can anyone rank the following signaling devices below for a person lost at sea from best to worst? i have ranked them like this: 1. signaling mirror 2. smoke signal 3. rocket parachute flare 4. handheld flare
I'lll assume you started on a boat. That being the case, a Very pistol (or modern equivalent) is your best bet, good day or night, with the right cartridge. After that, it's a toss up between a mirror (good days only) and some other widget that flares and smokes. Not any longer a mariner, I don't know what else is available. If your boat isn't big enough to carry something good for day or night, you have no business out on the big water. That said, one might be marooned on a raft by pirates (dont laugh, it happens in Southeast Asia all the time) I'd go with a mirror first, then the rest as you have them.
I am assuming that you are ranking them based on "if I can only have one" then if I can only have two and so forth. The reason I like the mirror best is that it can't malfunction unless you smash it to smitherines. It also won't ever stop working. The other items can malfunction. Second reason is that the mirror can be seen the furthest away of all the others. Now, that eans it is a day only item. Therefore, I would move the hand held flare up to number two. The smoke followed by the pen flare. You have the best potential for hurting yourself with the pen/rocket flare. Just my opinion.
