Out of date flares

[ridgy]

The other night we were having a bit of a party (at home) when a non-sailing friend asked if I had any flares for the boat.

I showed him some and then he asked if he could set one off. A bit daft I know, but remembering I had some out of date (1996) ones showed him what to do and stood back.

Well anyway, not one of four out-of-date flares worked. Not that surprising perhaps but everything I have heard suggests that unless they come from HMS Victory, flares usually work past their date.

My current ones are up at the end of the year. They will definitely be replaced...

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[Talbot]

Whilst I understand the temptation to let off out of date flares, this is not something that should be done. A normal firework is designed to finish its burn cycle before reaching the earth, but a flare is designed to keep going for as long as it is in the air + extra. This means that when it reaches the earth there is still significant burn time left. Several nasty fires (vehicles and houses as well as land) have been started by doing this.

Furthermore, the flares that did not go off may well have been in a <font color=red>very dangerous condition</font color=red> for quite a while after being let off. Although the chances are that the firing circuit was broken, there is another condition (known as "hang fire") where the flare has ignited and is spluttering - a knock during this period can cause it to ignite properly. The normal safety precaution after a misfire like this is to leave it in a safe place (large bucket of sand would be my preference)for at least an hour before going near it.

Notwithstanding this, it is worrying that they all failed to ignite. What were the conditions and where had they been kept during their in-service life.

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[ridgy]

If I recall they were 3 hand flares (not parachute) and 1 orange smoke. They came with the boat so can't comment on past treatment but they looked alright.

They were the type that you pull down-twist-and hit with hand. No amount of hitting (including against a wall, he was very keen to see some action!) would spur them on.

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[chrisc]

Very worrying,
How will you know if new flares work ?

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[Benbow]

That sound like Pains-Wessex. I had a similar experience when I came to try 2 P-W handheld reds that were 2 years out of date. They had been stored upright in an airtight container all their lives and both failed. In fact I injured my hand trying fire them. A parachute red with the same history worked.

(yes this was an organised test in a safe place and the CG were aware)



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[jimbouy]

Would he have been so keen on the £1000 fine!!!

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[ridgy]

> How will you know if new flares work ?

Well I won't, but you can do no more than ensure you have in-date gear.

> the £1000 fine

Well he was actually in distress, some bird he was after wasn't having any... ;-)

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[kilkerr1]

Wot does one actually do with out of date flares? I have some which need getting rid of...



<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>

 

[IanPoole2]

Try the local CG - if not ask your local chandler or hand them in at the local nick. They won't know what to-do with them but should take them off yer hands

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[jamesjermain]

Ah! Yes.

The story of the yachtsman who took his old flares to the nick and was directed to the nearest clothes bank

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[kilkerr1]

Tee hee!


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>

 

[Mirelle]

What make were they?

I was routinely looking at mine last weekend (annual ritual - take them out of box, look at them, put them back in box!) and I noticed (for the first time!) that they did not come from Pains-Wessex-Schemuly like they used to but from AN Other Company.

In the days when it was allowed, I used to let off the old red and white hand helds and orange smokes (but never, of course, red parachutes flares!) on Bonfire Night and they all worked except that VERY old ones were more orange than red.

I follow Tom Cunliffe's advice and keep the immediate past set (expired) in their box alongside the current ones on the basis that if you need to use flares, the more the merrier!

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Cantata]

At the risk of being boring.........I'm an auxiliary coastguard and I can assure you that if someone reports seeing a red flare, it is always treated as an emergency, and SAR will be mobilised, every time.
So do us all a favour and please don't do it. At the worst, you could end up in court, same severity of offence as a hoax 999 call!! In general, your local CG team will take old flares off your hands, call your local CG MRCC or MRSC and they will make it happen.

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[Talbot]

Local Coastguard will take out of date flares.

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[jimbouy]

Re: What make were they?

At a recent RNLI demo we were told to check insurance policies as even carrying out of dated flares might invalidate it. Even with in date along side them. Nothing in my policy so I don't know.

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[Guest]

Rotation and economics ....

Keeping previous 'out of date' set ........ alongside 'in date' set.
When pocket has some dosh in it ..... replace one flare ...... so that over a time you replace each one. This staggers the dates and once completed means you rotate stock without that horrible burning feeling in the wallet when you have to do the lot in one go .....
Yeh - I know I'm a scrooge - and proud of it !

NB ..... when at sea - we used to use old flares for practice displays ...... I cannot remember a time that an old flare didn't work .... but of course that is no guarantee.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[alahol2]

Out of interest, I carry a Very Pistol with a set of cartridges. The cartridges do not carry a 'use by' date, they must be at least 10 years old, maybe much more. How long do they last and could they become unstable?


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[Mirelle]

ery weird advice

After a lifetime in and around marine insurance I do not understand that bit of advice from the RNLI. There may be some very mickey mouse policy wordings about, but in principle I can see no reason why carrying out of date flares alongside current ones would invalidate any normally worded marine insurance policy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Birdseye]

Re: ery weird advice

About 5 years ago, after a particularly liquid New Years Eve do at the club, some bright spark suggested trying some of the out of date flares. Once the jokes were over (it was a 60's theme party so some members were wearing flares) we set off 30 or more dating as far back as the 50's, believe it or not. In fact it was quite interesting to see the large numbers of very old flares that did appear - we are definitely not a rich Solent club.

All the flares worked with the sole exception of the very small mini flare jobbies. Some of the flares / smokes were not impressively effective, and I have heard it said that that is what happens to old ones. They degrade rather than fail;.

So yes I might buy new ones occasionally, but I would not dispose of the old ones on this basis. They might still help in extremis., so take them along as well.

Oh, we did get one burnt hand - put a leather gardening glove in your flares container.

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.

 

[gjeffery]

Am I missing something that I should know? Where does the £1000 penalty come from for setting off a pyrotechnic ashore?

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