Coast Guard Requirements

tank1949

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
1,892
Anyone have a CG link or similar to provide me with the minimal flare requirements, including expiration dates) for offshore motorized vessels of 27 feet and greater. CG home web page is useless.
 

tank1949

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
1,892

pgandw

Cadet
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
15
Expiration dates are on flares - and it's only 3 years in most cases. However, there is no approved disposal method for expired flares. Keep the expired ones along with replacements, tests showed 20 year old flares almost always worked.

Although more expensive, a distress light lasts a lot longer than a flare. You do have to replace the battery each year.
 

mike_i

Ensign
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
942
Exactly what he said.
Expiration dates are on flares - and it's only 3 years in most cases. However, there is no approved disposal method for expired flares. Keep the expired ones along with replacements, tests showed 20 year old flares almost always worked.

Although more expensive, a distress light lasts a lot longer than a flare. You do have to replace the battery each year.
 

KJM

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 31, 2016
Messages
1,265
Wow. you guys sure have a lot of regulations to follow! Up here the only one I'm aware of is there has to be a PFD for every passenger and thats it. There may be more but nobody is enforcing them if there are. In all my years with my boat, only once did I meet a fishery patrol boat and they only pulled up close to ask how the fishing was and then gone again.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,540
Wow. you guys sure have a lot of regulations to follow! Up here the only one I'm aware of is there has to be a PFD for every passenger and thats it.
You may want to look. The USGC rules are just the IMO (International Marine Organization) requirements

Nearly the same everywhere globally
 

KJM

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 31, 2016
Messages
1,265
You may want to look. The USGC rules are just the IMO (International Marine Organization) requirements

Nearly the same everywhere globally
Turns out you are right, the regulations are there, its the enforcement that is very lax, at least in my area. I'd be willing to bet not a single boat in the harbour I use would pass!
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,673
We get checked coming off the river (Mississippi or Illinois) by conservation police about once a season. I appreciate it; one time the officer noticed my fire extinguisher needed to be replaced, something I had missed.
 

briangcc

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2012
Messages
2,360
Expired hand-held flares are great for starting bonfires. I call it my big match. Just sayin...
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,540
I can not confirm or deny the use of a flare as a starter for a bonfire:ROFLMAO:

FYI, West Marine and your local CG power squadron will take old flares. they used them for training.
 

tank1949

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
1,892
Exactly what he said.
42 months... I visited WM today and purchased flare requirements. I examined dates on new flares to have about 39 months left before expiration. I could have found them cheaper online but no guaranteed expiration date.
 
Top