Flares- nooby question...

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icarusbop

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Hello:

I recently bought a set of Coastal flares, the description of them contained the following 'for use up to 7 miles from land'
They have finally arrived and have got the following items:

2 x Read parachute Rocket - no visibility range labelled on flare, flare says use in emergency in sight of boats or planes
2 x Red hand flare - no visibility range labelled on flare, flare says use in emergency in sight of boats or planes
2 x Orange hand smoke - labelled as visible up to 3 miles

The range on the Orange hand smoke has confused me a little as it says to 3 miles, but the Coastal flares are listed up to 7 miles. I was expecting the flares to state the range was up to 7 miles, not 3.
I suspect the 'up to 7' bit may be in relation to the parachute flare.

This is the first set of flares I have bought and want to know if these are the right flares or should I contact the retailer?

Thanks

Ian
 
The 7 miles bit is not a promise that the flares will be seen at that distance, but rather a means of determining what type and quantity of flares would be appropriate.

For example, Force 4 flogs a range of flares from Hansson. The inshore pack only has red handhelds and smoke. The coastal pack ("up to 7 miles offshore") chucks in a couple of red parachute, and the offshore pack doubles up on the handhelds and parachute.

There is no difference between the flares packed in the coastal and offshore packs, only more of them in the latter.

In daylight, no one is going to see a red handheld at a range of several miles. Unless you are in immediate danger, it is better to wait until you see someone/something before letting them off.
 
Last edited:
icarusbop said:
Hello:

I recently bought a set of Coastal flares, the description of them contained the following 'for use up to 7 miles from land'
They have finally arrived and have got the following items:

2 x Read parachute Rocket - no visibility range labelled on flare, flare says use in emergency in sight of boats or planes
2 x Red hand flare - no visibility range labelled on flare, flare says use in emergency in sight of boats or planes
2 x Orange hand smoke - labelled as visible up to 3 miles

The range on the Orange hand smoke has confused me a little as it says to 3 miles, but the Coastal flares are listed up to 7 miles. I was expecting the flares to state the range was up to 7 miles, not 3.
I suspect the 'up to 7' bit may be in relation to the parachute flare.

This is the first set of flares I have bought and want to know if these are the right flares or should I contact the retailer?

Thanks

Ian
Click to expand...

Sounds like a perfectly normal "coastal" flare set and similar to what's on my boat. An "offshore" or similar set would have the same flares in with the same range - just more of them.

Where do you plan to sail?

Also consider a PLB or EPIRB and I assume you have a VHF with DSC and the appropriate certificate? :)
 
I believe you have the right set - the range isn't so much about how far they are visible from, although that is a factor, but its more about maximising your chances of being seen given your likely location. As an extreme example, during an ocean race hundreds of miles offshore a flare is not going to be seen from land but a para flare might be seen by another vessel or aircraft.

You might consider adding a couple of white hand flares if you are regularly night sailing.
 
The recommended collection I think you will find for "coastal" use ie up to 7 miles from land.

Inshore packs for less than 5 miles from land don't include the rockets

Offshore packs ( for more than 7 miles) contain 6 hh red, 2 buoyant smokes and 4 rockets.
 
tip: put a pair of those cheap yellow sticky grippy gloves in or near your flare pack - rockets give quite a kick when they launch so hold away from your body and grip well.
 
Coastal flare packages contain the combination of flares considered to be the most effective while engaged in coastal sailing which is considered to take place within seven miles from the coast.
Rocket/parachute flares, because of the altitude they can attain, have a better chance of being seen from shore when fired from over the horizon and so have some chance of attracting attention in the absence of visible boats or planes IMHO. Hand-helds, on the other hand:( because they are used so close to sea-level, can not be seen for more than 2-3 miles.
Smoke canisters are really only for guiding rescuers who are actively searching for the casualty and are already quite close, (again IMHO).
 
omegajames said:
Sounds like a perfectly normal "coastal" flare set and similar to what's on my boat. An "offshore" or similar set would have the same flares in with the same range - just more of them.

Where do you plan to sail?

Also consider a PLB or EPIRB and I assume you have a VHF with DSC and the appropriate certificate? :)
Click to expand...

Helli, just sailing on / around my local coastline, the range is not an issue, I just wanted to make sure the flares were right, since the price difference between onshore and coastal was around £45.

I have a VHF/DSC radio and appropriate license.
 
+1 for adding a couple of handheld whites - ideal for showing your position at night / in fog, could save you getting run down. Big torch is a close substitute, but no use if the batteries are flat at the critical moment!
 
Following on from greenaliens' post, have the white collision warning flares ready to hand, as you may need them a lot quicker than red distress ones.

I keep my distress flares next to the loo, for obvious reasons ( much joked about on these forums ) so that the crew get to learn on visits where the flares are !
 
Agree with those saying that a coastal pack should be augmented with white H/H flares. This is what we do.

1x white is fixed in the companionway quite tightly so it cannot be freed by accident (or inquisitive hands) but is where you need it in fog.

To the OP, as others have said the 7 mile 'range' is just a convenient number for dividing 'coastal' from 'offshore' sailing by manufacturers trying to decide how many of what to bung in when putting together flare packs. It has nothing to do with the visible range of a given type of flare, they are all the same.

Cheers
 
winsbury said:
tip: put a pair of those cheap yellow sticky grippy gloves in or near your flare pack - rockets give quite a kick when they launch so hold away from your body and grip well.
Click to expand...

Hmm - I have leather rigger's gloves in with my flares for protection from heat, but I'm not sure they'd add much grip. Cheers for the heads up, as I've never launched a rocket flare.

(The rigger's gloves would also come out in case of a helicopter transfer. I was once on Stavros when the Assistant Cook developed a medical problem and had to be airlifted off. I saw the Bosun's gloves after she'd been working the hi-line, and they were nearly cut through - I would not want to do that with bare hands!)

greenalien said:
+1 for adding a couple of handheld whites - ideal for showing your position at night / in fog, could save you getting run down. Big torch is a close substitute, but no use if the batteries are flat at the critical moment!
Click to expand...

My Feck-Off Big Torch plugs into the boat's supply, so no worries about keeping it charged. On passage it's laid ready in a cockpit pocket as soon as the nav lights go on, as combination steamer-scarer, MOB-searcher, rig-checker (it has an auxiliary, less bright bulb for this) and, on very dark lumpy nights, "how big are the waves really?" device.

Nothing wrong with white flares by any means, but I'm quite happy with my big lamp.

Pete
 
Flares to my mind are an anachronism. I am obliged to carry them by state law and also Yachting Australia. I am obliged to carry 2 orange smoke and 2 parachute as a minimum for any distance off shore so i would say that you have a fairly comprehensive pack. Far better for actual help is firstly a VHF radio and secondly an EPIRB distress beacon.
I am obliged to carry them also by state law if I go more thna 3Nm off shore.
So if you are obliged to carry flares for any regulation then they will dictate what you need. If not then don't worry just think about raio and beacon if you don't have them. Torches or at least one should have long life batteries not rechargeable. Use rechargebale for what you use often. good luck olewill.
 
nigelmercier said:
I couldn't agree more, I intend to get rid of mine on my next visit to the boat.
Click to expand...

I certainly wish I could get rid of mine.
I used to carry white flares as they were required when racing with RORC. I don't know anyone who has set off a white flare but I'm sure some on here will do.
The list of safety gear gets longer and longer. I don't think it will be too long before it will be a requirement to fit AIS transponders to lifejackets on commercial boats. In fact I think AIS transponders to lifejackets will safe more lifes than flares, liferafts, danbouys, liferings, safety lines, radar reflectors etc all put together.
You only have to look at the incidents in the press where AIS transponders would have had a better result than anything else. Even the Ouzo tragedy AIS transponders fitted to their lifejackets would probably have had the desired effect.
I'm all for adding items to the choice of safety gear but it's about time we had two lists. The first list where everything is compulsory. i.e. Lifejackets and then a second list where you could pick any 3 from 5 type of thing.
 
icarusbop said:
Hello:

I recently bought a set of Coastal flares, the description of them contained the following 'for use up to 7 miles from land'
They have finally arrived and have got the following items:

2 x Read parachute Rocket - no visibility range labelled on flare, flare says use in emergency in sight of boats or planes
2 x Red hand flare - no visibility range labelled on flare, flare says use in emergency in sight of boats or planes
2 x Orange hand smoke - labelled as visible up to 3 miles

The range on the Orange hand smoke has confused me a little as it says to 3 miles, but the Coastal flares are listed up to 7 miles. I was expecting the flares to state the range was up to 7 miles, not 3.
I suspect the 'up to 7' bit may be in relation to the parachute flare.

This is the first set of flares I have bought and want to know if these are the right flares or should I contact the retailer?

Thanks

Ian
Click to expand...

If you're new to flares you'd be well advised to do the RYA Sea Survival course where you will (should) learn how to use the various flares. There is a technique for launching parachute flares for example, and you don't want to be using parachute flares at all if there is a helicopter coming to you - they tend to panic and turn around if you shoot things at them. :)
 
William_H said:
Flares to my mind are an anachronism.
Click to expand...
It would be nice to think modern technology has the answer but it doesnt....watch the excellent youtube video about the Fastnet race disaster and its clear that when flooded and battery power is dead or you are stuck on liferaft a flare will still do the business. As for smoke, and reds, its asignificant help to a heli pilot easily pick out a yacht in distress from the throng in the Solent or other busy area and how to judge surface windspeed and direction. As for paras, theres a heck of a lot eyeballs without vhf looking out to sea from the land that might summon assistance in a disaster...ie dont write flares off anytime soon.
 
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