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THE VALUE OF FLARES

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Jun 05, 2020


Boater signaling for help with flare

Flares

If you’re US Coast Guard-compliant, you already have a set of flares inside your Coast Guard kit. But do you know what kind they are, as well as how to use them? There are two types of required flares—daytime and nighttime—that are divided between floating, handheld and aerial.

Floating: These flares deploy in the water and emit orange smoke. They’re for daytime use only, last for a few minutes, and are visible for up to 5 miles. You would use these when other boats or rescuers are in the vicinity to alert for help or to help them locate you.

Handheld: These flares are also either orange smoke-emitting signals or bright daytime flares that alert nearby vessels that you need help and provide a visual location marker.There are also handheld pyrotechnic flares for use in day and night that shoot into the air like fireworks. These travel higher into the air and are visible from a farther distance, but typically burn for only a few seconds. These flares are used more for alerting authorities or nearby vessels for help rather than for finding your location.