BOATsmart! Canada
Knowledge Base

In the event of an emergency, you can use any of the following Code Flags or distress signal types to signal distress, and your need for assistance:

• The International Signal for Distress: Code Flag ‘N’ (November) flown above Code Flag ‘C’ (Charlie).
• An orange distress cloth (or flag), displaying a black square and a black circle, identifiable from the air.
• A dye marker, which will colour the water around your boat, signalling your need for assistance.
• An Emergency Position Indicating Response Beacon (EPIRB), which sends a distress signal via satellite to a monitoring center (EPIRBs must be registered with the National Beacon Registry).
• A high intensity white light flashing 50 to 70 times per minute.
• A square shape (or arrangement of items resembling a square shape) positioned on your boat, or in the water near your boat.
• Slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering your outstretched arms
• Continuously sounding a portable horn or whistle, either at one minute intervals or by sounding S.O.S. (three short blasts, followed by three long blasts, and then three short blasts). You can also signals S.O.S. using your watertight flashlight.
• Sounding a fog signal, firearm, or other explosive sound at one minute intervals.