency. The 60 hours of run time is a HUGE plus — and even longer with spare batteries.
Dave Skolnick (S/V Auspicious) says
The Sirius Signal electronic flare is a great piece of kit. I’ll have one next time my flares expire, and another in my life raft when next it is repacked. I will still carry dye packs and SOLAS parachute flares. The latter means a pair of leather work gloves will continue to reside in my flare box.
Captain Bazza says
Not legal in Australia either, but I agree, to have one in addition to the pyrotechnics the legislation requires is a good idea.
Dave Skolnick (S/V Auspicious) says
I would point out that the way posters are saying “not legal” is unclear. I suspect what is meant is that the electronic flares do not qualify for carriage requirements. The flares are not in and of themselves illegal in the way that firearms are in many countries. You can carry all you want – you just have to carry flares as well.
This is analogous to the situation with Type V inflatable PFDs. For years we carried bags of unused life jackets because the law said our inflatables “didn’t count.” Eventually the law caught up. The law will catch up on flares as well.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Yes. I tried to make that point on one of the other comments. They’re perfectly legal to carry, and I would want one aboard in case of an emergency — that whole “no burning slag raining down on my life raft” is kind of important, as is 60-hour life.
Scott Daugherty says
I’ve had the Sirius Electronic flare for 6 months. We had a CG safety inspection in June and the Coasties seemed unaware of this change in the law. It took 1/2 hour and a couple of internet searches to convince them. A great product.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Really interesting. Here in the Keys, the USCG officers that have been at various public info events have highly recommended them. Difference in training at different stations, perhaps?
Rick Nicholson says
Being Canadian, I’ll purchase one of the electronic flares but I also realize different types of flares do different things. The flares in the air are to call attention to a distant vessel – “I’m in trouble;” the hand held ones say “I am here.” The electronic flares are the “I am here” variety.