Flares & Flare Guns

Shop Boat Flares and Flare Guns

All boats 16 feet or more in length are required to carry flares and daytime visual distress signals when operating in US Coast Guard (USCG) regulated waters including the Great Lakes. We carry coast guard approved flares to meet regulations and give you a way to signal rescue services in an emergency. We also carry SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) flares that meet stricter standards and are required to be carried by sailboats participating in races organized under the International Sailing Federation and commercial boats that venture more than 50 miles offshore.

Handheld Boat Flares

Handheld marine flares are available in pyrotechnic or smoke types. Smoke flares are for day use only but many pyrotechnic signals are approved for day- or night-time use. USCG regulations mandate that boats more than16 feet in length carry three night-time signals and three day-time signals, but we recommend that you carry double the required amount. You’ll be thankful you have them if you ever need to draw attention in an emergency.

Boat Flare Guns

Flare guns launch aerial meteor flares. These flares are also approved for day or night-time use and can reach a height of 500’ to alert rescue services or other boats.

SOLAS Flares

SOLAS flares are a step up from USCG approved flares and meet stricter standards set by the international safety organization Safety of Life at Sea. SOLAS parachute flares ascend to more than 1,000' and burn at 30,000 candela for 40 seconds which is twice and high and almost twice as bright compared to USCG flares.

Flare Kits

Flare kits bundle multiple flare and signal types into an easy to stow kit. Popular kits from Orion include a launcher, handheld pyrotechnics flares and a handheld smoke flare.