Got basic flares kit

[mtb]

I wandered off yesterday as I had to be in Wisbech, ended up at Brancaster in the little shop there ,not much in the way of chandlery but plenty of cloths.
Any way having been disgusted at the price of a silly little parachute flare which was priced at £28. odd I noticed this set
Paines Wessex inshore system 4 flares two 15k candle ones that burn for 60 sec's and 2 hand smoke again 60 sec's
All in a water tight container Price £46.13
I still need to get a couple of sky ones but this kit will be ok for a start as I will rarely be out of sight of land .
Met a chap at Well's by the closed chandlers !! .Got talking he'd not long got back from 3 weeks sailing through Portagal and along the Algarve with the yearly run that Mr Blithe organises ,sounded like pure bliss to me .Then when I remarked about mail order flares and mentioned Compass .He smiled and said I owned Compass until I retired last year !! small world int it .
Oh chips were crap sun was out nice brisk breeze ,the view from Hunstanton was perfect !! got to get out there ,got to get out there .
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v/cheep or swap for tug

 

[andyball]

Anyone got any experience of the (v.cheap) XM flares.....? £45 for 2 red h/held,2 orange smokes and 2 red parachutes........too cheap to be any good?, or just cheap.

 

[mtb]

Where did you get them or see them .That is the trouble how do you know what their like untill its to late .Also I wanted to do a spot of saftey training with my lads but they are so blooming expensive .
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v/cheep or swap for tug

 

[andyball]

Saw 'em in cruisermart (now called something else).....they're sold for rather more in other places(£60+ for the exact same XM flares), and claim to be solas approved.

They don't have the plastic handles on the hand-helds like pains-wessex, and a local chandlers says they're rubbish.....but was rather vague about why.

 

[VMALLOWS]

Let's start a debate on the value of (old fashioned) flares in themselves. They were conceived long before anyone had any form of radio. I know it will be herresy to some of you but I'd prefer a couple of mobile phones (on different networks) , a fixed and a mobile marine VHF , and if venturing beyond the channel SSB/Amateur Radio. I will take care to maintain the integrity (power etc) of all of these., just as you would keep your flares dry.

Comments?

 

[andyball]

I suppose it depends if you want to allow for complete boat-electrical failure, some miles offshore...making the handheld vhf a possibly doubtful prospect.

Mobile phones?....I've had trouble inside chichester harbour, never mind futher away....does a mobile work even 2 miles from the nearest mast ?....even 1 mile ?. I live fairly near the A3M in a bilt-up area; there's a mast some 1/2 mile away :when cellnet had trouble with it.....couldn't use the phone at all...even though there are others just a mile or so away, the phone worked fine if I drove nearer to them.

Also we're told....it's surprisingly hard to spot a (small, as in not a bloody great ship) boat in distress....either because of poor conditions, or even just too many other boats to choose from : that's probably when handheld flares are most useful...isn't it?....(guessing here)

 

[Starspinner]

Why are all flares dated for the year end, dont they make them in summer, or is it a ploy to stop us squeezing a bit of extra time before they are out of date.

 

[mtb]

Re: celnet

My brick of an old celnet works fine in the middle of the Wash. I hasten to add, no way would I trust it though, I bet there have been a fair few who came unstuck taking the mobil as a saftey .
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v/cheep or swap for tug

 

[mtb]

Re: Actualy has any one got

I want some out of date flares to use as a training aid for my boys ,so that if it came to it, they would be able to do whats required .
I'm happy to pay postage or collect if not to far from Spalding Lincolnshire .


Mick


http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v/cheep or swap for tug

 

[chippie]

Re: Old Flares

If you get some outdated flares to practice with, make sure you inform the relevant authorities.--You dont want to set off a search alert.

 

[mtb]

Re: Old Flares

Agreed but along with this we are 12 miles inland and 6 miles from a navigable waterway and will do it in day light . A phone call to the coastgaurd will be on the agenda.
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v/cheep or swap for tug