Is it still worth carrying flares?

Yes
I carry offshore pack.
It's been debated on here before the pros and cons.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Yes
I carry offshore pack.
It's been debated on here before the pros and cons.
Click to expand...

With the inevitable outcome that unless you own a boat where it is still compulsory it comes down to personal choice - and I don't carry flares as i believe the pros are no longer convincing and the cons are still there.
 
I’ve used them in the past. To my mind they’re a part of a system designed to attract attention and pinpoint your location, bolstering the electronic means of signalling distress. There’s nothing that replaces the sheer volume of light generated by a pyrotechnic flare to signal to a SAR asset exactly where you are in just about any weather condition. Whilst an LED/laser beacon has its part in the overall signalling methods, it doesn’t replace pyrotechnic devices in all weather and sea conditions.
 
When we lived in HK the use of fireworks , pyrotechnics, were banned but we were required to carry flare. At their use by date there was an obvious problem. This was easily resolved as at Chinese New Year there was a race to Macau, where fireworks were quite permissible. On the return to HK it was customary to use ones out of date flares. Great fun was had by all - except - it was actually the only time, of which I am aware, whereby owners and crew actually had opportunity to use a flare and see what they achieved.

As Duncan implies - they can be pretty spectacular and would be difficult to miss by someone looking for you. Smoke, parachute flares - in rough water, bad weather - might still save a life. We are not required to carry parachute flareS here, I alway have had one in the flare kit.

Jonathan
 
No flares for me, but if others think the balance of the argument stacks the other way that's fine too.
 
On a small boat with an elderly couple aboard in the Solent, where a blue water passage means a trip to Weymouth, I think they're potentially dangerous. The Admiral would be too scared of them to be safe - she'd probably drop it and set us on fire, so that means I'd have to hold it, and rather think that, if I need to use a flare, there are likely to be other things I'd want to be doing.

I'm not going to bother next year. All my flares are past their date, so I'll sort out disposal and stick to an LED flare that lights for an hour, has an indefinite life and a battery that needs replacing every 8 years (from memory). In an emergency, I can give it to the Admiral to wave around while I get on with keeping us afloat/alive. A good steamer scarer torch takes the place of white flares and DSC VHF + handheld + mobile will take care of calling for help if I need it.
 
Neeves said:
When we lived in HK the use of fireworks , pyrotechnics, were banned but we were required to carry flare. At their use by date there was an obvious problem. This was easily resolved as at Chinese New Year there was a race to Macau, where fireworks were quite permissible. On the return to HK it was customary to use ones out of date flares. Great fun was had by all - except - it was actually the only time, of which I am aware, whereby owners and crew actually had opportunity to use a flare and see what they achieved.

As Duncan implies - they can be pretty spectacular and would be difficult to miss by someone looking for you. Smoke, parachute flares - in rough water, bad weather - might still save a life. We are not required to carry parachute flareS here, I alway have had one in the flare kit.

Jonathan
Click to expand...
Have also done the Macau race thing....

However I have also very long ago fired of multiple rockets and lit hand reds in anger, in sight of two trawlers who steadily carried on till out of sight. One passed us within a quarter of a mile. Damaged boat, engine and all electronics dead (not that much electronics in those days), and one badly injured crew member. Finally sailed it in to harbour about 24 hours later - injured crew then spent weeks in hospital. This was before EPIRBS existed.

My current thinking is that a properly waterproof EPIRB is a much better "attract attention" answer than para rockets, but that a few red hand flares and maybe a smoke or two are still useful for "identify me quickly once searcher in sight" purposes.
 
I'm still with the "Norman defence" method. Archers, ditch, wall, tar, swords, Keep and so on.

So I carry an EPIRB, DSC / VHF, Flares and when I did my longer S/H trips this year I kept a PLB in my pocket.

While I agree with the concept of "drowning like a gentleman", I think, should the time ever come, I'd rather call for help!
 
W carried an EPIRB and flares because they do two different things, an EPIRB sends an emergency to a coastguard, flares pinpoint your position for a rescue boat. That is the basis of why we chose both.
 
I still choose to carry hand, rocket, and smoke flares.

I can see a reasonable argument for ditching the rockets and perhaps the smoke in favour of electronic means, but I'd always want the hand flares for last-mile position indication as well as confirmation to a bystander that this really is a distress situation. I don't believe a laser would be recognised as such, though it should work for a SAR unit already looking and aware it's being used.

The flares are stored in the liferaft grab bag, plus there's one hand-flare in the dinghy kit strapped to the inside of the transom. If I ever get swept out to sea in it, I don't want passing boats to assume I'm just one of those leisure fishermen too far out in an undersized boat.

I suggest those who are scared of flares (and note I don't assume everyone who chooses not to carry them is "scared") fire a recently-expired hand-flare in their back garden some time. It's really not that big a deal, and demystifying the process is a good idea.

Pete
 
prv said:
I suggest those who are scared of flares (and note I don't assume everyone who chooses not to carry them is "scared") fire a recently-expired hand-flare in their back garden some time. It's really not that big a deal, and demystifying the process is a good idea.
Click to expand...

It was a flare demo that first made me question the whole idea of flares. I reasoned if you needed a sandbucket and gauntlets to use a method of communication in a carpark then it wasn't a good method of communication on a heaving fibreglass boat!

I couldn't find a way to dispose of my last load of flares so I let them off in my garden, while they were still in date (just). It scared the hell out of me! When the CG finally got back to me to arrange disposal I told them what I'd done and they advised me not to do it due to the risk!

I think it's quite common amongst people who try flares for the first time to remark they hadn't appreciated how hot they got. (I'm working on a low sample count here.)

So I wouldn't be at all sure that using flares will lead to the conclusion they're safe. Quite the opposite in my case.

None of which is to say people shouldn't carry flares, merely that trying them won't reassure everyone, quite the opposite IME.
 
Last edited:
I recently replaced my out-of-date set of flares with a RORC pack, as i've been doing more offshore stuff this year and plan on doing more next year. It's given me some psychological comfort that i've got a full set of in-date flares on board should i need them. Disposing of the old ones was easy - the chandlers took them back in.

Already have a DCS VHF and a hand-held VHF too, decent life-raft and a grab bag full of essential stuff plus morale-boosters and MOD 24 hour self-heating ration packs etc (the chicken curry is rather good, as is the chilli - Not that i'm hoping to ever use them in anger!).

The only outstanding thing i need is an EPIRB which i'm hoping to procure at SIBS this year.

That lot may be overkill, but i'd rather "have a gun and not need it, than need a gun and not have it" to quote my old CO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

M
net worth of yacht brokers
2
Replies
35
Views
2K
Tranona
T
Irish Rover
Compact Binoculars 8 x 32
Replies
13
Views
562
Egret
E
Refueler
Navionics Boating gives me river nav coverage .....
Replies
8
Views
280
Refueler
Refueler

Share this page

Top