Flares again

[Laundryman]

Having just taken my out of date flares to the coastguard for disposal, do I need to buy new ones or should I not bother? I cross the channel maybe 2 or 3 times a year at most, and yes I do have a dsc radio, plus 2 handheld and a phone before you ask. Thank you

 

[prv]

You're not going to get a straight answer, just a list of pros and cons.

Personally I would replace them, but it's certainly true that they're no longer the primary distress signalling means they once were.

The two things that flares do well are

• Pinpoint your exact position, when someone is already looking for you thanks to VHF or whatever. Imagine the helicopter over the Solent looking for the white yacht with a blue sail cover that has a heart attack or serious head injury case on board. A handheld smoke could be very useful there.
• Alert people nearby who may not have (or be using) a radio, and certainly won't know about an EPIRB transmission or phone call to the Coastguard. A nearby dive RIB drawn by your flares is nearly as good as an inshore lifeboat, and could be there a lot quicker.

Pete

 

[alant]

Having just taken my out of date flares to the coastguard for disposal, do I need to buy new ones or should I not bother? I cross the channel maybe 2 or 3 times a year at most, and yes I do have a dsc radio, plus 2 handheld and a phone before you ask. Thank you

& there's me thinking that I was back in fashion, if I delved into the back of my wardrobe!

 

[aslabend]

Having just taken my out of date flares to the coastguard for disposal, do I need to buy new ones or should I not bother? I cross the channel maybe 2 or 3 times a year at most, and yes I do have a dsc radio, plus 2 handheld and a phone before you ask. Thank you

I was pondering flares but decided to stick with them after hearing CG on ch16 trying to find a broken down motor boat. He wasn't sure where he was to any degree of accuracy and other vessels started reporting any random fishing boat the saw and it got a bit silly. A smoke flare would have made spotting him easier for everybody. I know most serious yachties and moboers have gps and dsc and mobiles with gps and plbs and epirbs and all the digital ****e under the sun........ but sometimes you might just want to go analogue.

 

[chanelyacht]

I was pondering flares but decided to stick with them after hearing CG on ch16 trying to find a broken down motor boat. He wasn't sure where he was to any degree of accuracy and other vessels started reporting any random fishing boat the saw and it got a bit silly. A smoke flare would have made spotting him easier for everybody. I know most serious yachties and moboers have gps and dsc and mobiles with gps and plbs and epirbs and all the digital ****e under the sun........ but sometimes you might just want to go analogue.

They're also your best option (apart from a float free epirb) if you have to leave your boat in a hurry. Anything electronic is always vulnerable to water. A good mix of flares in a grab bag is something I wouldn't want to be without.

 

[greenalien]

I'd also always like to have a white handheld handy, in fog at night it could be the only thing that will pinpoint your position to avoid being run down. Radar isn't much use at close quarters.

 

[alant]

I'd also always like to have a white handheld handy, in fog at night it could be the only thing that will pinpoint your position to avoid being run down. Radar isn't much use at close quarters.

Your assuming a lot, if you think any 'steamer' is looking out of the windows.

 

[aslabend]

I'd also always like to have a white handheld handy, in fog at night it could be the only thing that will pinpoint your position to avoid being run down. Radar isn't much use at close quarters.

It's amazing how much better I sleep on passage, at night & in fog knowing that the white handheld is just inside the companionway

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Your assuming a lot, if you think any 'steamer' is looking out of the windows.

Your assuming a lot, if you think any 'steamer' is not looking out of the windows.

 

[alant]

Your assuming a lot, if you think any 'steamer' is not looking out of the windows.

Been there, done that, so not assuming anything.

 

[maxi77]

Your assuming a lot, if you think any 'steamer' is not looking out of the windows.

Regretably the chances of the one person awake at night is looking your way when you fire the flare can be quite slim.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Been there, done that, so not assuming anything.

You are assuming. You are not on the bridge if you are in a yacht where the use of a white flare is an option for attracting attention. So assuming that no one is looking out, is just as heretical as assuming that someone is looking out.

Your assumption is pointless, in fact its irrelevant, no matter if you have been there and done that, if you had to use the white flare to try and attract attention, you would.

Only the mad or despairing would think it pointless. Your form suggests you are neither. My only point is that assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Regretably the chances of the one person awake at night is looking your way when you fire the flare can be quite slim.

That may be so, but it's not a reason to not try.

 

[PhilipH]

If you decide you no longer need 'em, the next time you are at sea you are guaranteed to be desperate for'em.

 

[bobgarrett]

I used to have white flares but when they expired I had trouble getting reaplcements and then decided that I'd probably be better off shining a 2megacandle power torch at any offending ship. I don't know whether that would be brighter at the receiving end but certainly safer, continuous, more versatile and not needing regular replacement.

 

[nigelmercier]

When I get round to finding a place to dispose of my seriously out of date flares, I'm going to just buy a couple of reds, and perhaps an orange. No more rockets.

 

[alant]

You are assuming. You are not on the bridge if you are in a yacht where the use of a white flare is an option for attracting attention. So assuming that no one is looking out, is just as heretical as assuming that someone is looking out.

Your assumption is pointless, in fact its irrelevant, no matter if you have been there and done that, if you had to use the white flare to try and attract attention, you would.

Only the mad or despairing would think it pointless. Your form suggests you are neither. My only point is that assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

You are missing the point.

1) having been on the bridge of a ship at night, particularly if the windows have spray/rain/salt on them, it is almost impossible to spot a small yacht. Radar being the prime method of keeping a watch for anything out there. Even in daylight, rain/spray make spotting a small yacht extremely difficult through windows.

2) I have used a white flare/strong torch beam, to try to attract the attention of a ship seemingly heading directly on a collision course at night (off falmouth). This was at about 0130 on a moonlit clear night, so visibility was good. The ship passed at speed, no more than 100m away, completely ignorant it seemed of our presence. They may have seen us on Radar & were working on a very close CPA, but I needed a nappy change afterward.

My advice, if sailing anywhere where shipping coexists, is to make sure that your Radar reflector is hoisted & actually gives a good target for anything bigger. Use your VHF & try to contact them, tell them you are there. If you rely on a white flare, its unlikely even if seen, evasive action could be taken in time.

 

[onesea]

When I get round to finding a place to dispose of my seriously out of date flares, I'm going to just buy a couple of reds, and perhaps an orange. No more rockets.

I was thinking one of those wee dinghy sailing cartridge type packs (smoke and flare or a inshore/ coastal pack) and a laser flare...

 

[Neil_Y]

Why not keep the out of date flares? they still work. Maybe change the rockets as they could be more dangerous. I keep and have used old flares, smokes are definately effective many years beyond their use by date.

On the argument for or against, I've been in three situations when they could have been the only solution. Flooding off lizard, batteries/electrics swamped only handheld and fix for position, night falling. Plymouth sound injured kayaker, smoke got instant response from dive rib. Spanish coast after 5 days at sea three gps units failed from moisture getting in, fixed and two handhelds. We had vhf, epirb without gps so had we tried to get help no one would have an accurate position. A few flares if we'd seen other vessels or chopper would have helped.

 

[prv]

I used to have white flares but when they expired I had trouble getting reaplcements and then decided that I'd probably be better off shining a 2megacandle power torch at any offending ship. I don't know whether that would be brighter at the receiving end but certainly safer, continuous, more versatile and not needing regular replacement.

+1

I always put my Big Feckoff Light in the cockpit pocket as it gets dark. This is a 1600 lumen halogen headlight plugged into a 12v socket. Converting lumens to candela without the full specs is an imprecise business, but last time I tried I came out with a result suggesting it would appear significantly brighter at the receiving end than a standard white flare.

Since flicking on a light is less of a final, irreversible act than firing a flare, I also reckon I'm more likely to use it in good time, without dithering over whether this is really a dangerous situation requiring its use.

Handy for spotting buoys too

Pete