Flares. Is it a good idea to take the white hand helds off the boat?

[Mirelle]

I've got about half the story. I appreciate the sensitivities, but I gather that there may have been an episode of a white hand flare misbehaving.

I have two common makes of white hand held flares on the boat.

Clearly, one does not need to carry white hand held flares.

Would it be a good idea to put these in the garage, in a flare container, until the position becomes clearer?

 

[Neraida]

I know what you mean.

However, we are speculating hugely here. Would the catastophic failure of a red flare be any less dangerous? (yes, i know magnesium is more explosive than calcium, but thats not my point)
Despite my flares being of the same make as the one in question, they will stay where they are,on the boat, in their RORC type cannister until I know more. That isnt to say that my heart wouldn't be in my mouth setting one off, but that or being run down by a ship with somebody dopey on the bridge, I'm sorry to say i'd take my chances.
I do not wish to sound flippant at all, and our thoughts and prayers are with the chap in question, wishing him a speedy recovery.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

i can't see what difference the colour makes to the debate.

Whilst I sympathise with the poor chap who had the accident, I don't believe that one dodgy flare increases the risk of my own causing something similar.

There is a very small chance that I will actually need to use them, and an even smaller chance that they might be faulty. I would rather take that risk than not have any on board at all, so will be leaving them where they are.

 

[BrendanS]

It was a white flare that exploded. So it stands to reason that if there happens to be a faulty batch, that batch will all be white - unless there is a common manufacturing fault across all the types and colours, in which case you would have expected many more incidents by now

 

[Bergman]

Difference is that a red flare is a distress signal, a white flare is simply a light to show that you are there (steamer scarers)

With multi million candle power lanterns now available for probably less tha cost of a flare there seems to be no reason for the whites, I had two both are now disposed of and will not be replaced.

Just shine big light on sails - does the job.

 

[ChrisE]

Like you, Mirelle, I was out of town when this post arrived and disappeared.

a. Could some kind soul pls pm with me with the details as to quite what happened so that I can make my own up as to the risk?

b. Like others, I take the view than unless a pm says otherwise I'll assume that the incident was an unfortunate one-off and will continue to keep a white flare to hand, just in case we have an engine failure when a big ship is bearing down on us.

 

[tome]

Quarantine all white hand held flares until the situation is clarified IMO

Have already posted this elsewhere. Keith has promised to identify the make as soon as it's established.

Have already seen 2 manufacturers mentioned, so at least one of them is wrong

 

[BlueSkyNick]

the main talking point is HERE

 

[ChrisE]

Thanks, Nick.

I'll await the outcome of an enquiry before getting too worried. Enough one-off events have happened in other spheres to not make me too concerned about this, however unfortunate for the individual concerned.

 

[l'escargot]

With no criticism of the injured individual, there could be any number of unique reasons for this flare misfiring. An in date flare could have been damaged, mishandled or kept in inappropriate conditions prior to it being set off. It is all speculation at the moment, the only certainty is that a person has been tragically injured by a flare, the cause is only being guessed at.

 

[Mirelle]

For the record, I had two of the now-recalled type.

 

[TheBoatman]

Mark
You're right, but what beats me is that a h/held white is supposed to just "burn", there are/should be, no explosive bits to launch anything in the flare - so what made this one exploded with such force as to damage the poor soul in the way it did?

Did he light it and it immediately exploded.

Did it light "white" and then explode.

I await the report with interest as last year the RNLI (who use PW flares) asked me to be a flares demonstrator but due to work commitments - I turned them down.

There but for the grace of etc.

Peter.

 

[MaxJones]

As an RNLI flare demonstratror I visited Pains Wessex and saw the care with which they make their flares. However, sometimes things go wrong and these are VERY big fireworks we are handling! The Pains Wessex white hand held flare that blew was being demonstrated by a yachtmaster instructor to his students. Paines Wessex have recalled the MK7 White h/h flares of Lot Numbers 2045 and 2046, Product Number 52651, expiry dated 12/08. For information call Pains Wessex 44(0)2392 623962 or email recall@pwss.com . Flare should be 'fail-safe', which is to say 'fiz' not 'blow', but these things happen, life is just not safe! CHECK those flare for the recall.

 

[StellaGirl]

The details of the incident and of Duncans progress are here:
http://www.anps.co.uk/Duncan/