Disposal of flares to become even more difficult.

[RunAgroundHard]

It seems strange to me that a representative of the RYA which itself is part of World Sailing should not support the use of flares, items that are mandated for Cat 4 and above races. Cat 4 races are defined as "Short races, close to shore in relatively warm or protected waters normally held in daylight."

The article does not say that support for flares is not given. In fact the article gives an example of a situation where flares may be required, which is supported by the author as a case for carrying flares. The article probably should have made the RYA’s stance clear.

 

[Helidan]

I work at a liferaft service station and pyro disposal is indeed a nightmare. We don't generally have any problem taking in time expired pyros but storage can be an issue - we're only permitted to have a certain amount of NEC (net explosive content) on site. It is definitely something that need addressing.

 

[dunedin]

It seems strange to me that a representative of the RYA which itself is part of World Sailing should not support the use of flares, items that are mandated for Cat 4 and above races. Cat 4 races are defined as "Short races, close to shore in relatively warm or protected waters normally held in daylight."

I believe the quotes were of RNLI and MCA views, not directly RYA ones. However from other statements I believe the RYA is pro the modern methods, neutral (rather than active promoter) on pyrotechnics, and in favour of ancient international rules being modernised.

 

[dunedin]

One thing I would like to see is a combined PLB/MOB AIS device. If I go over the side, I do a lot of single handed passages, I want every watch keeper in a radius of five NM to be be made aware that I was in the water and conscious, AND the Coastguard to start a rescue rolling as it very likely that anybody in the water for any length of time is going to hospital with hypothermia and monitor for secondary drowning.

This has been raised many times on here, and the challenge to date has been unable to get regulatory approval.
In the meantime you can achieve this by carrying both- which I am doing right now. MOB AIS in lifejacket and PLB in accessible pocket. I refuse to carry explosives personally, though have a few below decks which are unlikely to be replaced when 4 years past date.

 

[capnsensible]

Do people who refuse to carry explosives use electric cookers? Not easy on a yacht at sea..... .

 

[boomerangben]

I spend my working day with a day/night flare under my left armpit, as do all my colleagues. I’m glad it’s there. I have spent many hours doing searches for persons in water. A head is so small and hard to see. Yachts in a seaway when there’s white water is surprisingly difficult to see from the air. Picking out a yacht in an anchorage amongst others would be hard. Each to their own and maybe the chance of needing pyros is small compared with cost and convenience. But that one day you might need it, your rescuers might thank you for making their job a little easier. And those rescuers might be from a boat a mile away without fancy gadgets

 

[Rappey]

Hand held torches are tipping the 100,000 lumens mark nowadays. Pretty hard not to see that even on a bright summers day ?

 

[justanothersailboat]

I think at this rate I'd be prepared to take a hefty risk of dying unrescued rather than deal with the massive arseache of having a lockerful of decaying fireworks I'm not allowed to bin that I'm not allowed to have the fun of letting off either. But it's not a hefty risk. Not having flares is a tiny risk increase in an already very safe pursuit.

Also, everyone should weigh up very seriously (a) "died in a yachting accident" vs (b) "died after ten years of dribbling on themselves". And then everyone who chose option b should be shot.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I think at this rate I'd be prepared to take a hefty risk of dying unrescued rather than deal with the massive arseache of having a lockerful of decaying fireworks I'm not allowed to bin that I'm not allowed to have the fun of letting off either. But it's not a hefty risk. Not having flares is a tiny risk increase in an already very safe pursuit.

Also, everyone should weigh up very seriously (a) "died in a yachting accident" vs (b) "died after ten years of dribbling on themselves". And then everyone who chose option b should be shot.

Instead of dying with a sword in my hand when the time comes I'll settle for a tiller.
Given the average age of yachting peeps, (a) and (b) is highly likely to go together.

 

[KeelsonGraham]

It’s incredibly easy to dispose of all pyrotechnics. Just trot along to Ocean Safety or similar and pay your £2 per device. Why should it be anyone else’s problem but your own?

 

[Sandy]

It’s incredibly easy to dispose of all pyrotechnics. Just trot along to Ocean Safety or similar and pay your £2 per device. Why should it be anyone else’s problem but your own?

You pay to return your old pyrotechnics! You are going to the wrong place.

 

[justanothersailboat]

It's not so bad if you're somewhere that actually has a paid disposal service, no, providing it's not full...

 

[dunedin]

You pay to return your old pyrotechnics! You are going to the wrong place.

So where do you get a free disposal service - except the occasional MCA one being discontinued. Many chandleries will charge to take them back when buying a new set, but some will only take them if buying more pyros - which isn’t a lot of help if trying to get rid of them.

 

[Sandy]

So where do you get a free disposal service - except the occasional MCA one being discontinued. Many chandleries will charge to take them back when buying a new set, but some will only take them if buying more pyros - which isn’t a lot of help if trying to get rid of them.

The boat is in Plymouth, so a few miles from you. As I've said above I'm not planning to get rid of my pyrotechnics so happy to hand back my old ones when I get my new ones.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

You pay to return your old pyrotechnics! You are going to the wrong place.

Where do you not pay to dispose of TEPs? My research in Scotland, suggests that old for new at chandlers is built into price, as online is a lot cheaper, and that Ocean Safety is about £2 a pop to dispose. It would be interesting to know what organisation provides provides a free service, as I believe you imply.

 

[awol]

Maybe this should be a subject for the creative minds of Practical Boat Owner? I can think of several ways of disposing of TEPs, some downright dangerous but spectacular, others downright boring. Popping them into a dustbin is not one of MY ideas!

 

[Sandy]

Where do you not pay to dispose of TEPs? My research in Scotland, suggests that old for new at chandlers is built into price, as online is a lot cheaper, and that Ocean Safety is about £2 a pop to dispose. It would be interesting to know what organisation provides provides a free service, as I believe you imply.

I'm am an economic migrant in Plymouth, Englandshire. There are several local chandleries that will take old for new. I refuse to buy pyrotechnics online as you cannot guarantee the date of manufacture.

What is a TEP?

 

[thinwater]

Not interested in joining the debate, but ...

The US and Canadian coast guards have approved specific electronic distress signals. Advantages include a signal is "SOS," making it recognizable as distress and not just a light, they run 6-8 hours or more, and accidents are reduce (they wanted to get pyros away from untrained boaters for years--many serious accidents).

 

[Sandy]

Not interested in joining the debate, but ...

The US and Canadian coast guards have approved specific electronic distress signals. Advantages include a signal is "SOS," making it recognizable as distress and not just a light, they run 6-8 hours or more, and accidents are reduce (they wanted to get pyros away from untrained boaters for years--many serious accidents).

Not joining the debate, but have been watching a few things about the US Coast Guard on YouTube and understand why they might want to do that.

 

[oldharry]

Used to be the case that SAR Helos would ask the casualty to set off an orange smoke during a daytime pickup to give them an indication of surface wind direction and speed? Also helps them to single out their target in a busy place like the Solent (white 10m Yacht...!) Never had to be rescued, so its just 'something I read' and stored in the archive of useless 'useful' information that fills my mind nowadays!