What is accurate about visual distress signals for kayaks under 16 feet?

• A. Not required by law for kayaks under 16 feet; recommended
• B. Optional for kayaks under 16 feet
• C. Mandatory for all kayaks regardless of length
• D. Required only for night operation

Answer: (B)

Visual distress signals are about attracting attention when you’re in trouble. For kayaks under 16 feet, there is no legal requirement to carry them, so having visual distress signals is optional. That doesn’t mean they aren’t useful—carrying signaling devices can be a smart precaution if you’re in remote waters or out of sight of shore, where help might take longer. If you paddle after dark, you should be visible with a light and still consider other signaling methods, but the rule does not require visual distress signals for small kayaks simply because it’s nighttime.

The other options don’t fit because the law doesn’t mandate these signals for all kayaks regardless of length, nor does it make them mandatory only at night.