How out of date are your flares?

[KellysEye]

>"No flares/out of date flares on board = certain death/end of the word/armageddon" type response.........but I sure someone will soon!

Not exactly Armageddon but we fired out of date flares in Lagos, Portugal under Coastguard supervision. One parachute flare went up about 50 feet and turned horizontal another one exploded in someone's hand. We were all wearing gloves. On the other hand I was doing a demo jump into a county fair and had a big Pains Wessex orange smoke flare strapped to my ankle and wearing a fireproof sock. It was in date but failed to fire.

 

[colind3782]

>"No flares/out of date flares on board = certain death/end of the word/armageddon" type response.........but I sure someone will soon!

Not exactly Armageddon but we fired out of date flares in Lagos, Portugal under Coastguard supervision. One parachute flare went up about 50 feet and turned horizontal another one exploded in someone's hand. We were all wearing gloves. On the other hand I was doing a demo jump into a county fair and had a big Pains Wessex orange smoke flare strapped to my ankle and wearing a fireproof sock. It was in date but failed to fire.

Probably just as well! Almost impossible to get the orange smoke stains out of a jumpsuit

 

[yoda]

I would guess 1980/1990. They are Very pistol shells and they have no date on them. Actual flares are about 2000 I think. If there were a simple way then I would get rid of the flares (keep the Very pistol and shells).

What size shells do you have? I have just found some 38mm ones for sale in Helston for my Very pistol but only red ones - no white ones which is a pity. My old shells were made in 1965 so ready for disposal I think!

Yoda

 

[alahol2]

What size shells do you have? I have just found some 38mm ones for sale in Helston for my Very pistol but only red ones - no white ones which is a pity. My old shells were made in 1965 so ready for disposal I think!

Yoda

Mine are labelled 26.5mm 1". All mine are red as well, a few white would definitely be useful. 38mm sounds like a proper blunderbuss.

 

[yoda]

Mine are labelled 26.5mm 1". All mine are red as well, a few white would definitely be useful. 38mm sounds like a proper blunderbuss.

Certainly a bit of a kick! I think you will have more chance of getting cartridges. I don't understand why more people don't have one, it isn't a great problem with the licence (and I enjoy using it as proof of Identity!)

Yoda

 

[KellysEye]

>Almost impossible to get the orange smoke stains out of a jumpsuit

The flare is only fired after the square canopy is opened so you are moving forward fast trailing smoke behind, thus no jump suit problems

 

[Ripster]

In date at the MO bought a new lot last year.

 

[Reptile Smile]

I have some on board dated 2006. I always seem to have something else to spend money on instead, and the OOD status of the flares doesn't scare me that much, given that I have to go a long way to be more than 7 miles from either Wales or Somerset...

 

[Shearwater]

I was wondering about mine, too but before I lose any more sleep thn usual would someone kindly let me know the minimum flare pack I should carry for a 25 footer sailing coastal. Um, in Spain if that makes any difference (and I hope it doesn´t). I have a lovely box of OOD explosives below the bunks and I hesitate to touch them in case they blow up.

 

[prv]

would someone kindly let me know the minimum flare pack I should carry for a 25 footer sailing coastal. Um, in Spain if that makes any difference (and I hope it doesn´t).

A "coastal" pack, according to whoever defines these things, is two red parachute rockets, two hand-held red flares, and two hand-held orange smokes.

That's not a legal requirement for a private British boat in UK waters; I don't know what the rules are for you in Spain (and they'll probably depend if your boat is Spanish or British).

As you can see in this thread, an increasing number of people opt for electronic-only means of signalling distress.

Pete

 

[PetiteFleur]

Interesting replies, I have decided to get a new set of offshore flares but keep some of the others as well. I'm in Suffolk and the cheapest place is Suffolk Sailing (now called Suffolk Marine Safety), at Claydon near Ipswich. They take the equivalent flares foc and will supply without the container if you already have one. Pains Wessex flares. Was going to pop in yesterday but forgot to get the old flares off theboat.........

 

[sailorman]

I have let off @ home 8 No 2012 & 13 exp Pains Wessex HH reds , 3 weeks ago.
3 malfunctioned & i fired them by placing another pointing at them( one at a time & i have a large garden in the country :encouragement: ) I will not be replacing them
Buoyant smoke is safer for day time location use

 

[prv]

I have let off @ home 8 No 2012 & 13 exp Pains Wessex HH reds , 3 weeks ago.
3 malfunctioned

That's quite concerning. Only a couple of years out of date and already a nearly 50% failure rate? I would not have expected that.

Pete

 

[sailorman]

That's quite concerning. Only a couple of years out of date and already a nearly 50% failure rate? I would not have expected that.

Pete

To use one from a raft would be a serious risk to that raft
i have 2 more to fire off @ home

 

[prv]

To use one from a raft would be a serious risk to that raft

Oh - so they malfunctioned in a burny way? I assumed from the way you described lighting them with another, that they simply failed to ignite.

Pete

 

[sailorman]

Oh - so they malfunctioned in a burny way? I assumed from the way you described lighting them with another, that they simply failed to ignite.

Pete

failed to ignite but those that did work emitted loadsa lava n sparks, not what i would call a "clean burn"

 

[prv]

those that did work emitted loadsa lava n sparks

That's normal, isn't it? If using them in a liferaft, you're meant to lean out over the leeward side and point the business end away from you and the raft.

Pete

 

[sailorman]

That's normal, isn't it? If using them in a liferaft, you're meant to lean out over the leeward side and point the business end away from you and the raft.

Pete

Quite so, i would prefer to lob out an orange smoke

 

[Searush]

1974

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I may even have some older than that. must look in the locker one year to see if any have corroded thro yet like some of the food cans did.

 

[sailorman]

Just fired off the last 2 & 1 failed, its now in a bucket of water