Re: [Paddlewise] Strobes are not running lights

Just to add a little more fuel here, strobes are "considered" visual distress 
signals (VDS) but do not qualify for the VDS requirement for night signals.  
(As manually propelled craft, we are not obligated to carry day signals, but 
we are required to carry officially certified [CFR ...] night signals.)  
Pyrotechnics and the now standard floating beacon that visually flashes an 
S-O-S qualify for night signals, and must be carried by kayakers at night.  
There's really no ambiguity in these CFRs or in the Federal Law on which 
they're based.  The actual language about strobes states:  "Under Inland 
Navigation Rules, a high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals 
from 50-70 times per minute is considered a distress signal. Such devices do 
NOT count toward meeting the visual distress signal requirement, however."

To Ralph's point,  "Regulations prohibit display of visual distress signals 
on the water under any circumstances except when assistance is required to 
prevent immediate or potential danger to persons on board a vessel."  
Clearly, if you're about to be demolished by a harbor tug, try to resemble a 
large Christmas tree as quickly as possible.

Jack Martin

    


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