Flares in France? Are they required?

[JumbleDuck]

Load Line Length.

Merci beaucoup for the definition and the beautifully worked example. One learns something new every day.

 

[Norman_E]

Thank you jfm. I have been wondering for some time whether I could get rid of my flares. My boat had a registered length over all of 14.15m which I reduced to 13.72 when I had the pulpit cut back and reshaped, a move which saved me a small fortune in marina charges which had a big increase at 14m. Even if I don't make the drawing to gain advantage from the boat's raked bow and part open transom, just applying the 96% rule drops LLL below the magic 13.7m. I have up to date flares in the liferaft, but all the ones on board are going and no more are going to be bought.

 

[jfm]

Thank you jfm. I have been wondering for some time whether I could get rid of my flares. My boat had a registered length over all of 14.15m which I reduced to 13.72 when I had the pulpit cut back and reshaped, a move which saved me a small fortune in marina charges which had a big increase at 14m. Even if I don't make the drawing to gain advantage from the boat's raked bow and part open transom, just applying the 96% rule drops LLL below the magic 13.7m. I have up to date flares in the liferaft, but all the ones on board are going and no more are going to be bought.

Yes, exactly, the 96% gets you under 13.7m without further ado. Therefore in private use you're not required by UK law to have flares.
I share your dislike of pyrotechnics and would love to get rid of them but can't because >13.7m. I have them in a sealed box stored where least likely to hurt anyone.