I think there needs to be a little practical perspective added to this discussion before it ends. Please bare with me and stick to the end...
In boating there is no always or never. Whatever we are discussing normally involves what you sail, where you sail and how you sail.
First no one on these forums is the average american boater. The simple fact that we are following and participating in these threads is because we care enough to want to learn what might be a "better" "safer" way to operate our vessels.
The average american boater today has a 25' runabout or bass boat on a trailer. The first is the recreational boater out for the day with family or friends. The other finds fishing there favorite pastime and it happens to involve a boat again out for the day.
These are who the US Coast Guard developed the electronic VDS for. Because the USCG found that the great majority these people didn't know how to properly maintain or safely use flares. These are the operators that fall into the "it has a wheel and a key I can do this just fine" category.
So first let's deal with the facts.
There is the legal requirement in the US to carry USCG approved VDS.
Here is the link to the carriage requirements.
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/CG-ENG-4/VDS/ open the PDF table at the bottom
Find Electric SOS at the bottom
Please note it is approved for all recreational vessels at night, but the only other approval is Commercial Fishing vessels WITHIN 3 Miles of the coast. This is because it is low intensity and low elevation (surface to 4 feet above the water, if you hold it up)
So yes it meets your "minimum legal requirements" for recreational vessels.
Sure it is great alternative for bays, rivers, harbors and NEAR shore. Where your average boater operates.
For your dingy, tender, kayak, etc. very practical.
And the USCG determined it was more likely to be a functional solution for the average recreational boater.
Now "minimum legal" vs reality/practical.
Where do you cruise? Only inland/coastal? Offshore out of sight of land?
Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico?
There is no limitation against using better quality SOLAS approved signals if you do.
The still fulfill the legal requirements. Yes they cost a lot more than the cheap 12 gauge & handheld stuff.
Do you carry a life raft? SOLAS approved? Then it gets inspected and maintained regularly.
So should any VDS electric or otherwise.
Do you only carry only the legal minimum for fire extinguishers?
Do you inspect them regularly?
Many things we do on our boats are inherently dangerous. I have a gas boat if I don't run the blowers before I start the engines I can kill myself. If I don't wear my lifejacket while raising or lower the anchor I can slip fall overboard and drown. If I work on the engines while they are running I can lose a finger or hand in a belt. Do you carry a portable gas generator on your diesel boat, where do you store it? run it?
Flares are no more inherently dangerous then many other devices we carry if stored and used properly.
Now why do I feel this way? I am also like psneeld, I am retired USCG petty officer and former CG Auxiliarist. Back then I crewed 95 & 82 ft Patrol boats, 44 & 36 Motor lifeboats, 41 Utility boats, my own 22 Mako countless Aux vessels from 65 down to 20. And all this was 1976-1996. Pre public GPS, few recreational boats had LORAN-C many didn't even carry a VHF, they were pricey. Visual Distress Signals were the norm.
I have responded to thousand of SAR incidents. Used hundreds of white ICARUS night illumination parachute flares, essentially the same as a SOLAS red parachute, I never had one fail to fire. And most were navy stock 25-30 years old at the time (CG never threw anything away). I did hundreds of training flares for boat crews, Auxiliarists and the public and never had a failed flare that I can recall (thats was non expired). I have had public provided old expired flares that failed. But I could tell you ahead of time the ones likely not to fire, corroded brass, soft cases, obviously damp improperly stored flares.
I do not believe flares are inherently "unreliable". Batteries go dead too if not maintained properly.
As I started to each his own depending on your needs and habits.
I joined these forums because I was out of boating for almost 20 years. I wanted to get back up to speed.
I operate a 1994 30' Sea Ray 300 Sundancer Express cruiser twin I/O gasoline. I go inland, coastal and offshore, I intend to go to the Bahamas. I have a DSC-VHF with dedicated GPS head, secondary ICOM VHF & ICOM HF SSB below decks, hand held VHF, ACR EPIRB, parachute flares and yes an EVDS with 10 year Lithium batteries for legal requirements.
I believe in Murphy's Law
The only time you need a Visual Distress Signal is an EMERGENCY
There is no running out to West Marine to get more new flares or batteries when the **** has hit the fan.
Travel safe.
PatH
