--- title: Recognized distress signals for boaters description: "Distress signals universally recognized: Arm signal, emergency position indicating radio beacons, signal transmitted by radiotelephony," image: https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21118949/courses/ccep2021/images/signaux-de-detresse.png --- Boat distress signals are used to indicate that a vessel is in distress. The operator of a pleasure craft shall recognize, use or display boat distress signals. The most common boat distress signals include: ### Arm signal   Arm signal: outstretch your arms on each side and do slow repetitive gestures from top to bottom. (Do not use this technique near a helicopter because this gesture does not mean the same thing to a helicopter pilot); ![Arm signal distress](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/arm-signal-hr.png?width=1100&height=619&name=arm-signal-hr.png) ### EPIRB Emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB): this is used to signal an emergency location.   ![EPIRB](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/gps-epirb.png?width=793&height=793&name=gps-epirb.png) ### Radiotelephony Signal transmitted by radiotelephony or by any other signal system ![Radiotelephony](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/marine-radio.png?width=816&height=694&name=marine-radio.png) ### S O S **S O S **(…---…) in Morse code or possibly using a flashlight ![S O S (…---…) in Morse code or possibly using a flashlight](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/distress-signal-torch.png?width=1100&height=581&name=distress-signal-torch.png) ### Shot gun A **shot gun **or other explosive signal may be fired at intervals of about 1 minute; ![Shot gun](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/shotgun-hr-2.png?width=1100&height=619&name=shotgun-hr-2.png) ### Boat distress flag (N and C) Use **distress flag N and C **from the International Code of Signals; ![boat distress flag N and C](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/distress-flags-n-and-c-hr-1.png?width=1100&height=928&name=distress-flags-n-and-c-hr-1.png) ### Signalling device A **continuous sound **with any fog-signalling device;   ![Signalling device](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/sound-signal-hr-2-1.png?width=1100&height=746&name=sound-signal-hr-2-1.png) ### Multi Star Red Flare **Rockets or shells that shoot up red stars **one at a time at short intervals;   ![Multi Star Red Flare](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/multi-star-flare-hr.png?width=1100&height=619&name=multi-star-flare-hr.png) ### Rocket parachute flare **[A rocket parachute flare](https://aceboater.com/flares) or hand flare **shoots up a red light; ![Rocket parachute flare](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/parachute-flare-hr.png?width=1100&height=619&name=parachute-flare-hr.png) ### Smoke signal flare [A ](https://aceboater.com/flares)**[smoke signal](https://aceboater.com/flares) **that gives off orange coloured smoke;   ![Smoke signal flare](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/orange-smoke-hr.png?width=1100&height=619&name=orange-smoke-hr.png) ### Dye marker ![Dye marker](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/dye-marker-hr.png?width=1100&height=619&name=dye-marker-hr.png) ### Boat distress flag A **piece of orange canvas **with a black square and a black circle; ![boat distress flag](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/orange-flag-hr-1.png?width=1100&height=533&name=orange-flag-hr-1.png) ### Square shape  ![Square shape](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/orange-square-hr-1.png?width=1100&height=533&name=orange-square-hr-1.png) ### High intensity white light A **high intensity white light **flashed at regular intervals of 50 to 70 times per minute; ![High intensity white light](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/pcoc2021/images/flashlight.png?width=1100&height=674&name=flashlight.png) ### Square flag** **with a ball A **signal consisting of a square flag **with a ball or anything resembling a ball. ![Square flag with ball](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/orange-flag-hr-2.png?width=1000&height=696&name=orange-flag-hr-2.png) - [** Follow Ace Boater on YouTube ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJABNcQHyTGe3ta_lZJ4exw) - [** Join Ace Boater on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/AceBoater) - [** Contact Ace Boater ](https://course.aceboater.com/en/contact) - [** AceBoater on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/aceboater/) - [** AceBoater on X ](https://twitter.com/AceboaterCanada) [![Ace Boater - Boating license and exam online](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21118949/aceboater/brand/ace-boater.svg)](https://aceboater.com/canada) #### Boating License & Pleasure Craft Operator Card online exam - Accredited Transport Canada [↑](https://aceboater.com/distress-signals#top) - [Refund Policy](https://aceboater.com/refund-policy) - [Privacy Policy](https://aceboater.com/privacy-policy) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "WebPage", "breadcrumb" : { "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@id" : "https://aceboater.com/canada", "@type" : "WebPage", "name" : "Home" }, "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@id" : "https://aceboater.com/boat-license-canada", "@type" : "WebPage", "name" : "FAQ" }, "position" : 2 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@id" : "https://aceboater.com/safe-boating-course-review", "@type" : "WebPage", "name" : "Table of Contents" }, "position" : 3 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@id" : "https://aceboater.com/emergency-situations-boating-safety", "@type" : "WebPage", "name" : "Emergency Situations - Capsizing - Running Aground - Man Overboard" }, "position" : 4 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@id" : "https://aceboater.com/distress-signals", "@type" : "WebPage", "name" : "Recognized distress signals for boaters" }, "position" : 5 } ] }, "dateModified" : "2024-04-08T09:17:23.035-0400", "datePublished" : "2022-03-01T14:31:08.000-0500", "description" : "Distress signals universally recognized: Arm signal, emergency position indicating radio beacons, signal transmitted by radiotelephony,", "headline" : "Recognized distress signals for boaters", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21118949/courses/ccep2021/images/signaux-de-detresse.png" }, "lastReviewed" : "2024-04-08T09:17:23.035-0400", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21118949/aceboater/brand/ace-boater.svg" }, "name" : "E.S.N.N.A. 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