SOS LED distress signal

[thataway]

Active Captain's Defender "special of the week" is a "Sirius Signal": LED SOS signal. Apparently this meets US Coast Guard requirements for a night distress signal, and a black circle/squared on orange background standard day distress signal. (for $79.99 with Active captain code)

https://siriussignal.com Is the maker's web site (all developed and made in America.

Not yet approved by Transport Canada.

What are your opinions of this as a distress signal? (As I understand, this light is the only required night distress signal--no more new flares.)

I'll reserve my thoughts for now.

[Lost Petrel]

Though it would be nice to never have to worry about being in compliance, I couldn't feel like that would be as effective as ariel flares night or day.

[doc]

Well Bob, I guess I'd have to see just how bright and attention getting it is. I spend a fair amount of time looking out on the water at various and sortid lights and unless the signal was really significantly different and attention grabbing, I'm not sure it would spring me into action. Now, if a saw a flare, I would call The CG. Might be that we would learn to attribute a certain familiarity to something new and learn to differentiate it enough to be useful beyond location marking. Certainly would be illuminating longer than a flare.

[ssobol]

I agree, unless there is something (unmentioned) that distinguishes this SOS light from other types of light, I expect that it could be overlooked amongst other lights unless someone has already called for help and the rescuers are actively looking for something.

Also, aerial signals can be seen from a much greater range due to their height even if they do not last all that long.

That said, having something that does not expire and have to be replaced because some date has passed would be nice. Not having to transport and/or dispose of hazardous material would also be nice. There is much less chance of accidents with this SOS light vs. flares or shells.

On the other hand, the SOS light would not be as effective for self defense (as seen in movies) as flares or shells. In a pinch, signal flares also make decent fire starters.

On a cost equivalent basis, the SOS light will need to be useful for more than 9 years to beat the cost of recreational boat flares. Will it last that long?

[rogerbum]

I think the flashing ... --- ... (SOS) code should distinguish it from other lights. However it clearly won't go up as high as a flare so visibility from various places on land and in higher swells and seas will be limited in some cases. On the other hand, it does have the benefit of staying on for far longer than a flare so that might make up for the reduced visibility due to height of the ground. The handheld stick flares only burn for 3 minutes and a 12g meteor type flare has a specified burn time of about 7s. This will signal for hours.

Also, if your alternative is a handheld stick flare, the height of this is the same without the fire hazard. Finally, some people should probably never have any flame source in their fiberglass boat as evidenced by this story posted by a guy in 2009.

For a day time signal it probably won't be as effective as a smoky handheld flare and I'm not sure the flag would be too useful as unfortunately many recreational boaters have no idea what a distress flag indicates. I think it's probably a nice replacement for the handheld flares but I'd still want a few meteor types on board.

[gulfcoast john]

Interesting.
I bought the ACR version (blinks SOS for up to 72 hours) when it first came out.
http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sa1842.html
That would be equivalent to thousands of flares, in theory.
In reality, in many areas there are a multitude of lights already, which can be confused with lights on land and nonemergency lights.
Keep your sissified milqetoast panty-waisted Cree LED. I'll take ONLY SOLAS approved manly night distress signals (and type I Offshore SOLAS 2010 standard lifejackets with Revere SOLAS strobes). And no one will mistake them for a kid watching the movie Gravity on his cellphone. Especially if all my 150 gallons of gas is floating with us when I fire off a SOLAS flare. That would get lots more attention than that wimpy LED toy.
On the other hand, I might get one.
Dr Bob, I find that if I Reserve my thoughts too long they Leave. Don't let that happen here.
Cheers!
John

[BrentB]

My handheld radio has strobe and have 2 flashlights carried onboard that strobe also PLB has one

[journey on]

Bob, I think what you show is a great idea. As a matter of fact, I got tired of buying flares that I never used several years ago and went and read the requirements. The requirement is (and it's paraphrased) to have a visual signaling device for both day and night. Detail here: BoatSafe Visual Distress Signals.

So the orange flag is valid for daytime and the flashing light is valid for night. Mine is incandescent and used a 6 volt battery which I replace every year (or so.) Meets the requirement.

The BoatSafe article referenced above is written by a Coast Guard commander and he recommends a VHF radio as the best safety feature. Got 2 of those: fixed and handheld.

I think that LED device is a great idea.

Boris

[Larry Patrick]

Will be putting ditch bag together for next season with everything needed. Will have E-Pirb for boat and small locater device for our life jackets. Strobe light whistle ect on life jackets also floating vhf radio.

[thataway]

[Casey]

I ordered the device yesterday.

I expect that the USCG tested prototypes before approval, so I'm satisfied with that. Meanwhile, I will continue to carry the collection of outdated flares currently on board; but now they will be strictly backups - the legal requirement is covered by the new device.

In actual use I suspect the device would be blindingly bright (at night), and it appears to be omnidirectional. I'm assuming it floats.

After it arrives I plan to take it down to the pool, at night, to give it a try. Stay tuned.

Best,
C&M

['o cino]

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

I suppose having both would be ideal. After you get peoples attention with a starburst flare they would be able to home in on your exact location with the beacon. I won't be throwing out my flares any time soon. As others have said flares can serve different purposes in a pinch. In Canada where getting a permit to carry and transport a handgun is next to impossible some boaters take comfort in having the 12 gauge onboard as some sort of defensive weapon. I would certainly walk away if somebody was pointing one at me.

[RobLL]

Smart phones, tablets, and LEDs are taking over the world.

At USCG Aux. classes last year the signaling devices presenter showed us the various flares, but then he showed a variety of LED. It was obvious the LEDs were or shortly would be far better. And some are bright enough for daytime alerting.

And in the navigation class the presenter after training us in the paper version and compass (which will never go out of date) discussed electronic versions. Chart plotters are inherently kludgey, I got one, but it will be the last. A small computer or larger pad will be far better. Even my large smart phone does a great job. Chart plotter do a great job at integrating depth, radar, maps, and heading, but the adept (not me at this point) can or will be doing much of the same. In a year or two.

[BrentB]

Did the CG test it? I thought they didn't and the vendor does it to met the required standards published in CFR.