Elessar
Well-Known Member
I’d missed that post somehow. Good idea on your part using white and a good result.
LED Flares - Expensive?
- Thread starter goeasy123
- Start date
I’d missed that post somehow. Good idea on your part using white and a good result.
PilotWolf
Well-Known Member
As you posted several replies I will just respond to one.
You can make sure they read the instructions, go through the actual actions just short of sending it up.
Really not trying-to be a dick just trying to make the point you can train.
W.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
Not suggesting you are.
But I think there is more to it that what’s written in tiny writing on the flare. And yes you’d train this but I’m talking about what you say to friends that come for the day or whatever not people on a course.
Get flare
Don’t use if a helicopter is near
Put gloves on
Hold right way up
Take end cap(s) off
Stand/sit on leeward side of boat
Consider harness use
Hold flare over water (edit to add: at full arms length)
Point flare downwind (this is certainly not intuitive)
Look away
Pull mechanism without looking
That’s a lot to remember when the cack is hitting the fan if you are an occasional or novice yachtsman and perhaps don’t even know what leeward is!
My training goes “press and hold this red button, press this button, read this (message that’s stuck next to the radio )out, let go of the button and do as the man says. “
They might just remember that.
Last edited:
duncan99210
Well-Known Member
Ive both used a flare in anger and attended a Coastguard training session where live flares were used to allow yachties to have a go.
The flare that was used in anger was on the request of the lifeboat searching for us after a knockdown off the Casquets left us with damaged steering and two injured crew. After getting the electrics back (battery broke loose) we called for help on the VHF and the lifeboat was launched. Couldn’t identify us from torch flashes so they asked for a flare. Set off from the downwind side of the cockpit until the lifeboat told us they’d got our position fixed and then dumped overboard.
The first thing to know is that the flare kicks out a tremendous amount of light: the lifeboat crew later told us that they didn’t see the flare itself at first but the reflected glow off the rain and spray was more than enough to locate us: they didn’t see the “steamer scarer” torch until they were within a hundred metres or so.
Second, and this is more from the Coastguard training session, flares kick out an incredible quantity of hot debris, so you really must have your back to the wind and the flare itself pointing overboard. That said, in a rough sea with a fair bit of rain and spray about, there’s little damage going to be done to the boat as the water will sort out the heat but you must make sure its not pointing at your mate.
The coastguard is always open to helping out at a training session: the one I attended was run by the local chandlers but we’ve got one coming up soon for the coxes at the gig club. Equally, the RNLI are also up for running training sessions, using live flares where appropriate.
I’ve long been of the opinion that that pyrotechnics are a tool well worth retaining on board: they are simple to use, easy to maintain and (most of the time) they work out of the box. The quantity of light generated is vastly greater than that of an LED beacon and they’re really easy to spot.
I also have an EPRIB, PLBs, AIS beacons (on life jackets) and a DSC radio. If I need help, I’ll be setting them off as well as sending up a parachute flare. The handhelds and LED beacon are for the last half mile or so and I know that whilst the LED beacon will still be working after I’ve been picked up, there’s a real possibility that it won’t have actually featured in the rescue.
The flare that was used in anger was on the request of the lifeboat searching for us after a knockdown off the Casquets left us with damaged steering and two injured crew. After getting the electrics back (battery broke loose) we called for help on the VHF and the lifeboat was launched. Couldn’t identify us from torch flashes so they asked for a flare. Set off from the downwind side of the cockpit until the lifeboat told us they’d got our position fixed and then dumped overboard.
The first thing to know is that the flare kicks out a tremendous amount of light: the lifeboat crew later told us that they didn’t see the flare itself at first but the reflected glow off the rain and spray was more than enough to locate us: they didn’t see the “steamer scarer” torch until they were within a hundred metres or so.
Second, and this is more from the Coastguard training session, flares kick out an incredible quantity of hot debris, so you really must have your back to the wind and the flare itself pointing overboard. That said, in a rough sea with a fair bit of rain and spray about, there’s little damage going to be done to the boat as the water will sort out the heat but you must make sure its not pointing at your mate.
The coastguard is always open to helping out at a training session: the one I attended was run by the local chandlers but we’ve got one coming up soon for the coxes at the gig club. Equally, the RNLI are also up for running training sessions, using live flares where appropriate.
I’ve long been of the opinion that that pyrotechnics are a tool well worth retaining on board: they are simple to use, easy to maintain and (most of the time) they work out of the box. The quantity of light generated is vastly greater than that of an LED beacon and they’re really easy to spot.
I also have an EPRIB, PLBs, AIS beacons (on life jackets) and a DSC radio. If I need help, I’ll be setting them off as well as sending up a parachute flare. The handhelds and LED beacon are for the last half mile or so and I know that whilst the LED beacon will still be working after I’ve been picked up, there’s a real possibility that it won’t have actually featured in the rescue.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
PilotWolf
Well-Known Member
Iliade
Well-Known Member
White was a steamer scarer when I felt threatened. unconnected to the reds and not followed by being run down so it must have worked ;0)
First set of reds was after bumping into a certain ledge well known to the local racing fraternity. Doh! But in my defence it was after a truly foul passage and a night at anchor near Ryde pier sheltering from the storm, not long after I succumbed to boat ownership. I also used the R/T briefly but the batteries were quickly immersed. luckily the boat's draft was pretty shallow so we could have waded ashore if pushed (not a chance in the swell in truth) and she didn't take on that much water before coming to rest on the bottom.
Bit of a Bavaria moment really. It transpired that a previous owner had met the Casquettes (sp.) and had subsequently had the keel root repaired with chopped strand body filler, in marine white... I did the job with wood and kevlar and carbon left over from repairing Morning Cloud (nn) and the result was undoubtedly stronger than the original.
The most recent red (singular) was a hand held when the o/b made an o/b sized hole in the transom while I was leaving harbour in a bit of a chop and close to a fishing boat. The flares were nearer than the radio. Thankfully I was able to volte face and got escorted in without sinking. Had that happened somewhere further from shelter the boat would undoubtedly have foundered.
Same boat for all three, made of tissue paper reinforced plastic and now two boats into the history books.
Iliade
Well-Known Member
I now sail with PLBs, SPOT, DSC, handheld, mobile phone, mirror, tar barrel (ok, that's fib) and a full set of flares. It makes it much easier to find the cadaver and thus to claim on the insurance.
