Flares which type

[Scubadoo]

My current flares have just expired and now looking to replace, in the past I normally just buy the Painswessex coastal pack, however I have seen in some chandlers Hansson and Ikaros coastal packs. Prices all seems to be similar depending where you go.

Can anyone recommend any particular brand and do you know of a cheap supplier.

Also where is it best to dispose of my old flares.

Thanks.

 

[Cymrogwyllt]

I used to take old flares to the coastguard place in town but they closed it and in any case do not seem to be willing to accept them any more.

I resorted to Nov 5 at least 10 miles inland with the hand helds at ground level inside a walled yard and the parachutes following a call to coastguard asking if ok that X flares will be up at y location No objection from them. 'Thanks for the heads up and we'll apreciate a call to let us know when finished.'


A group of us were involved. All the hand held ones wroked, some two or more years out of date. One parachute out of four failed.

Mutual decision was in the future to keep expired ones for a few years at least with the intention of using them first leaving the in date stuff as back up.

All flares had had a hard life as normally kept in the pocket of a buoyancy aid with wetting as normal and immersion common. I carried them when surfing a kayak just in case. Flares are no good on a boat if you're not in/on it

 

[mil1194]

Good idea to use the old ones first - never thought of that! I'd hate to chuck them away after their date without knowing whether they'd work or not! I have some auto inflating lifejackets that must be out of date etc but I wouldnt trust them anyway, but I can't bear myself to 'test' them as they'd be useless afterwards! Mad way of thinking I suppose!!

 

[Scubadoo]

I used to take old flares to the coastguard place in town but they closed it and in any case do not seem to be willing to accept them any more.

I resorted to Nov 5 at least 10 miles inland with the hand helds at ground level inside a walled yard and the parachutes following a call to coastguard asking if ok that X flares will be up at y location No objection from them. 'Thanks for the heads up and we'll apreciate a call to let us know when finished.'


A group of us were involved. All the hand held ones wroked, some two or more years out of date. One parachute out of four failed.

Mutual decision was in the future to keep expired ones for a few years at least with the intention of using them first leaving the in date stuff as back up.

All flares had had a hard life as normally kept in the pocket of a buoyancy aid with wetting as normal and immersion common. I carried them when surfing a kayak just in case. Flares are no good on a boat if you're not in/on it

You make an interesting point, maybe I'll try and do the same on 5th Nov, but because it has proven to be a pain to dispose of flares, I have ended up with a sealed box in my garage with flares expiring over 10years ago and not sure I would want to risk firing them.

 

[PaulGooch]

Good idea to use the old ones first - never thought of that! I'd hate to chuck them away after their date without knowing whether they'd work or not! I have some auto inflating lifejackets that must be out of date etc but I wouldnt trust them anyway, but I can't bear myself to 'test' them as they'd be useless afterwards! Mad way of thinking I suppose!!

Easy to test life jacket "firing" mechanisms. It its the ones that screw on (UML), take them off and drop the in the sink, or stick them under the tap. I checked some that were two years over the three year change by date, both worked fine.

 

[gravygraham]

Not 100% sure but I think our 2yr out of date ones which we enjoyed activating last Nov 5th were Pains Wessex. They all worked fine.

A tip for hand-helds in a non emergency situation - gaffer tape them to a fence before setting off - they dunarf glow hot!

 

[mil1194]

Easy to test life jacket "firing" mechanisms. It its the ones that screw on (UML), take them off and drop the in the sink, or stick them under the tap. I checked some that were two years over the three year change by date, both worked fine.

I'll dig them out of the garage (which is where I'd abandoned them!) and see which type they are. Good thinking.

 

[Shorn100]

As a sea survival instructor, I have fired both the Pains Wessex flares old and new and the Hannson flares. My preference is for the Hannson. Their parachutes rocket flares travel to a greater height. Their firing trigger is at the bottom of the flare. PW paras have a string pull at the bottom of the para flare while their handhelds have the string pull at the top. You really don't want to make a mistake and confuse a para flare with a handheld flare!

I don't like the telescopic handle on the new PW handheld flare either but it does make it more compact for stowage.

Old flares can be taken to HM Coastguard MRCC centre - I notice you're in Hampshire so the nearest to you would be Solent CG at Lee on Solent. But they advise you call them first to make sure they have space in their flare locker. Alternatively, it might be easier to ask the chandler when you buy your new flares to take back the old flares - however, they may charge for this.

Shorn

 

[VicS]

Considered the Odeo flare ? No substitute for smokes or rockets but looks like a good alternative to the red hand flares

http://www.odeoflare.co.uk/

 

[rafiki_]

When I wore flares back in the '70's, I used to prefer Levis to Wranglers. They just had that bit of extra room in the trouser furniture area, that made them a bit more comfortable. Mind you, on the rare occasion that they were washed, I stood them up in the corner to dry. They were murder then for the next 3 months.

 

[gjgm]

Good idea to use the old ones first - never thought of that! I'd hate to chuck them away after their date without knowing whether they'd work or not! I have some auto inflating lifejackets that must be out of date etc but I wouldnt trust them anyway, but I can't bear myself to 'test' them as they'd be useless afterwards! Mad way of thinking I suppose!!

I ve only used a flare at an RNLI demo, and that was scary enough. An out of date one is not something I would care to test. Not much come back if your hand comes off.
I also cant imagine that if you ever really need to use a flare you would think.. hey, lets use the old one and hope it works. By that stage I guess you are praying to live

 

[jfm]

As for disposing of old ones, do folks reckon it's ok to tip them overboard, so long as you're in 2500m + of sea? I've been thinking of doing this, though have not decided yet. On any crossing in the Med you get plenty of 2500m+ sea.

 

[Scubadoo]

As a sea survival instructor, I have fired both the Pains Wessex flares old and new and the Hannson flares. My preference is for the Hannson. Their parachutes rocket flares travel to a greater height. Their firing trigger is at the bottom of the flare. PW paras have a string pull at the bottom of the para flare while their handhelds have the string pull at the top. You really don't want to make a mistake and confuse a para flare with a handheld flare!

I don't like the telescopic handle on the new PW handheld flare either but it does make it more compact for stowage.

Old flares can be taken to HM Coastguard MRCC centre - I notice you're in Hampshire so the nearest to you would be Solent CG at Lee on Solent. But they advise you call them first to make sure they have space in their flare locker. Alternatively, it might be easier to ask the chandler when you buy your new flares to take back the old flares - however, they may charge for this.

Shorn

Thanks Shorn, good info and just what I was looking for.

 

[l'escargot]

My current flares have just expired and now looking to replace, in the past I normally just buy the Painswessex coastal pack, however I have seen in some chandlers Hansson and Ikaros coastal packs. Prices all seems to be similar depending where you go.

Can anyone recommend any particular brand and do you know of a cheap supplier.

Also where is it best to dispose of my old flares.

Thanks.

Your location shows a Hampshire?

Hampshire police will accept flares off private individuals up to a reasonable limit (12 I think). Take them to a main station as opposed to a rural one, it is usually the lost property office that deals with them so during office hours as well.

 

[gjgm]

As for disposing of old ones, do folks reckon it's ok to tip them overboard, so long as you're in 2500m + of sea? I've been thinking of doing this, though have not decided yet. On any crossing in the Med you get plenty of 2500m+ sea.

Check for seahorses first please.

 

[Scubadoo]

Your location shows a Hampshire?

Hampshire police will accept flares off private individuals up to a reasonable limit (12 I think). Take them to a main station as opposed to a rural one, it is usually the lost property office that deals with them so during office hours as well.

Thanks, is that just the police near coastal areas or anywhere in hants e.g. Basingstoke.

 

[Cymrogwyllt]

I ve only used a flare at an RNLI demo, and that was scary enough. An out of date one is not something I would care to test. Not much come back if your hand comes off.

I apreciate your

hand helds are designed to burn rather than explode and fail mode is likely to be 'nothing happened' *Cue monty python clip* I stand to be scorned/shot down in flames/trolled but given the probable circumstances for kayakers. i.e. separated from the boat or at best hanging on to the capsized one if there is enough buoyancy I'd have been more than happy to take the chance. The more flares to use the better.

Despite the very poor storage and carriage of the flares we tried all the hand helds, up to several years out of date wroked as advertised.

iirc the parachute that failed had a fold out lever that was folded up outside the flare tube to fire it. In any event it fired as advertised, shot up in to the clouds and came down nearly as fast. Burning but no chute We were surrounded by forest. You can imagine the rather tense few min that ensued.


I was told by one in the know that SAR could well take 15 to 20 min to take off from the first alert and then transit time. In the water with a sleveless wet suit in winter that's a very long time. If I had the luxury of a floating *whatever* under me I'd radio/send up flares long before things got to that stage. Despite being (sp?)a Welshman I'd prefer to play the harp later rather than sooner

As for miniflares (or whatever they were called) they came in a pack of 8 that each fitted to a spring loaded firer with a bayonet fitting, out of four sets they averaged three out of eight fail to fire. Was a bit butt clenching to remove the misfire with a couple of fingers . We stopped carrying them for some reason. In hindsight they were useless with a few seconds of burn each only.

I could expand on the usual group make up/kit carried etc but I've probably bored you enough

 

[l'escargot]

Thanks, is that just the police near coastal areas or anywhere in hants e.g. Basingstoke.

I have taken them into Newport on the island over several years and it is part of Hampshire Police. I was in the reception only a few weeks ago and there was a poster on the wall with all the printed details on with the Hampshire Police logos which would suggest that they want to publicise it and it isn't just a local initiative. Give the main station in Basingstoke a ring, I would be surprised if they didn't accept them - they would need to have storage for holding fireams/munitions awaiting disposal.