SnaxMuppet
Well-Known Member
I am going to be mostly coastal fishing and < 10 miles from shore so I am wondering what flare pack I should have.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
Flares
- Thread starter SnaxMuppet
- Start date
Canopy Locked
Well-Known Member
something like this would suit - http://www.tcschandlery.co.uk/pains...ZCoJK6Yz9xZ53Reyy1N-C0wkj7tNBDGBa_xoCuPDw_wcB
SnaxMuppet
Well-Known Member
Thanks for such a quick response.
I did look at these ready made up packs but couldn't decide if I should have any parachute flares as they are more long lasting.
It is a tricky one isn't it... I want to make sure I have the best chance should anything go wrong but don't want to waste money. I know that many people don't both with flares if only inshore/coastal.
I did look at these ready made up packs but couldn't decide if I should have any parachute flares as they are more long lasting.
It is a tricky one isn't it... I want to make sure I have the best chance should anything go wrong but don't want to waste money. I know that many people don't both with flares if only inshore/coastal.
kashurst
Well-Known Member
I went to a rnli flare demonstration a few years ago- they are seriously scary things to use and if you drop them in water they don't go out either. In a panic situation I am not convinced many people would do well with flares. So I bought an epirb 2 years ago, I believe it's more use than flares should something go wrong as the satellites are always listening. Easy to use, lasts ten years, easy to dispose off and won't set you or your boat on fire. And probably not much more expensive than a box of fireworks.
pks1702
Well-Known Member
Could have a look at these
sailorman
Well-Known Member
jrudge
Well-Known Member
Small boat.
Open Deck
Night time
5 miles off shore
He says its freezing
They are being video'd for a national magazine
AND NOT A LIFEJACKET IN SIGHT
Daft!
Open Deck
Night time
5 miles off shore
He says its freezing
They are being video'd for a national magazine
AND NOT A LIFEJACKET IN SIGHT
Daft!
Plum
Well-Known Member
Being that close to land and assuming you already have the more importsnt fixed VHF and PLB(and/or EPIRB) then the most likely use of a pyrotechnic (flare or orange smoke) is to pinpoint your location as the rescue services or other vessels approach you, in which case rocket flares are of no use. However, if you have the money, why not just get the "offshore" pack for if both the VHF and PLB fail.
Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
gjgm
Well-Known Member
I assume you have dsc radio ? 10 miles off..I think that is far more use than a hand held explosive ?
SnaxMuppet
Well-Known Member
Yes I have a DSC radio but that assumes it is working and if it isn't then it is even less use than a chocolate tea pot (at least then you could eat the chocolate!)...
... but I take your point. Of course, the radio would always be my first option if it was working.
... but I take your point. Of course, the radio would always be my first option if it was working.
Piers
Well-Known Member
We went to an RNLI flares morning some time ago and like you, it was an eye opener. The one major learning curve was the need to wear gloves when firing a hand held flare. Why? Reason 1 was heat. As well as myself, some other attendees found the hand hold was heated to the point where it became too hot to hold forcing the flare to be dropped. Reason 2 was the 'spitting bits' which again caused flares to be dropped.
Solution? We now keep 2 pairs of heavy duty asbestos gloves with the flare pack.
SnaxMuppet
Well-Known Member
Thank you Piers for that advice... I have the perfect gloves already and will put them into the pack when I get it later today.
henryf
Well-Known Member
Having done my sea survival course which included practical use of flares we also carry a pair of heat resistant gauntlets in the flare pack.
They needn't be expensive.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/keep-safe-professional-welders-gauntlets-yellow-large/18558
As for the type of flare I think you need parachute and hand held or floating smoke flares. They do a different job. Parachute flares alert people to the fact you are in trouble, hand held or floating smoke helps the emergency services locate you when near to the scene. If you are somewhere like the Solent saying you are a white hull boat on a busy weekend doesn't really help !
I am yet to be convinced by electronic "flares". To me they are too much like all the other lights you see out on the water and in daylight they are next to useless. A pyrotechnic flare is instantly recognisable and is a universal symbol even amongst non boaty types. I would suggest more distress calls to the coastguard are made by members of the public than boaters.
Henry
They needn't be expensive.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/keep-safe-professional-welders-gauntlets-yellow-large/18558
As for the type of flare I think you need parachute and hand held or floating smoke flares. They do a different job. Parachute flares alert people to the fact you are in trouble, hand held or floating smoke helps the emergency services locate you when near to the scene. If you are somewhere like the Solent saying you are a white hull boat on a busy weekend doesn't really help !
I am yet to be convinced by electronic "flares". To me they are too much like all the other lights you see out on the water and in daylight they are next to useless. A pyrotechnic flare is instantly recognisable and is a universal symbol even amongst non boaty types. I would suggest more distress calls to the coastguard are made by members of the public than boaters.
Henry
gjgm
Well-Known Member
Don't think I follow you here H...flares are good yet most of the time someone on beach or cliff top spots them? Where are you..Newton Creek ��
henryf
Well-Known Member
Let off a flare in stokes bay, off Lee on Solent, Solent Breezes, Calshot, the run up to Beaulieu and beyond and there is a fair chance someone on the shore will call it in.
Outside the Solent's 20 mile length the same remain true. Trundle towards Poole, on past St Albans head, past Lulworth Cove and on to Weymouth there is a good chance of people walking the coast making a call on seeing your parachute flare.
Whether land or sea based we all know what a rocket flare means and how to react.
Would a flashing light elicit the same response? I suspect not.
Henry
Outside the Solent's 20 mile length the same remain true. Trundle towards Poole, on past St Albans head, past Lulworth Cove and on to Weymouth there is a good chance of people walking the coast making a call on seeing your parachute flare.
Whether land or sea based we all know what a rocket flare means and how to react.
Would a flashing light elicit the same response? I suspect not.
Henry
pks1702
Well-Known Member
Do "we" have a new boat
"We do" ?
gjgm
Well-Known Member
Let off a flare in stokes bay, off Lee on Solent, Solent Breezes, Calshot, the run up to Beaulieu and beyond and there is a fair chance someone on the shore will call it in.
Outside the Solent's 20 mile length the same remain true. Trundle towards Poole, on past St Albans head, past Lulworth Cove and on to Weymouth there is a good chance of people walking the coast making a call on seeing your parachute flare.
Whether land or sea based we all know what a rocket flare means and how to react.
Would a flashing light elicit the same response? I suspect not.
Henry
But you have a very reliable dsc, a hand held dsc, electronic flares, epirb, plb, mobile phone and anchor, tender, outboard and so on. I have also been to a few demos and used them at demos...very nasty things IMHO, but of course we all make our own choices regarding safety equipment.
Piers
Well-Known Member
Let off a flare in stokes bay, off Lee on Solent, Solent Breezes, Calshot, the run up to Beaulieu and beyond and there is a fair chance someone on the shore will call it in.
Outside the Solent's 20 mile length the same remain true. Trundle towards Poole, on past St Albans head, past Lulworth Cove and on to Weymouth there is a good chance of people walking the coast making a call on seeing your parachute flare.
Whether land or sea based we all know what a rocket flare means and how to react.
Would a flashing light elicit the same response? I suspect not.
Henry
In the same way the COLREGs stipulate precise details for nav lights and horns (sound signals) is there 'something' that stipulates flare requirements?
prv
Well-Known Member
I've seen "SOLAS minimum requirements" quoted for burn time and rocket height, so I assume that's where these things are defined. Also in the US they have a market in "leisure flares" which are inferior to SOLAS standards; buying "SOLAS flares" (the only kind we have here) is seen as an upgrade.
Can't resist chucking in my opinion on other points in this thread
I think laser flares are probably ok for location (helping the lifeboat find you), certainly at night. That should be all you need if you have a VHF and either an EPIRB/PLB or (if inshore with good coverage) a mobile phone to raise the initial alert. I would certainly not trust a laser flare for raising the alert, it's just a funny-looking light and is not as noticeable as a pyro nor recognisable at all as a distress signal.
I don't recognise the characterisation of flares as "nasty" or scary; I've set off quite a few hand flares for disposal without any fuss, once when my regular crew happened to be visiting so that they could have a go too. The only slight surprise the first time is the "pop" as it spits out the plug on the end before lighting up - most people are ready for a bright light but not expecting any noise. Yes, I do wear a rigger glove just in case, but the plastic handles have not got overly hot. The Pains Wessex telescopic hand flares are particularly good for this, as the metal tube ends up several inches away from the part you hold, with a hollow plastic tube in between.
I do have a pair of gloves in the grab bag on board, both for flares and in case of a helicopter evacuation. I was once on board a ship when a medical casualty had to be winched off by the Spanish Salvamente Maritimo, and afterwards the bosun's gloves were almost cut through by the hi-line.
Pete