Flare compliance for Sydney offshore boaters below par

In October, NSW Maritime issued a warning to skippers heading offshore from Sydney – ensure flares are on board and in date, or pay the price.

This followed a concerning number of skippers detected with expired flares - or no flares at all – during patrols offshore from Sydney in the previous few weeks.

In all, there was a disappointing 80 per cent non-compliance with the requirement to carry a minimum of two red hand flares and two orange smoke flares.

Many vessel skippers were carrying the correct number of flares for their vessel type. However, the flares were not in date.

It is crucial to remember that most flares have a shelf life of only three years – after which they need to be replaced, or kept on board as back up to the correct number of in-date flares required for your vessel size.

All flares are stamped with an expiry date.

Skippers can be given on-the-spot fines of $80 for not carrying the appropriate safety equipment. This amount is set to increase soon with the implementation of new marine safety regulations.

Flares are used to signal that you are in trouble and provide an exact location for searching aircraft or vessels.

There was generally good compliance with the carriage of other compulsory safety equipment for vessels travelling offshore, such as marine radios, fresh drinking water, compass, sound signals, distress signals, lifejackets, and bilge pumps.