Signal Flare question

[Kurt]

I have a legal question. Must you legally carry a signal flare gun on a coast gaurd documented boat that is navigated within an inland lake? I attempted to find this info on the coastguard site but got lost in the legal verbage. Help please.

 

[MonacoMike]

Some have said here that some city water cops equate the 12ga flare gun to a hand gun.

MM

 

[Kurt]

Interesting because, I can legally carry a hand gun and do.

 

[Woody]

I have a legal question. Must you legally carry a signal flare gun on a coast gaurd documented boat that is navigated within an inland lake? I attempted to find this info on the coastguard site but got lost in the legal verbage. Help please.

The USCG rules do not require you to carry a flare gun. I don't know what your state rules are but I doubt they would require it if the USCG doesn't.

Additional info on MO requirements and USCG
http://www.tablerocklakelodging.com/MO_handbook_entire.pdf

http://www.boat-ed.com/mo/handbook/checklist.htm


http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/workflow_staging/Publications/420.PDF

 

[The Bill Collector]

I suggest further research... I'm not going to give a legal opinion here, but dig a little deeper. I'm required on my vessel to carry and I go into Canada with them....:smt119

 

[Woody]

I suggest further research... I'm not going to give a legal opinion here, but dig a little deeper. I'm required on my vessel to carry and I go into Canada with them....:smt119

Are you referring to VDS(visual distress signals) or a handgun?

 

[njmello]

Coast Guard doesn't require a flare 'gun', per se, but do require flares on boats over a certain size. There are aerial flares that launch hand held without a 'gun'. Just make sure you have at least ONE current (that hasn't expired) on board.

 

[Molson]

I'm in Canada, and one of the items I must have on board is:

5. Six (6) Canadian-approved flares of Type A (Rocket Parachute), B (Multi-Star) or C (Hand)

I use an Orion 12ga flare gun with the twin-star flares.

 

[Kurt]

Visual Distress Signals (33 CFR 175.101)

Vessels operating on U S coastal waters, the Great Lakes, and

territorial seas, as well as those waters connected directly, up to a

point where the waterway is less than two nautical miles wide, must

be equipped with U S Coast Guard-approved visual distress signals

(VDS) Vessels owned in the United States and operating on the high

seas must also be equipped with U S Coast Guard-approved visual

distress signals

The following 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 that are not equipped

with propulsion machinery

• Manually propelled boats

Remember:
The carriage requirement is only applicable in areas

where VDS are required.

Pyrotechnic Devices

Pyrotechnic visual distress signals must be U S Coast

Guard-approved, in serviceable condition, and readily accessible

Check the expiration date Expired signals may be carried as extra

equipment, but cannot be counted toward meeting the visual distress

signal requirement

Less than

This is what I was looking for thnaks, looks like I have a kit for sale

 

[The Bill Collector]

Are you referring to VDS(visual distress signals) or a handgun?

VDS..... I would not suggest anyone try to take their "hand gun" from US into Canadian waters even with a state issued "concealed pistol license" also the paperwork for a long barrel ( rifle ) is more then I want to tackle in border crossing....

 

[AKBASSKING]

also the paperwork for a long barrel ( rifle ) is more then I want to tackle in border crossing....

I do it all the time and is not that bad. The secret is to fill out the US customs form first, take that to the US station first to have them verify and sign the document, then it is a piece of cake on the Canadian side ( have to pay a fee) and then back into the US. You guns do become registered within the US and Canadian Customs system.