Flares and EVDS Requirements

Flares and EVDS requirements. All registrable vessels and non-registrable vessels.

The Department of Transport Marine Safety website advises that all vessels operating outside protected waters and more than 400m from shore must carry flares or electronic visual distress signals (EVDS). This applies to registrable and non-registrable vessels. When operating beyond 400 metres, from shore in the ocean in unprotected waters, you must carry at least 2 handheld red flares and 2 handheld orange flares.

You can carry an EVDS instead of flares if a GPS-enabled Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is carried or GPS-enabled Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is worn.

Types of flares and EVDS:

There are 3 main types of distress flares approved for use in Western Australia. All flares must be manufactured to Australian Standard AS 2092-2004 or comply with AMSA’s Marine Orders Part 25.

Orange smoke flares:

• emit a cloud of orange smoke.

• are designed for day use only and have no luminosity.

Orange hand-held flares burn for about 60 seconds. The potential sighting range for orange smoke flares by day is 4 kilometres, although this can drop to less than 1 kilometres in a fresh breeze. These flares are especially visible from aircraft, even on windy days.

Red hand-held flares:

• are designed for use both night and day.

• burn for about 45 seconds at 15,000 candle power.

• have a potential sighting range at night is 10 to 12 km and about 4 to 6 km during the day.

Red parachute distress rockets:

• are designed for use both night and day.

• project a rocket to 300 metres high and then deploy a parachute-suspended red flare, which burns for about 40 seconds at 30,000 candle power.

• have a potential sighting range of 15 kilometres by day and 40 kilometres at night.

NOTE: Parachute flares will be phased out by 1 September 2026.

Electronic Visual Distress Signals (EVDS)

Have you recently switched to an EVDS?   All newly purchased EVDS devices should be removed from packaging and checked for batteries and functionality. Test the unit and become familiar with how to operate the device before storing your EVDS onboard in an easily accessible position. Grab bags are great for this!

All EVDS must be of a type approved by DoT in a notice published in the Government Gazette. These approved devices meet specific standards.

Currently, seven EVDS meet DoT’s requirements and have been approved for use:

• 547 Orion Electronic SOS Beacon Locator

• ACR Electronics ResQFlare

• Lonako (LNK-ERS1) Electronic Rescue Signal Light

• Tektite SOSeFlare 5th Gen

• Sirius Signal C-1003 SOS Distress Light

• Sirius Signal C-1004 SOS Distress Light

• Odeo Electronic Visual Distress SOS Signal Flare.

(Credit:   Department of Transport Marine Safety).