TheCharteringClasses
New member
I see what you mean from a formal radio telegraphy point of view, but this isn't formal radio telegraphy, it's about distress signals.
Unless you have some alternative list then I'm going to go with the colregs set.
Horrific flare accident
- Thread starter Norman_E
- Start date
I see what you mean from a formal radio telegraphy point of view, but this isn't formal radio telegraphy, it's about distress signals.
Unless you have some alternative list then I'm going to go with the colregs set.
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Ah got it. Same dot/dash sequence different spaces 
very good
very good
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
I said it was a minor technical point. If you sink near me I will not insist on perfect morse before picking you up.
Bi111ion
Member
I agree licensing is a bit onerous but I am not sure why you would think hand held flares are safer than very flares. For example vary flares are fired from a big lump of proof-tested steel, hand flares from a plastic tube.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
Modern incarnations of the Verey pistol ARE made of orange plastic! See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flare_gun
Daydream believer
Well-known member
A very pistol has to be a preferred method of letting off a flare than by hand. For a start one does not have to hold the flare once ignited. It goes ( assuming that is where you point the gun) up in the air away from boat & operator.
Any older cartridges that may emit sparks are OK as they will not have to be held
The operator can get on with other things such as saving himself rather than holding a flare & ejecting the residue over the surrounding area
A further point --Not all modern very pistols are plastic either
Bi111ion
Member
Yep wouldnt touch them. You can still get a HK & Koch P2A1 and its immitations. You can also get 26.5mm parachute flares to fire in it.
l'escargot
New member
Only if you are comparing a very pistol to a handheld flare which is not like for like. A one shot parachute flare is no different from a very pistol in the respects you list.
alant
Active member
But isnt carrying thru the streets an offence?
I well remember disposing of some via a police station (remember those) & having to complete forms under the Firearms & Ammunitions regs.
Seajet
...
My flares- hand, rocket and parachute - are in steel tubes, I would be uneasy with plastic.
l'escargot
New member
No it's not. You used to have to sign a form handing over possession when handing them in at a police station but I didn't even need to do that last time I handed some in. Flares don't come under any firearms or ammunition regulations, very pistols do though.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Whilst I grant you that a parachute flare will last longer It is still harder to actually fire than a very pistol flare
You need 2 hands to actually ignite the flare but one to fire the pistol
I have fired both & have to say that a very pistol feels a much more " secure" way of doing it
But to each his own & if I was drowning I would fire anything I could get my hands on
KellysEye
Active member
>The only way to get rid of them is to set them off on firework night. No one will take them!
Call your county police station to see if they will take them. I got rid of old flares at a police station in Muswell Hil, London, they said hey had a lead lined box for them.
Call your county police station to see if they will take them. I got rid of old flares at a police station in Muswell Hil, London, they said hey had a lead lined box for them.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Illegal To Fire A Distress Flare If Not In Distress
It is illegal to fire a distress flare if you are not in distress. This is probably why people think it is illegal to fire a flare inland or such like. I was never sure on this matter until I started researching commercial regulations applicable to coding my boat. Under SOLAS regulations, which are part of our maritime law framework, it is illegal to misuse distress signals. There is at least one conviction that has been reported when a sailor let of a rocket on the 5th of November which proceeded to land in another yacht and cause damage. The sailor was charged and found guilty of misusing distress signals.
It is illegal to fire a distress flare if you are not in distress. This is probably why people think it is illegal to fire a flare inland or such like. I was never sure on this matter until I started researching commercial regulations applicable to coding my boat. Under SOLAS regulations, which are part of our maritime law framework, it is illegal to misuse distress signals. There is at least one conviction that has been reported when a sailor let of a rocket on the 5th of November which proceeded to land in another yacht and cause damage. The sailor was charged and found guilty of misusing distress signals.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
Re: Illegal To Fire A Distress Flare If Not In Distress
Whatever the letter of the law, police officers are trained that it is illegal to discharge distress flares except in a distress situation. So, discharging them on Bonfire Night might well give you an uncomfortable time while you explain to the police why they are wrong and you are right! In addition, it is reckless to set off parachute flares, which may well return to earth while still burning - someone else has referred to the case of a yacht being badly damaged by a flare that was still burning when it descended; imagine that on someone's roof, or in a field of ripe wheat!
Cambridge Police Station will accept out-of-date flares; I've used them.
Whatever the letter of the law, police officers are trained that it is illegal to discharge distress flares except in a distress situation. So, discharging them on Bonfire Night might well give you an uncomfortable time while you explain to the police why they are wrong and you are right! In addition, it is reckless to set off parachute flares, which may well return to earth while still burning - someone else has referred to the case of a yacht being badly damaged by a flare that was still burning when it descended; imagine that on someone's roof, or in a field of ripe wheat!
Cambridge Police Station will accept out-of-date flares; I've used them.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Re: Illegal To Fire A Distress Flare If Not In Distress
Did you actually read what I wrote? The perception of your post implies that I am taking a contradictory position.
Did you actually read what I wrote? The perception of your post implies that I am taking a contradictory position.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
Re: Illegal To Fire A Distress Flare If Not In Distress
Sorry - my response was actually meant to support your position; other have suggested that there is no law preventing the discharge of flares in situations where they cannot be mistaken for distress signals (e.g. far from the sea in non-mountainous areas). I am simply pointing out the pragmatic situation that whatever the rights and wrongs, letting off flares in a non-distress situation may result in spending time trying to explain yourself to an unsympathetic police-officer, who will almost certainly be of the opinion that it IS illegal to let off distress flares.
Again, apologies; I meant to be supportive of your view, but phrased myself badly.
Sorry - my response was actually meant to support your position; other have suggested that there is no law preventing the discharge of flares in situations where they cannot be mistaken for distress signals (e.g. far from the sea in non-mountainous areas). I am simply pointing out the pragmatic situation that whatever the rights and wrongs, letting off flares in a non-distress situation may result in spending time trying to explain yourself to an unsympathetic police-officer, who will almost certainly be of the opinion that it IS illegal to let off distress flares.
Again, apologies; I meant to be supportive of your view, but phrased myself badly.
Sailingsaves
Well-known member
Stopped reading at SOS posts, so forgive if this is mentioned.
But this topic arose last year? and someone in the know I believe stated that flares placed in a bucket of water leached all the chemicals into the bucket?
Personally I keep all mine in ammo boxes with silica gel and a small moisture meter, whatever the date in case the proverbial hits the fan when I am back on a boat one day.
Having used flares before I don't need to practise with old ones so they will simply be stored whatever their age in case of a dire emergency (and on board, the ammo box will be placed inside another ammo box, both with special baffles (DIY job still to design) so if anything went off the whole lot does not become a bomb, but simply expels loads of heat - probably stored outside but covered with waterproof material.
Last year I very carefully and remotely tested some 1970 vintage flares (that were sealed in plastic bags - they don't come like that from the manufacturer any longer) - and they were fine.
I will never trust them owing to the few accidents from bad batches, but if it is death or use a flare...
It is VERY easy to make one's own red flares also. And make them safer by using thicker metal tubes, welded bases etc and it is an option for me - don't know about others. I trust what I make more than I trust mass manufactured things. It is even easier and safer to make simple smoke flares for helicopter rescue.
video of research - NOT of a final product. Don't try this at home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVvijONJdlY
Here I was experimenting with making sure the 'handle' did not get hot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pORbSQk3oVU
But this topic arose last year? and someone in the know I believe stated that flares placed in a bucket of water leached all the chemicals into the bucket?
Personally I keep all mine in ammo boxes with silica gel and a small moisture meter, whatever the date in case the proverbial hits the fan when I am back on a boat one day.
Having used flares before I don't need to practise with old ones so they will simply be stored whatever their age in case of a dire emergency (and on board, the ammo box will be placed inside another ammo box, both with special baffles (DIY job still to design) so if anything went off the whole lot does not become a bomb, but simply expels loads of heat - probably stored outside but covered with waterproof material.
Last year I very carefully and remotely tested some 1970 vintage flares (that were sealed in plastic bags - they don't come like that from the manufacturer any longer) - and they were fine.
I will never trust them owing to the few accidents from bad batches, but if it is death or use a flare...
It is VERY easy to make one's own red flares also. And make them safer by using thicker metal tubes, welded bases etc and it is an option for me - don't know about others. I trust what I make more than I trust mass manufactured things. It is even easier and safer to make simple smoke flares for helicopter rescue.
video of research - NOT of a final product. Don't try this at home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVvijONJdlY
Here I was experimenting with making sure the 'handle' did not get hot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pORbSQk3oVU
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Having watched those vids of flares I must comment on the amount of sparks that appears to be coming from them -which must be a danger to eyes, hands & clothing
prv
Well-known member
?
The first one didn't look significantly different to the Pains Wessex hand flares I set off at the weekend for disposal. Flares do emit sparks, that's why you hold them in a gloved hand at arm's length and preferably over water (I use the outboard-flushing bin on my patio).
I'd be more concerned that it seems to have burned through the tube - manufactured flares don't do that.
The flare in the second video just seems a bit weedy, not much actual "flare" being projected above the top of the tube.
Pete