Visual Distress Equiptment

Yes, applies to bay also.

Thank you.

I ask a coast gaurd officer several years ago the same question. He told me I do not need a visual distress signal in the bay. This was after being tied to his boat and boarded for a safety check.

An expired flare is the same as not having one!

To question it is a bonehead move.......
don't go boating!!!!

I always figured PI bay to be a part of Lake Erie.  I wouldn't risk it either way.  I carry ALL of the requirred/up-to-date safety equipment on both of my boats.  I would recommend everyone to do the same.

dog, I use the expired ones for the vehicles. As stated you can carry them on your boat as spares, but you still need the required amt w/ good dates to them.

Your local police, fire, CG, marine police should take your old flares.

ORIGINAL: 2dog

DWCO,
Where can I get rid of a few expired flares in the Pittsburgh area? Would the local fire department be able to take them off my hands?

Again: In Pennsylvania, Visual distress signals (VDS) are required only for boats operating on Lake Erie. Between the hours of sunset and sunrise, boats less than 16 feet in length must carry VDS suitable for use at night. Boats 16 feet and over in length must, at all times, carry devices suitable for day use and devices suitable for night use, or devices suitable for use both day and night.
 
Although Presques Isle Bay shares the same water as Lake Erie, it is considered separate from Lake Erie and the regs only state Lake Erie and not the Bay.  This is the way it is treated with the PFBC.  This is nothing new and has been this way for years.  If another DWCO told you otherwise, he was mistaken, or may have been new or not from this area.  If the Coast Guard is enfocing VDSs on the Bay, that would be under Federal Law not State Law, although as was mentioned in a previous post, I do not it is law with them either.  That you may want to check directly with USCG.

Correct because the channel is narrower than 2 mile, the bay is actually considered an inland estuary and not part of the main lake.  Saw and heard this explained to a few WCO's by the Coast Guard a few weeks back.

i was borded 2 times over the weekend, i  had the same question about my flares, they told me i can keep them in the boat BUT THEY HAVE TO BE SEPERATE FROM THE NEW FLARES. an thaat if you do get stuck you would use them first, they might work they might not work. its always good to have extra he said. he told me a story of a guy a few years ago that went through 18 flares!!!!! before some one saw them.. this was out of north east, the most i got is 10 flares. an i though i was killing it!

Andy,
 
PI bay is SPECIFICALLY included in the LE stamp requirement.
 
2dog, and Musky,
 
Your responses, make sense. You can never have "too much" saftey equipment though.
 
DWCO,
 
Sorry I doubted you. Never considered the size of the channel/bay opening, and wanted to be sure it was not a matter of [individual officer interpretation], which I'm sure you'll agree does happen