Five out of six Alaska boating fatalities are due to capsizing or falling overboard, according to Jeff Johnson, the head of the Alaska Office of Boating Safety.
"We tell people it's not enough to have signals in the boat. You should have signals on your person, some way to get attention," Johnson said.
Three types of flares available are orange smoke flares, hand-held flares and parachute flares, according to Lt. j.g. Tim Boettner, stationed aboard the USCGC Hickory.
"The only time you'll ever see orange smoke on water is when someone needs help," Boettner said. "They are no doubt a signal to anyone within sight of that smoke that you need help."
While smoke flares work during the day, the blinding brilliance of hand-held flares and parachute flares are well suited for night use.
"Every mariner knows that flames mean there's a problem and that someone needs assistance," Boettner said.
Teresa Bennett, Kachemak Gear Shed's flare expert, said boating safety kits are available in different configurations and meet different requirements. The 12-guage kit complete with a couple of flares, a couple of smoke signals, a mirror and a distress flag costs about $38.
Safety precautions aren't just for mariners, Bennett reminds.
"I hike in the backcountry a lot alone, and I really do go with a pack of pocket rockets, a mirror and a whistle," she said. "I never travel without those things. Anyone going in the backcountry should be thinking about safety like that."
For more information on safe boating, visit the Web at www.alaskaboatingsafety.org.
"There are different requirements that boaters need to have on board," Boettner said. "If people aren't sure, they should call the Coast Guard Auxiliary and get a courtesy exam of their boat done."
To schedule a courtesy vessel safety exam, call Auxiliarist Tom Youngblood at 226-2149 or 299-3729, or request an exam at www.vesselsafetycheck.org.
