# Required Lake Erie Safety Equipment



## cheddarthief (Jun 18, 2013)

Years ago I was launching out of Hot Waters and the USCG was doing inspections at the launch. I was actually very glad since I didn’t actually know all of the safety gear required for Lake Erie and since my boys go with me I wanted to be as safe as I could. I should bite I have a 21’ boat as I know the length affects which items should be required. I have the vests, the throw cushions and a fire extinguisher. I also was instructed to buy an air horn and flares which I didn’t have. The air horn is dead and the flares are now expired so I’m buying new. But the flares are more like road flares. Wouldn’t Erie require a flare gun? Road flares don’t seem like that would be enough on such large water as Erie. And the extinguisher doesn’t have an expiration date on it anywhere. I just wanna make sure I buy all the right stuff and keep my rig safe. Any help is appreciated.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

The road looking flares are sufficient for Lake Erie. I bought mine at a marina and they also have an expiration date on them. I also keep a flare gun on the boat. You can never be too safe.

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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I bought the new electronic hand held flare this yr. but I also bought replacement 12 ga flares for my flare gun. when it comes to safety you can not be to safe.
sherman


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## cheddarthief (Jun 18, 2013)

What about the fire extinguisher? Anyone know how to tell if it’s still good?


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Mine have the gauge on them that needs to be registering green. It is a good idea to turn them up side down once a year.

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## ducknut141 (Apr 26, 2017)

flip the extinguisher over and tap it _*GENTLY *_ with a rubber mallet. It loosens the powder because it gets packed over time.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

also an orange distress flag , flares only have a 3 yr life ,


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Just got inspected by coast guard. He wanted to see that the needle on the gauge on fire extinguisher was in the green.


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## PatSea (Oct 10, 2004)

I am a qualified vessel examiner and a member of the US Power Squadron, America's Boating Club. For an extinguisher with a guage, the needle must be in the green zone.
Although not a required item, I would urge you to have a working VHF radio if you don't already have one.


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

One essential but not required piece of safety equipment is a working bilge pump. I have 2 on my boat and I test them twice a year by filling the bilge with a garden hose till they pump. I was involved in a rescue in Jan 2017 off Cranberry where the boat was taking on water and their bilge pump was not operational. To Patsea’s point, they also did not have a radio & were calling 911 for help on a cell-phone as it was getting dark.


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## cheddarthief (Jun 18, 2013)

PatSea said:


> I am a qualified vessel examiner and a member of the US Power Squadron, America's Boating Club. For an extinguisher with a guage, the needle must be in the green zone.
> Although not a required item, I would urge you to have a working VHF radio if you don't already have one.


I have a brand new VHF and antenna. The extinguisher is in the green so no worries. What about an electronic LED vs a flare? I read that the USCG accepts those instead of road flares. Correct?


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Yes they do. I had to get new flares this spring & looked at them but they are not cheap & you still have to remember to change the batteries.


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## cheddarthief (Jun 18, 2013)

Meerkat said:


> Yes they do. I had to get new flares this spring & looked at them but they are not cheap & you still have to remember to change the batteries.


I found a USCG approved one for $55 and yes, that's not cheap. But a 4 pack of standard road flares is $15. Do that a few times and you've paid for the electric one. As for the batteries, I always carry a group of fresh batteries (different sizes) in the boat every year.


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## PatSea (Oct 10, 2004)

Meerkat is correct. The SOS electronic flare is recognized by the USCG and they sell it in a kit which includes the distress flag so the kit meets both day and night distress requirements. The price has been coming down lately. But as was said the owner needs to be sure the batteries are good.


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## Glen (Jun 11, 2017)

+1 on the bilge pump!


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## cheddarthief (Jun 18, 2013)

Glen said:


> +1 on the bilge pump!


I actually keep a spare pump with me on the boat. They swap out extremely quick. But yeah, I should probably have a manual bilge.


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## erie mako (Jan 22, 2013)

I once read a "one liner" that went...
"The most effective bilge pump is a scared man with a bucket"

Yes, I keep a bucket on the boat!


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

erie mako said:


> I once read a "one liner" that went...
> "The most effective bilge pump is a scared man with a bucket"
> 
> Yes, I keep a bucket on the boat!


Yeah! The guys we helped rescue were bailing with a Thermos Flask! So we put our pee-bucket in a landing net and passed it over.
And after that fiasco I went out and bought a manual bilge pump. With 2 bilge pumps on my boat I hope I never have to use the manual pump but at least I can lend it to some guy bailing with a Thermos Flask....


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

I added this to our safety equipment this year.


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## aquaholic2 (Feb 17, 2010)

Meerkat said:


> Yeah! The guys we helped rescue were bailing with a Thermos Flask! So we put our pee-bucket in a landing net and passed it over.
> And after that fiasco I went out and bought a manual bilge pump. With 2 bilge pumps on my boat I hope I never have to use the manual pump but at least I can lend it to some guy bailing with a Thermos Flask....


I have another question...is it a violation, or will inspectors require you to remove expired flares or gun cartridges from your boat....? I hate to throw the old ones out...in a crunch when my approved flares were exhausted the old ones might be a life saver...


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## PatSea (Oct 10, 2004)

It is not a violation to have expired flares or cartridges aboard as long as you have sufficient current ones. I think it is a good idea to have the out of date items in a separate container marked "EXPIRED".


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

I dont know if you are required to remove expired flares from your boat. But I can tell you that old flares are hard to light. You cannot just throw them in the garbage so I light them in my back yard and some of them are tough to get going - especially if more than a year out of date.


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## Raider16 (Oct 19, 2016)

When you purchase new flares check the date stamped on them to be sure they are from the current year, I’ve seen flares being sold from previous yrs on shelves


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## cheddarthief (Jun 18, 2013)

bobk said:


> View attachment 263617
> I added this to our safety equipment this year.


I just bought one like this but it’s about the size of a large Zippo lighter. Is that the expected size?


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

cheddarthief said:


> I just bought one like this but it’s about the size of a large Zippo lighter. Is that the expected size?


Mines about 2”x3.5”. You may have a different unit. Hopefully it never gets used.


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