Please select your home edition
Edition
April May June Leaderboard Q2 2023

BoatUS Foundation: 5 ways to be seen and heard when you really need to summon help

by BoatUS 16 May 00:08 UTC May 21-27, 2023
Visual distress signals can be very effective for summoning help from those assets closest to your location – fellow boaters – potentially shortening response time © BoatUS

When you have an emergency on the water, how do you get help? For National Safe Boating Week, May 21-27, the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is reminding boaters that having the ability to be seen and heard is critically important.

Here are five ways boaters can prepare for a safe summer on the water and, if necessary, summon rescuers to your location.

  1. VHF Radio - A VHF (Very High Frequency) radio is the most reliable way to communicate with other boats and emergency responders on most waterways. New Digital Selective Calling (DSC) radios with a red distress button can even send an emergency call and other important information such as your location to authorities automatically when properly installed and registered.
  2. Emergency Beacon - An emergency beacon, such as an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) or PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) can be activated to send a distress signal to satellites and rescue authorities. These devices are designed to work in remote areas where cellphone coverage is not available. EPIRBs and PLBs can be rented from the BoatUS Foundation.
  3. Sound-Producing Device - A sound producing device, such as an installed horn, a handheld air horn, and even a whistle, can be used to signal for help. Five or more blasts from a horn or a whistle indicate danger or a dangerous situation is unfolding. Sound-producing devices are required by law on most boats and can be heard over a considerable distance.
  4. Visual Distress Signals - Visual Distress Signals (VDS) such as pyrotechnic flares and certain battery-operated SOS light beacons can be used to signal for help when you're out on the water. Flares and Coast Guard-approved distress lights can be seen from several miles away and are an effective way to signal for help when other methods of communication are not available.
  5. Distress Flag - A distress flag is an orange flag with a black square and a black circle. If you're in distress, you can hoist the flag to signal other boats that you need assistance. This is a good alternative for use on small, wet watercraft, like kayaks and personal watercraft where traditional flares could get wet or storage aboard is a challenge.

Related Articles

Are you ready for Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don & Emily
2023 Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1; get time-tested preparation tips from the experts Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don and Emily are the first five names NOAA will deploy for incoming storms this Atlantic hurricane season that begins June 1 and runs through November 30. Posted on 1 Jun
How to avoid a misfuel mishap in your boat
Regular 88,' an E15 fuel, is prohibited for use in recreational boats Today's gas station pumps no longer provide clear and transparent information to help consumers make the right fuel choice. Posted on 23 May
Capt. Chris Day's new Neely Henry Lake businesses
24/7 TowBoatUS Boat towing and assistance and on-water boat handling instruction Capt. Chris Day has spent a lot of time on the water. The owner of two TowBoatUS on-water boat towing ports on nearby Logan Martin Lake and Weiss Lake, boating safety instructor, life jacket advocate and former water patrol officer Posted on 26 Apr
On-water, 3-hour powerboat handling courses
Become more confident at the helm at 31st Street Harbor Driver's education - or sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle, safely navigating streets and roads with a professional instructor at your side - is an important step in becoming a safe driver. Posted on 12 Apr
Why boats fail a no-penalty vessel safety check
Don't hit the water this summer without a no-cost, no-penalty vessel safety check How do you know your boat is ready for a safe summer boating season and complies with new U.S. Coast Guard regulations? A no-cost, no-penalty vessel safety check from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons/America's Boating Club can help. Posted on 5 Apr
Top 3 mistakes boaters make when using VHF Radios
Help ensure you're heard every time with held from the BoatUS Foundation For most recreational boaters, VHF radios are a better lifesaving tool than the omnipresent cellphone, even as more boaters use cellphones for emergency on-water communications. Posted on 30 Mar
Spring Commissioning Checklist from BoatUS
More than 800,000 members are about to hit the nation's waterways; make sure your boat is ready The recreational boat owner's advocacy, services and safety group, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), has more than 800,000 members about to return to the nation's waterways for boating season. Posted on 8 Mar
Is everyone paying their fair share?
Boaters pay for launch ramps, safety, conservation and more, but is everyone paying their fair share When it comes to those who recreate on the water together nonmotorized and motorized vessel operators who mutually benefit from the use of launch ramps, boating safety programs, conservation efforts, a U.S. GAO study says that answer remains unclear. Posted on 25 Jan
Top 10 BoatUS videos of 2022
Backing a boat trailer, using outboard tilt/trim, new extinguisher regulations top list of subjects BoatUS Magazine, the membership publication of the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), continued to grow its educational boating video library on YouTube during 2022 by earning nearly 2 million views Posted on 29 Dec 2022
You bought a boat. What now?
Here's some help to operate it safely A recent spike in boat sales has brought many new boaters to the water, but are these new owners prepared? Posted on 23 Dec 2022