petem
Well-known member
We have a Coastal flare pack on board which will be expiring at the end of the year. Before replacing it I wonder what others are doing. The safety equipment that we carry is as follows:
1) 6 man coastal liferaft (for storage purposes I would like to replace this with a 4 man inshore version)
2) PLB
3) Fixed DSC radio
4) Hand held (non DSC radio)
5) LJ's, etc
We don't normally venture further than a couple of miles offshore but do occasionally make the crossing to Ibiza (60 miles in open water), but even then there is normally another boat in sight. We're in Spain so don't have Coast Watch, a local Lifeboat station, etc. In the summer there are boats everywhere, in the winter, there are normally a few boats within sight up and down the coast. I have no idea if they are listening on Ch16. We never voluntarily venture out at night.
In some ways I'd rather not carry any pyrotechnics but as jrudge very aptly describe it, flares are good for attracting the attention of the man on the cliff walking his dog.
Given the above, should I be replacing my flares?
1) 6 man coastal liferaft (for storage purposes I would like to replace this with a 4 man inshore version)
2) PLB
3) Fixed DSC radio
4) Hand held (non DSC radio)
5) LJ's, etc
We don't normally venture further than a couple of miles offshore but do occasionally make the crossing to Ibiza (60 miles in open water), but even then there is normally another boat in sight. We're in Spain so don't have Coast Watch, a local Lifeboat station, etc. In the summer there are boats everywhere, in the winter, there are normally a few boats within sight up and down the coast. I have no idea if they are listening on Ch16. We never voluntarily venture out at night.
In some ways I'd rather not carry any pyrotechnics but as jrudge very aptly describe it, flares are good for attracting the attention of the man on the cliff walking his dog.
Given the above, should I be replacing my flares?
!
