Outfitting the Tender

[Finally Fun Again]

Always have anchor and line - as well as CHAIN and PADLOCK - depending upon where we are. (Had dink stolen out from under us in Spanish Virgins - chain cut!). Always have hand held VHF and FLARES and plenty of fuel. Flares are required in dinks in Key West, FL (but not rest of FL). Terrible things can happen quickly on the water...be prepared.

 

[k9medic]

Flares are required in dinks in Key West, FL (but not rest of FL). .

I didn't see this as a city ordinance when boating in city waters and FL statute doesn't require this as you mentioned.

What was the reference you were given?

 

[k9medic]

We keep stuff on the dinghy to a bare minimum mostly due to storage issues. Life jackets and some oars are all that we have. 99% of the time we are within a 1/2 mile from shore so I'm not too concerned although we have done some longer trips between islands in the Bahamas

 

[psneeld]

I didn't see this as a city ordinance when boating in city waters and FL statute doesn't require this as you mentioned.

What was the reference you were given?

required bythe USCG if operating at night, even manually propelled.

day signals not required if under 16 or manually propelled.

has nothing to do with Key West or Florida in general.

once opetating in wates less than 2 miles wide, no vessels are required.

sorry for sideways pic, only way it would fit and be readable.

 

[k9medic]

I'm familiar with that regulation but was wondering why it was posted as "Flares are required in dinks in Key West, FL (but not rest of FL)"

Perhaps since it's an island?

 

[psneeld]

Yep, and they are required all over Florida if required by the Federal regulation.

There is no blanket statewide "no requirement."

 

[Finally Fun Again]

I didn't see this as a city ordinance when boating in city waters and FL statute doesn't require this as you mentioned.

What was the reference you were given?

Our reference are the police in the police boat who pulled us over coming out of the area around the Coast Guard station... apparently a routine 'check us out'. We gave them everything they ask for, (registration, etc.) until the question came to flares. We are from FL -- never heard of flares required either. We were told they are required in dinks in Key West. Just as we were about to get cited, some Yahoos nearly ran us all over in their dink. The cops took off after the drunks and we got no citation! But we left the encounter saying, "gee, flares on board are a GREAT idea and why had we not thought of that!!"