BOATsmart! USA Knowledge Base

Module 02 - Boating Equipment

Visual Distress Signal Requirements

Your boat’s carrying requirements for visual distress signals depend on the boat’s size and whether the boat is powered, sail-powered or human-powered.

The following boats do not require day signals but must carry night signals if they’re on the water between sunset and sunrise:

Human-powered boats.
Recreational boats less than 16 feet in length.
Wind-powered sailboats that are less than 26 feet in length.
Boats that are part of an organized event (like a race).

For all other boats, the following combinations of visual distress signals can be carried onboard to meet Coast Guard requirements:

Option 1

Three Handheld Red Flares (day and night).

Option 2

One Handheld Red Flare and two Red Meteors (day and night).

Option 3

One Handheld Orange Smoke Signal (day), two Floating Orange Smoke Signals (day) and one Electric Distress Light (night only).

Note: It’s illegal to make or to report a fake distress signal. Sending out a ‘false alarm’ could make a response team unavailable during a real emergency.