flares. Led / laser or pyro.

Z

z1ppy

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 Mar 2008
Messages
2,776
Location
New Forest
Visit site
Need to get some new flares as I (safely) disposed of my last out of date ones when we sold our last boat.

For an open rib generally solent and coastal waters (occasional cross channel with others) I would usually go for a coastal flare pack which would be valid for a couple of years I guess....

Does anyone have any experience of laser / led flares? The seem to be around £120 / £160 each but obviously are longer life.

Any suggestions or recommendations?
 
z1ppy said:
Need to get some new flares as I (safely) disposed of my last out of date ones when we sold our last boat.

For an open rib generally solent and coastal waters (occasional cross channel with others) I would usually go for a coastal flare pack which would be valid for a couple of years I guess....

Does anyone have any experience of laser / led flares? The seem to be around £120 / £160 each but obviously are longer life.

Any suggestions or recommendations?
Click to expand...
Well, I guess the broader discussion is why any of it? Hit the DSC button?
 
Yes true. But what say it I have an electrical fire and my dsc isnt working ( both my phones have got wet and both the hand held vhf's on our life jackets are also flat)

Agree with the sentiment and partly that's why I ask.. Is it worth a coastal flare pack when an Led flare takes up less space, is safer, more reliable and does the same job...
 
I recently purchased a laser flare, which I have attached to my life jacket as a personal flare. However, I think I'd also want a red parachute flare at the very least, as (assuming it's seen) they are universally recognised as a distress signal if everything else fails. I've also heard good arguments for orange smoke for those rare cases when you need a helicopter rescue, as they not only show your location clearly, but also clearly show wind direction to the pilot.
 
Is a Laser a recognised distress signal ?

Be safe - get the laser and the flares as well.
 
I seem to recall an article in MBM some time back where they compared laser and 'conventional' flares. I am relying on memory but I think lasers came out well with the caveat that they require line of sight so couldn't effectively replace parachute flares.
 
z1ppy said:
Yes true. But what say it I have an electrical fire and my dsc isnt working ( both my phones have got wet and both the hand held vhf's on our life jackets are also flat)

Agree with the sentiment and partly that's why I ask.. Is it worth a coastal flare pack when an Led flare takes up less space, is safer, more reliable and does the same job...
Click to expand...
ha.. so now you have a fire on board and want to load the boat with explosives ? !!
 
I recently handed all my pyrotechnic flares in at Hamble Point on the flare amnesty day. After reading recent reports , i dont fancy having them on board anymore!!!!!

I have purchased an Odeo Mk3 led flare. This together with DSC radio and an epirb suits my cruising area well.( solent and west coast). Possibilities of also using Mobile phone if near shore line also.
 
Last edited:
That horrific accident with a faulty flare a few years back means I'd never trust them, even from a life raft. With DSC, handheld VHF, an EPIRB, and a PLB to rely on, I can't imagine ever using one even in a distress situation.
 
Greg2 said:
I seem to recall an article in MBM some time back where they compared laser and 'conventional' flares. I am relying on memory but I think lasers came out well with the caveat that they require line of sight so couldn't effectively replace parachute flares.
Click to expand...

Have to say I remember something like this. Think its a good ideal Have not seen any of the Lasers in action or demonstration yet though
 
One of the reasons for asking is of course that holding a firework and firing is doesnt really appeal to me! that said, for years the general consensus is that you must have flares and you are irresponsible going to sea without them.

Technology has moved on and there are other ways of getting attention now but that idea of planning for the worst and hoping for the best still rings true.

Just on the case of time expired Pyro, one of my clients is conducting some research and development for a completely unrelated project at the moment and is (in lab conditions with trained experts) dismantling time expired Pyro and using the rocket motors for another use. apparently they dismantled a para flare that expired in 1993 but the rocket motor and other component parts were functioning perfectly....

So modern day alternatives, DSC (fixed set on the boat) handheld VHF, LED Flare, PLB and Epirb....
 
I have thought about this for some time, I understand that recently there have been a number of incidents with pyrotechnics, I do not like having them on board and, would be reluctant to use them. Having looked at the options, I have decided to go with the Oleo Mk3 and a PLB in addition to DSC radio. VHF reception in some areas is questionable and, a flare of some sort is required to alert any vessel within sight, I am not sure about laser flares being recognised as a distress signal and believe the Oleo is the best option.
 
Greg2 said:
I seem to recall an article in MBM some time back where they compared laser and 'conventional' flares. I am relying on memory but I think lasers came out well with the caveat that they require line of sight so couldn't effectively replace parachute flares.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, they did one in PBO too and I seem to remember they weren't terribly complementary. Certainly in the pictures the flare is far, far brighter than the laser, though the laser manufacturers make the point that after thirty seconds the laser is far brighter than the (dead) flare!

Pete
 
Not much of a test really. It would have been better to repeat it and see from what distance the red pyro flare could be seen
 
I made the decision a few years back to get a Odeo Laser flare, the idea of SWMBO or my daughter setting a pyro flare off if ever I was floating off in the water somewhere made me decide this was a good route to go. At the time the Mk11 odeo had just come out and my brother had got one, it had gone from laser of the Mk1 to LED lights, I tested both the old Mk1 laser and Mk11 LED and bought a Mk1 version as it seemed a whole load better than the later version... I see now they have a Mk111... at least I don't have to worry about who to hand my outdated laser flare too!!

I did quite recently have the opportunity to set off around 30 pyro flares, an interesting exercise and one I wouldn't chose to repeat bouncing around in a cockpit of a small boat..
 
The main question is: will the public recognise a laser light as a distress signal or just some Muppet playing silly beggars?

We used to fire off expired parachute flares in deep ocean, after making a broadcast warning with start and stop times, and they all worked well. The incident with the demonstrator appears to be a single unfortunate and now very well publicised event, have there been more?

The public (in coastal waters) and professionals (deep sea) recognise the pyrotechnic flares for what they are; a distress signal.

Whether they see them on not is a whole different question.
 
z1ppy said:
Need to get some new flares as I (safely) disposed of my last out of date ones when we sold our last boat.

For an open rib generally solent and coastal waters (occasional cross channel with others) I would usually go for a coastal flare pack which would be valid for a couple of years I guess....

Does anyone have any experience of laser / led flares? The seem to be around £120 / £160 each but obviously are longer life.

Any suggestions or recommendations?
Click to expand...

my boat is coded so i have no choice.

if i had a choice i would have (in addition to the electronics, hand held and wired) laser flares and floating smoke.
 
Good thread and good timing, mine coastal pack has just expired so in the same situation of what is best. Is there any legal requirement to carry flares on leisure boats when away from the UK (or even in the UK) e.g. crossing the channel to France?

I have quite a few expired flares and want to get rid of them, but the last time I looked most places were too far away so end up sitting in plastic containers in my shed. Hence considering the options this time and not just going out buying flares.
 
Elessar said:
if i had a choice i would have (in addition to the electronics, hand held and wired) laser flares and floating smoke.
Click to expand...

I can understand the justification for removing all flares, though personally I'm keeping mine for the forseeable. But surely once you have one kind on board, you might as well have the others too? It's no harder to take two smokes and four handhelds to a disposal point (if you can find one) than it is to take just the two smokes.

Pete
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top