Odeo distress flare any good?

[PilotWolf]

Are you referring to a laser or the Odeo.
In the case of the laser, I agree but I disagree with the Odeo - it can be waved around - just like a hand flare.
The laser is more of a signalling device to contact someone who is actually looking for you.

Do NOT EVER point ANY form of laser device at ANY aircraft!

You risk blinding the pilots and potential injuring them! That is not even with the potential loss of control of the aircraft that may result due to their incapacitation!

PW

 

[Jonmendez]

Just before you decide not to carry flares, I would be slightly careful as most insurance company’s insist yay your vessel is correctly equipped and until informed by the Coastguard that any of these are a recognised alternative if they will try to wriggle on a claim yo hsbr given them a lovely excuse. If your Vessel is over 13.7m or 45ft in old money they are a legal requirement at sea under the section XII regulations. Just saying...

 

[Praxinoscope]

After 50 years of sailing, 50 years of never using a pyrotechnic and 50 years of religiously replacing pyrotechnic flares when expiry dates have been reached I have gone for the Odeo alternative. For alerting the rescue services we have EPIRB and PLB as well as DSC which I think are going to be more effective than pyrotechnics especialy now that the Coastguard numbers and stations have been reduced.
I seem to recall that the pyrotechnics launched by the Titanic were seen but assumed to be celebratory fireworks.

 

[sarabande]

Do NOT EVER point ANY form of laser device at ANY aircraft!

You risk blinding the pilots and potential injuring them! That is not even with the potential loss of control of the aircraft that may result due to their incapacitation!

PW

Pilot

You might find it instructive to look at the flares website,

https://www.greatlandlaser.com/faq/

and to follow the maths through to understanding why the USA approves the use of the deliberately attenuated beam of the rescue flare.

Your concerns and warning about ordinary laser pointers with minimal divergence is justified, of course.

 

[Nigelpickin]

Wonder if there’s a large enough market for someone like DJI to make a marine drone that has SAR protocols....

Anyway, re the op - my view is that as long as your insurer is not insistent on flares, there are so many other safeguards that you would be better spending your money on.
MOB tags or epirbs
Waterproof Hand held VHF for Skipper and First Mate
A really good flash / search light
Iridium or Thuraya Satalite Phone
BFO bilge pump


And so on.

If you can imagine a time when an ODEO would actually be of more use that say, a VHF radio then ok - but remember that light will only be LIne of Sight, just like a VHF.

FWIW, and I include the entire Atlantic Crossing, I cant ever recall a time when I’ve been out of range in VHF terms, from another vessel or a land com cen.

So I’d go for VHF redundancy every time rather than a red light randomly flashing god knows who.

 

[pks1702]

We have one (MK1) as a back up to traditional flares.

PBO did a test on the original version about 5 years ago and picked up the light 3.3NM away

Would certainly help as a visual aid to guide in the services once they got in the vicinity.

MK111

 

[sarabande]

Nigel

I follow your thoughts about the alternatives and their priority, but if you have an electrical failure on board, a LED flare does have 48 (?) hours ability to flash a call to a line of sight aircraft or ship or land station. Batteries in a h/h VHF don;t last that long, and I'd prefer to save them to pass on information when the alert has been noted.

I am almost convinced that it is worth buying an LED flare for the grab bag. But then, I do have a heliograph as well

 

[Hurricane]

There is a god reason why SOLAS do not approve these.

PW.

Being cynical about it, I can think of a reason.
A whole industry of 'RIP off merchants' is at risk.
The pyrotechnic industry in the marine sector is disgraceful.
It knows that you have to carry these dangerous devices and charges horrendous prices.
I don't just mean in the UK - in my experience other countries are worse.

The last thing these people want is a cheap alternative that doesn't need replacing.
You could think of me just me being cynical though.

 

[Hurricane]

I am almost convinced that it is worth buying an LED flare for the grab bag. But then, I do have a heliograph as well

Why not be fully convinced?
It isn't a lot of money and very little or no maintenance.
You need to set one of the MK3s off to realise just how bright it is.
Then you should be convinced.

It is a "No Brainer" to me.

EDIT
Just to clarify, it works like a torch.
You set it off by turning it on and off.
As many times as you like.

 

[Nigelpickin]

Not wishing to be pedantic but I get around 3 days in standby on my vhf hand helds, they float, have a mob function and gps / dsc

I guess I’m just asking, what piece of kit would you rather have in your hand if the worst happens?

Nothing wrong with the laser stick but it’s perhaps at the back of the queue in terms importance, underneath the heliograph and, sea anchor and protein bars
AIMHO

 

[MrB]

I'm quite in the Hurricane camp (post #19) and would prefer to have a good mixture of everything at my disposal should the situation arise. I personally don't think you can have enough safety equipment if it can save you and your crews lives.

 

[Hurricane]

Not wishing to be pedantic but I get around 3 days in standby on my vhf hand helds, they float, have a mob function and gps / dsc

I guess I’m just asking, what piece of kit would you rather have in your hand if the worst happens?

Nothing wrong with the laser stick but it’s perhaps at the back of the queue in terms importance, underneath the heliograph and, sea anchor and protein bars
AIMHO

Actually, my RIB is my first choice - it has DSC VHF, GPS, Plotter - And An Engine.
Not much use mid Atlantic, I agree but way more useful than an explosive.
But, as I say, I would have the ships grab bag as well with all the goodies.

 

[PilotWolf]

Being cynical about it, I can think of a reason.
A whole industry of 'RIP off merchants' is at risk.
The pyrotechnic industry in the marine sector is disgraceful.
It knows that you have to carry these dangerous devices and charges horrendous prices.
I don't just mean in the UK - in my experience other countries are worse.

The last thing these people want is a cheap alternative that doesn't need replacing.
You could think of me just me being cynical though.

I'm one of the most cynical people going.

I think it's more likely that they're unproven, have no expire date and as such no quality assurance of the batteries unlike an EPIRB or PLB and as such no certification.

Plus how many people know what these look like? As a professional mariner I would investigate anything unusual - how many leisure sailor or the general public ashore would?

W.

 

[Portofino]

There’s something about having to adapt local (to you) bye laws etc for those who keep there boat abroad or somehow spend over 3 months in a foreign country.
So on that basis France for me ,I base my energancy kit on them not the U.K. dispite flying a red ensign .

Foreign flag / safety if you based abroad it’s worth checking where that country is requirement wise with these lasers ?

This argument regularly crops up. I think you need to read Uncloss 11 and other international agreements. The coastal State can impose whatever conditions it wants on vessels NOT on innocent passage. Portugal for instance requires pleasure craft there for more that 6 months to carry the same safety equipment as Portuguese registered ones although unlike a few years ago, it's rare these days for checks.
Read more at http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...s-boat-safety-regulations#lBav9DW06o4xF3v2.99

So with Bexit ( sorry for adding another layer of complexity guys ) if the foreign state officials start to get shirty imho it’s best to mirror there local rules so to speak .

Currently in Fr they can fine you for carrying flares out of date as well as no flares in date or any other breach minor or whatever they find if they throw the book at you .
They have a prescription of what pyrotechnics are required and the chandlers sell a kit ready made up that meets the Fr standard ,The basic safety list is available in the “ bloc Coiture “ ( sp?)
Lasts 3/4 years date wise then you just replace the whole kit ( circa €250 ish ) .
You must get rid / hand in the old unused stuff as tempting as it is to store / hang on / build up a cache - it’s a fine able offence if you get caught with them .

So for me in sone attempt hopefully to cross the “ t ,s “ and dot the “ I,s “ I can only follow the Fr prescription .

If these laser flares are not in that prescription pack then no thanks .

 

[Hurricane]

Currently in Fr they can fine you for carrying flares out of date as well as no flares in date or any other breach minor or whatever they find if they throw the book at you .
They have a prescription of what pyrotechnics are required and the chandlers sell a kit ready made up that meets the Fr standard ,The basic safety list is available in the “ bloc Coiture “ ( sp?)
Lasts 3/4 years date wise then you just replace the whole kit ( circa €250 ish ) .
You must get rid / hand in the old unused stuff as tempting as it is to store / hang on / build up a cache - it’s a fine able offence if you get caught with them .

Personally, I think that is just the French authorities "hanging on" to an old industry that should go.
This is a modern world.
We shouldn't need to keep dangerous equipment on board when there are perfectly good (and very arguably better) alternatives.
I can't believe that pyrotechnic flares will still be around in the long term future.

 

[Portofino]

Personally, I think that is just the French authorities "hanging on" to an old industry that should go.
This is a modern world.
We shouldn't need to keep dangerous equipment on board when there are perfectly good (and very arguably better) alternatives.
I can't believe that pyrotechnic flares will still be around in the long term future.

Sort of agree , but the danger generally is ex pats forming ghettos abroad in places like SCM and sitting around benoaning local rules / regs / bye laws etc , with the we conquered the oceans spirt hiding beneath our beloved red ensigns,or what ever colour you fly .

I feel there attitude will harden post Brexit .I get the tourist € etc but Madrid will be mad over Gib and loosing access to Brit fishing waters , we might up our enforcement of the fishing thing and the Right wing gov in Sp may hit out at liesure boaters .

Have you got or has Sp got a local safety prescription for this kinda stuff ?
If so I suggest follow it rarther than end up in an argument with armed officers on the sea .Afew days after we enforce , kick out a few Sp fishing boats from our waters .Its all political and liesure boaters coukd get caught up .They are doing nothing wrong checking safety stuff in Sp waters esp if your boats based there.Up to now nobody’s bothered .

In Fr it’s crystal clear and easy to prep up - albeit a tick box excerise but nether the less there’s no excuse for not complying .

The old saying “ when In Rome -......... “

 

[BruceK]

We have one (MK1) as a back up to traditional flares.

PBO did a test on the original version about 5 years ago and picked up the light 3.3NM away

Would certainly help as a visual aid to guide in the services once they got in the vicinity.

Well that video settles it for me. You can suck on a cigarette and the glow can be seen from nearly two miles in those conditions. I know this from my military training when it was demonstrated. The pyrotechnics by comparison was blindingly obvious. If I saw an Odeo flare from a distance I am not convinced I would sit up and take notice. I have seen nav lights twinkle in much the same manner. Used as a close in locational device, sure. But to initiate a distress signal in the instance where you may have lost electricals, no.
So imo if you go digital flares, it needs to be backed up with another device such as EPIRB / PLB first.