Published 13 years ago, updated 6 years ago

The full story can be read at www.bwsailing.com

Boaters beware of this new system if you cruise in Southern New England.

The Coast Guard is implementing the use of a non-lethal signaling and warning device to support the service’s ports waterways and coastal security mission along Southeastern New England.

The LA51 signal and warning device is fired from a 12-gauge military shotgun to produce a visible and audible signal at a range of 100 meters. Training will be conducted in a designated firing range offshore and it will be used in approved locations throughout Cape Cod, The Islands, and Rhode Island.

The LA51 signal and warning device is considered a safer alternative to the current warning devices used by Coast Guard personnel. It is a shorter range round, and the flash and noise produced by the device are more prominent than a splash in the water caused by the M16 tracer round. Additionally, the Department of Defense’s joint non-lethal weapons program has determined through their testing that the LA51 has a low risk of significant injury.

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