RE: [Paddlewise] FW: crossing ship channels safely?

Mike, at sea ... according to all the 'rules and regs' ... a
strobe, per sie, has no meaning ...

A 'red strobe' might be interpreted as a distress signal ...
but .. a white strobe will certainly 'catch their
attentions' and that is the whole objective of the deal.

Like an EPIRB ... the orginal EPIRBS were aircraft distress
signals ... and broadcast omly on the aircraft distress
frequency ... and then boats started using them .. especial
long distance cruising sailboats.  It was supposed to be a
sign that an 'aircraft was down' ..... but, if you are in a
boat ... and it's sinking .. you certainly want to catch
someones attention.  EPIRBS are now mandatory on vessels
going beyond 200 miles and over a certain tonnage.

To be honest, I am an ocean master .. I never qualified not
studied the rules of the road for the Great Lakes ... but I
do have the inland rules on my computer ... and I find
nothing about strobes as 'distress' signals.  A fire on a
boat, flares (red), day signals, waving of arms, etc are all
optional distress signals ... but, again, when in distress,
what counts is getting someones attention.  I've never heard
of anyone being 'cited' for using an improper distress
signal.  Anything goes if it saves lives.

I even used a 'cell phone' once to call the coast guard
because they didn't respond on VHF to report a 'rig fire'
and that we were picking up survivers.

Donald



> > but, believe me, a strobe at night will catch their
> > attention.  Some of these, like the GUEST lite ... are
> quite
> > good.
> >
>
> The only issue with this is that in the Great Lakes, a
> strobe is
> a distress signal.  In other North American waters, it is
> likely
> to be interpreted as a distress signal.
>
> Mike
>
>



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