I'm not necessarily against requiring locater devices on all off shore boats. What size boat would be considered, or would it just be if you are caught offshore. I sometimes see people in jon boats out further than 3 miles.
The op implied that the devices should be made affordable and required. My point about that is, affordable and required is not how things work out.
I just checked the price of 4 boat flares at WM, almost $28. Six not for boat flares, about $14 (plus a handy traffic vest). What is it that makes the boat flares so much more money, the uscg approval, the way they are made (they burn differently), or could it be the requirement.
I carried a box of 30 minute flares around for years (not the same ones) and never had a problem getting them to light. They stayed lit in the rain. Like anything else, you had to check them once in a while. If the whole box got soaked, it would need to be replaced. I keep my boat flares in watertight container, but I would imagine they need to stay dry as well.
That stated, I see the day coming that every boat will need to have a locator that is on at all times.
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