anti collision warning

Phoenix of Hamble

Phoenix of Hamble

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mishapsandmemories.blogspot.com
Ouzo has got me round to thinking about the fact that we don't have any anti collision pyrotechnics on board.....

A quick trawl of the net reveals several sources of white handhelds.... but i've wondered whether a white rocket/parachute is more appropriate, given that it HAS to attract attention?

What do you carry?
 
Should also add, that my thoughts are:

A white handheld is still at deck level, so risks not being seen by a non observant lookout.... plus will devastate night vision at the very time it is most needed...

A white parachute risks not precisiely pinpointing your boat, but will hopefully be obvious to anyone on a bridge.....
 
I would've thought - if you have white sails - a powerful torch (or 12v wander light) would have similar effect to white handheld - it assumes you have the sails up at the time though - of course, your buggered once the battery fails, but then a white handheld flare can only be used once!
The white parachute flare will also effect the night vision of the person you're trying to attract the attention of - so not only do they not immediately pinpoint your position, but their vision is stuff too ...

So, I would think - Powerful torch AND a white flare or 2 ...

What about Reflective strips on the mast? Or will they bugger up your tricolour?
 
I do carry a powerful spotlight, that I pay particular care to keeping fully charged....

The reflective strips seem good.... certainly the ones i've seen on FullCircle are extraordinary in their effectiveness, but they do only work when a light is shined directly on them, and only then back in the direction of the light source....

I still think I need the flares as attention grabbers.... but the question is, handheld or parachute?
 
A para flare does leave a visible smoke trail going back to its origin, so although it's not pinpoint it will give an indication of where it came from, unless it's windy enough to shred the trail.

A h/held is VERY bright even in daytime, at night it's amazing. It would be my choice. Of course, neither are any good if the bloke on the bridge is back in the galley making a cuppa.
 
When burning a white smoke or shinning a powerfull torch on the sails, if the crew member (or even single hander) covers their eyes and looks away, their night vission should be preserved.

IMO if I had any concern that a ship was heading my way and I was on an unavoidable collision course (whatever the reason) then I would use ANY pyrotechnics to get their attention, red rockets included!
 
humhhhhhh

Can do much about the guy making a cuppa.....

Having only ever seen flares from a distance, I suppose i'm underestimating the illumination that a handheld gives off.....

Maybe thats the answer..... 3 handhelds in a waterproof tub for the same price as a single parachute....
 
My resolution after reading the report is that we will now always carry a white handheld flare in the cockpit when sailing at night and have a powerfull searchlight charged and ready to hand.
 
Wouldn't disagree with that!

I'm thinking of the situation where you have tried the ch16 call to no avail, and need to attract attention quickly, so that kind of confirms my thinking....

White handhelds it is.... and if I need a rocket, i'll fire the red off!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Point it directly at the bridge; maybe afterwards direct it at the sails

[/ QUOTE ] Thus blinding the Watchkeeper, so that he can't distinguish your boat? Surely pointing a beam (particularly a megazillion candlepower job) directly at the bridge is the absolute last resort when everything else - including illuminating your sails - has failed?

imho.
 
Having been very nearly Ouzo'ed myself in the Thames estuary in broad daylight calm seas, I had a 25 foot sloop with white mainsail, an orange genoa, beige and orange hull (I know, I know) completely beam on, unable to get out of the way as no engine and no wind, but only 50m inside the channel at 200m from West Hook Middle, still they didnt see me. Having got everyone into jackets and liferaft on deck, I decided to fire a mini flare at the bridge deck. We were probably only 5-700m from them at that point. It hit the window and bounced off.
Luckily it had the desired effect, and the freighter turned hard a port just in time. They missed us by about 25m, and we pirouhetted through 360 as they went by. Monrovia on the tail......

I did have an octohedral hanging off the backstay.
I didn't have a white collsion flare.
I had the mini flares in my pocket, and had used them before on Brecon Beacons during military training, to call up rescue services.

I didnt consider using a full red para, as that would have been too powerful to fire at the bridge. Also I had 10 miniflares in the pack, and could reload very quickly.

I now have a white flare in the companionway, and an Echomax 230 up the mast. I still carry miniflares in pocket for the same use, and also very useful if I fall overboard and need to attract attention.
 
When I updated my Miniflares some years ago I found they had discontinued the white ones. I rang up the company....."no demand- buy a white handheld" etc, etc.
Are they making them again now?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thus blinding the Watchkeeper, so that he can't distinguish your boat? Surely pointing a beam (particularly a megazillion candlepower job) directly at the bridge is the absolute last resort when everything else

[/ QUOTE ] I've had megazillions pointed at me, and I've seen white flares. I'd rate them roughly quits as attention getters. Very good. As point sources, they don't do too much damage to your night vision. Bit like lighthouses, really.

And if you haven't got a megazillion, definitely, don't think twice, straight at that bridge. And smile when he turns on his gigazillion seachlight to see you more clearly, even if that blinds you with the reflection off your sails.
 
Agree with the principle of of bringing attention to oneself with the aid of a sensible spotlight on the bridge! However be prepared to be burn't out of the water by the multiple searchlights promptly directed at you in return!! Last time off Harwich approaches could see thru the Hull!. quite disconcerting....
 
[ QUOTE ]
And smile when he turns on his gigazillion seachlight to see you more clearly, even if that blinds you with the reflection off your sails.

[/ QUOTE ]
I've had this happen to me going up the Elbe the first time and it wasn't funny. I was keeping to starboard of the green buoys but to port of the beacons as advised. Very dark night, I was running under engine into a F6 SE with the tide and all my navigation lights were working. A ship in the main channel turned a gigazillion light onto me. Fortunately I wasn't looking at the ship at the time, but I reckon I could see the bones in my hand reflected on the cockpit sides like an xray the light was so bright. As a result I couldn't see a thing for a good few minutes, or so it seemed as I couldn't read my watch. When my night vision recovered I was just able to miss one of the fixed beacons. I dread to think what would have happened to my little 23 footer if I had hit it square on.
 
But at least you had the reassurance of knowing that he had seen you /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

My 1million candlepower rechargeable was picked up by an aircraft at over 10 miles. Usually shining it in the general direction of the ship rather than specifically at the bridge is sufficient to get their attention. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
My resolution after reading the report is that we will now always carry a white handheld flare in the cockpit when sailing at night and have a powerful searchlight charged and ready to hand.

[/ QUOTE ]
Has anyone sourced a suitable Tupperware type container for holding a white handheld flare that will be routinely kept in the cockpit? My concern is that exposure to damp conditions might cause the thing to misfire just when time is critical. I am aware of the option to wrap in plastic but I don't want to waste 30 seconds trying to tear apart a plastic wrapper and parcel tape with cold hands when a monster hull is bearing down on me.
 
I have a cupboard that houses the steering gear on the back of the main bulkhead. It has clips for emergency gear - knife, pliers foghorn and white flares. 22mm plastic pipe clips are exactly the right size for Paynes Wessex collision flares.
 
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