Disposal of flares to become even more difficult.

[tony_lavelle]

Pyrotechnics can be very dangerous, whether expired or not, and I prefer not to have them on board. I am generally sceptical about expiry dates, whether on my emergency tinned custard or flares.

As for orange smokes, my understanding is that the smoke comes from a chemical reaction that does not generate significant heat and certainly no flame, so are they even "flares" at all? In which case is there any danger if they are a few years past their expiry date?

 

[Juan Twothree]

As for orange smokes, my understanding is that the smoke comes from a chemical reaction that does not generate significant heat and certainly no flame, so are they even "flares" at all?

The orange smokes that I've played with get very warm.

Which is actually a good thing, because if you're down to your last few flares and there's an aircraft looking for your, they show up very well on FLIR.

 

[Sandy]

Pyrotechnics can be very dangerous.

Utter tosh. Follow the simple storage and usage instructions, and they very safe. How many people do you hear getting killed and maimed every year with them; even the people who use them at football matches get away with their lives.

There is one poster here who has had a boat fire, but they were stored at the top of the cockpit locker in the Mediterranean when the air temperature was over 30°C and I suspect the locker was well over 50°C.

The one well recorded incide where Duncan Wells was severely injured by a pyrotechnic was back in 2008. When I spoke to Duncan at the SIBS in 2019 he was the picture of good health.

 

[Graham376]

Utter tosh. Follow the simple storage and usage instructions, and they very safe. How many people do you hear getting killed and maimed every year with them; even the people who use them at football matches get away with their lives.

Flares can be very dangerous in a panic situation when folks may not be able to read the instructions and haven't bothered reading beforehand. Unfortunately, it's very rare for any demonstrations to be held so people can let off the various makes, which often have different firing methods. When UK based, I used to fire our old flares on bonfire night, well away from the coast. We're usually in Lisbon for New Year and it's the norm for old flares to be fired at midnight, up and down the river, not good for anyone in genuine distress though.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Utter tosh. Follow the simple storage and usage instructions, and they very safe.

Flares are perfectly safe as long as you remember that they can be bl**dy dangerous.

 

[Cariadco]

Greek football fans rather like them I've found.

...and Verstappen fans.

 

[boomerangben]

If flares were that dangerous, we wouldn’t be allowed to carry them in aircraft, both in life jackets, life rafts and in the case of SAR aircraft in the cabin. Use of flares should be part of a skippers brief and skippers and regular crew should refresh their memories on how to use them. Of course their use doesn’t come without risk but I suspect the humble gas cooker causes more incidents than flares do. And if a flare does mis fire, don’t forget your standing right by the biggest fire extinguisher in the world.

 

[Sandy]

Flares are perfectly safe as long as you remember that they can be bl**dy dangerous.

True, but that can be said of most things.

 

[Stemar]

Flares are perfectly safe until you come to use them. Then, if you aren't 100% familiar with them and are in the middle of a severe brown trouser moment (and when else would you be using them?), they have the potential to be dangerous.

Maybe we should say that it isn't the flares that are dangerous, it people who are dangerous.

Like the MAIB statistic quoted here, which I can well believe, that lifeboats have killed and injured far more people than they've saved:

On that basis, we should ban lifeboats, except...

My risk assessment is that I don't need flares for my kind of sailing, but I would never criticise someone for coming to a different conclusion, as long as they and their crew are familiar with them, which doesn't mean they sit in a locker untouched until one day...

Edited to correct grammar

 

[Raw]

This site explains about the changes and where you can find a map highlighting the nearest TEP disposal place

Disposing of unwanted marine flares

 

[oldmanofthehills]

The UK government wants to phase out flare disposal not because flare are useless or unsafe but for the same economic drivers as they have in reducing public spending generally.

There is some argument that flares may be unsafe, but that is specious. They dont spontaneously combust and by the time they catch fire in incident, the boat is probably already a total loss. They may risk burning your hand but often the alternative is drowning or dying of hypothermia.

Having seen them in use they ae much more noticeable for pinpoint location than anything else - if in distress I dont want rescue to come to my region but to my boat

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Flares are perfectly safe until you come to use them. Then, if you aren't 100% familiar with them and are in the middle of a severe brown trouser moment (and when else would you be using them?), they have the potential to be dangerous.

Maybe we should say that it isn't the flares that are dangerous, it people who are dangerous.

Like the MAIB statistic quoted here, which I can well believe, that lifeboats have killed and injured far more people than they've saved:

On that basis, we should ban lifeboats, except...

My risk assessment is that I don't need flares for my kind of sailing, but I would never criticise someone for coming to a different conclusion, as long as they and their crew are familiar with them, which doesn't mean they sit in a locker untouched until one day...

Edited to correct grammar

Your quoted video is greatly misleading as refers to ships lifeboat, not RNLI lifeboats, and then confesses to only dealing with incidents that the MAIB investigate and finally turns into straight puff for services, so I would take every thing it says as advertising gloss.

Having let off flares, it seemed simplicity itself. Did use gloves but storm soaked skin probably equally protective

 

[penberth3]

The UK government wants to phase out flare disposal not because flare are useless or unsafe but for the same economic drivers as they have in reducing public spending generally.....

Quite right too, it's nothing to do with the MCA and never was. They got landed with the job.

The link above shows a good number of options round the country, so there shouldn't be any further problems, assuming all facilities operate as intended.

 

[dunedin]

Quite right too, it's nothing to do with the MCA and never was. They got landed with the job.

The link above shows a good number of options round the country, so there shouldn't be any further problems, assuming all facilities operate as intended.

No, the MCA provided the old service and the MCA is withdrawing the service - presumably to save its costs.

Not sure about your “good number of options”, unless has changed a lot since I last looked. From what I saw there was NOTHING on the East coast from Lowestoft or so up to somewhere around Lossiemouth or similar, and then nowhere thereafter round the north of Scotland and down to the Clyde. So one place for around 1,000 miles of linear coastline?
Nothing in Ireland and nothing on any of the Scottish Islands.
Perhaps OK in the Solent though

 

[SaltyC]

No, the MCA provided the old service and the MCA is worth drawing the service - presumably to save its costs.

Not Sue about your “good number of options”, unless has changed a lot since I last looked. From what I saw there was NOTHING on the East coast from Lowestoft or so up to somewhere around Lossiemouth or similar, and then nowhere thereafter round the north of Scotland and down to the Clyde. So one p,ace for around 1,000 of linear coastline?
Nothing in Ireland and nothing on any of the Scottish Islands.
Perhaps OK in the Solent though

Totally agree. Try living in the middle of the country, boat in the NW.
Disposal via MCA was a 200 mile journey with 'explosives' in the car to dispose at their convenience.
Someone did say they sink and lots of explosive dumped in the North Channel..... just saying.
Oh to be on tge South Coast paying 3 times annual berthing for convenience.