Distress flares

Letting people know that you need help during your bareboat charter can be achieved in many ways. One of the most effective ways is to let off flares. Flares are highly visible and instantly recognised as a call for help. There are two main types of hand operated flares.

To Operate Flares

'V' sheet distress signal

A 'V' Sheet is a rectangular fluorescent orange-red coloured sheet (1.8 x 1.2 metres) with a black V in the centre and a lanyard attached to each corner.

It is a standard distress signal recognised by other mariners and should be tied onto a boat or spread over the deck for searching aircraft, anywhere it can best be seen to indicate that help is needed.

EPIRB's

All crewed motor yachts and charter yachts operating beyond smooth and partially smooth waters must carry an Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) if more than 2 nautical miles from land.
Note: this means an EPIRB is not a necessary piece of safety equipment required on a "bareboat" but is frequently on board, so you should be aware of their operation.

An EPIRB is a compact; buoyant, self-contained radio transmitter which continuously emits a distinctive radio signal to a satellite for at least 48 hours when activated. When the signal is detected the Rescue Coordination Centre initiates a response using locally based rescue services.

EPIRB signals cannot be detected by ordinary marine or land-based radios. The signals are only monitored by aircraft or satellite.

The great advantages in EPIRB detection by satellite are speed and accuracy. The satellite has the capacity to fix the location of the EPIRB within a small area, making the work or search and rescue teams quick and effective.

EPIRB's should be used only as a last resort. Use other communication or Signaling equipment first...such as your marine radio... flares... V-sheet or mobile phone.

EPIRB's have expiry dates, if past or near this date, have the unit serviced and the battery replaced by the manufacturer at around half the cost of a new unit.

Portable lighting devices

Lighting devices are compulsory for all boats operating between sunset and sunrise.

A torch, fluorescent light, lantern or cyalume sticks are all appropriate as long as they generate enough light to be seen by other boats and prevent a collision and attract attention. A Signaling device is not a substitute for navigation lights.

To operate at night without navigation lights is dangerous and irresponsible. This also applies to anchoring...To anchor anywhere without an anchor light endangers yourself and other boaters.

Marine incidents

The Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 requires marine incidents to be reported and possibly investigated.

Reporting of marine incidents

A marine incident that happens when you are bareboat chartering must be reported to a shipping Inspector within 48 hours after the incident happens, unless there is a reasonable excuse...if a marine incident occurs on your bareboat holiday involving your charter boat, you would first report the incident to your bareboat charter operator - who in turn will arrange to record the incident and report to the Department of Transport.

Definition of a marine incident

A marine incident is an event causing or involving:

A marine incident also includes any event prescribed by regulation. The last three items above, the 'danger to' items, involve no actual injury or damage.

These should be reported in the same way as other incidents so that relevant data can be recorded and analysed.