WITH the present boom in the yachting and boating industry rising steadily each year, as more and more people seek and enjoy pleasurable pastimes afloat, there is also a growing anxiety from the marine rescue associations generally about the apparent lack of knowledge concerning the carriage of adequate distress flares.

There are Department of Trade and Industry regulations specifying the life-saving equipment and distress pyrotechnics that must be carried by all sea-going yachts of 45 feet and over. In 1971 the Department of Trade and Industry drew up a set of recommendations, intended to guide owners and operators of sea-going pleasure craft of less than 45 feet on the safety equipment which should be carried. Needs in excess of these will vary according to the size and type of craft, the conditions and area of intended operations. This paper recommends that all pleasure craft over 18 feet should carry 'six distress flares of which two should be of the rocket parachute type and daylight distress (smoke) signals', and pleasure craft under 18 feet should carry 'at least two distress signals— adequate distress signals should always be carried where practicable, even in sheltered waters'.

But—what is adequate distress equipment? Just what should be carried ? Of what type and how many? Department of Trade and Industry regulations, applying to 'every yacht of 45 feet in length and over, which sails outside smooth water limits as defined in Schedule One, Rule Two of the Merchant Shipping (Life-SavingAppliances) Rules of 1965', state that either six approved rocket parachute signals or six approved red star signals must be carried. The choice of specific pyrotechnics should be made in relation to the kind of cruising in which the yacht will be engaged—many deep-water yachtsmen also carry signals, such as hand flares, in addition to this legal minimum requirement.

Craft under 45 feet fall into several categories, each requiring differing distress signals; for the sailing dinghy, usually sailing in company and/or within partially smooth water limits, three hand flares or one Miniflare pack; for the off-shore cruiser, usually confined to coastal waters rarely more than 10 to 15 miles off land, four hand flares and two rocket parachute flares; for the deep-water cruiser, often sufficiently far from land for rescue reliance to be placed on passing ships or aircraft, six rocket parachute flares, four hand flares and one buoyant orange smoke signal.

Schermuly Ltd. manufacture a complete range of officially approved marine distress pyrotechnics, including rocket parachute flares, red and white hand flares, day and night signals, red star signals and radar reflective signals —a range with an applicable distress signal for the smallest dinghy right up to the largest liners and tankers; a range which has been specifically designed to comply with international regulations.

The company's Icarus rocket parachute flare (red) is the best all-round distress signal available.

The rocket's payload is ejected at 1,200 feet with a visibility range of 35-40 miles on aclear night. Even in daylight its visibility range is six to seven miles. These Icarus rocket parachute flares should be standard equipment on all craft likely to sail more than two miles from land.

Although the Schermuly hand flare (red) is a 20,000 candle power signal, it must be remembered that its visibility range is restricted by horizon limitations making it unlikely for observers to see at a greater distance than four to five miles. For this reason, hand flares should be regarded as short-visibility range distress signals, useful close to the shore or to other craft. Hand flares are also used for indicating the exact position of survivors when a marine rescue operation is under way, but they should not be used as initial off-shore distress indicators.

The company's day signals, emitting a large volume of dense orange smoke, are either floating or hand held. Although effective in calm weather, it should be remembered that wind tends to disperse smoke rather quickly, making it difficult to detect at sea level, although it is still plainly visible from the air.

Visibility is rarely more than two or three miles, so smoke signals should be supplemented with flares.

Their red star signals are primarily for use in small boats. They take several forms and their performances vary widely. They may be hand held signals, rockets ejecting stars at high altitudes or stars ejected from a gun such as a 1 inch Very pistol.

A star signalling device which has proved very popular among dinghy sailors is the Schermuly Miniflare, a truly pocket-sized distress signal consisting of a pen-type projector and eight screw-on red cartridges fitted into a compact, plastic pack. A firearms certificate, obtainable free of charge from your local police station, is required for the Miniflare.

The company's Radaflare has a combination of free-falling red stars and radar reflective dipoles. This payload is ejected at approximately 1,350 feet where two red stars ignite and the radar reflective dipoles form a 'cloud' which produces a clear, gradually dissipating echo on a P.P.I, screen. The average range of an aircraft's radar detection is 20 miles, and of a ship's radar nine miles with a duration of five to 20 minutes depending on the wind force. This signal is especially useful in fog or poor visibility weather, when visual distress pyrotechnics can be rendered virtually useless.

Their hand flare (white) is not truly a distress signal but can often obviate the need for distress pyrotechnics by indicating a craft's presence at night to an oncoming ship. Remember that a yacht's navigation lights are not very bright so an early warning is a wise precaution.

Schermuly Ltd. produce special sets of theirmarine distress pyrotechnics, available in prepacked waterproof containers, to meet the requirements of various classes of yachtsmen.

The Deep Water Pack, comprising six Icarus rocket parachute flares, four hand flares and one buoyant orange smoke signal, and the Cruiser Pack containing six Icarus rocket parachute flares. Both packs comply with D.o.T.I. requirements for vessels of 45 feet and over. The Offshore Pack, very popular for small and medium sized yachts, comprises two Icarus rocket parachute flares and four hand flares. The Dinghy Pack, for the small boat and inshore sailor, contains three hand flares.

Throughout 1972, starting at the Boat Show on the R.N.L.I.'s Y.L.A. stand and also through Schermuly's network of sales agents throughout the U.K., Schermuly's dinghy, Offshore, and cruiser distress signal packs will be available to Y.L.A. members and associates at reduced rates of at least 10 per cent. To avail himself of this offer, the member should complete and cut out the coupon on page 247 and present it to the local chandler whose name appears on the back of the coupon. In addition to helping themselves those Y.L.A. members and associates who take advantage of this offer will be helping the R.N.L.I. to aid others in distress, as Schermuly will also be making a contribution to the R.N.L.I.'s funds for each pack sold under this scheme.

Safety at Sea with Pyrotechnics—part II, The correct use of pyrotechnics and sighting report procedures, will be published in our April issue..