Except as provided by 28.305, each vessel must be equipped with the distress signals specified in table 28.145.
Table 28.145--Distress Signals------------------------------------------------------------------------
Area Devices required------------------------------------------------------------------------Ocean, more than 50 miles from coastline.. 3 parachute flares, approval
series 160.136; plus 6 hand
flares, approval series
160.121; plus 3 smoke
signals, approval series
160.122.Ocean, 3-50 miles from the coastline; or 3 parachute flares, approval
more than 3 miles from the coastline on series 160.136, or 160.036;
the Great Lakes. plus 6 hand flares,
approval series 160.121 or
160.021; plus 3 smoke
signals, approval series
160.122, 160.022, or
160.037.Coastal waters, excluding the Great Lakes; Night visual distress
or within 3 miles of the coastline on the signals consisting of one
Great Lakes. electric distress light,
approval series 161.013 or
3 approved flares; plus Day
visual distress signals
consisting of one distress
flag, approval series
160.072, or 3 approved
flares, or 3 approved smoke
signals.\1\------------------------------------------------------------------------\1\ If flares are carried, the same 3 flares may be counted toward
meeting both the day and night requirement. [CGD 88-079, 56 FR 40393, Aug. 14, 1991, as amended at 60 FR 48048, Sept. 18, 1995; USCG-2000-7790, 65 FR 58458, Sept. 29, 2000]