Selling Expired Flares

[jwilson]

This is scary. I must have let-off two dozen or more without gloves/exploding in "the old days" before 'elf n softy' at bonfire parties, showing other folk how to fire the etc
I have been very lucky, by the sound of it

I have also fired them on Nov 5th - at local lifeboat slip. I've also used rockets and handhelds in anger - in sight of trawlers that either were unmanned on autopilot (probable) or ignored them ( I hope not). Damaged but floating and sailable boat, engine and most electronics dead, virtually no wind, quite badly injured person on board.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

<btw>
I'd thought I'd just like to clarify that I wasn't looking for flares on t'bay, I was looking at an incredibly cheap Moody in greece that a friend had sent a link to and these flares were shown as 'related items'. As they were so cheap, of course I had to look at them

Apologies for thread drift, but IMHO, a boat that's incredibly cheap probably has something seriously wrong with it.

 

[prv]

Gloves are a must, they get VERY hot unsurprisingly !

The Pains Wessex hand flares don't, because they're telescopic and when extended the plastic bit you hold is some distance from the metal tube full of burning material.

The Ikaros ones just have a fixed plastic handle on the end instead of the clever telescoping mechanism, but it still doesn't get particularly hot.

I'd still wear a glove (and there's a pair in the bag on top of the flares) just in case of stuff being ejected from the tube and falling on my hand, but after firing well over a dozen in my garden nothing's yet fallen on my glove. If I did for whatever reason find myself in distress with a flare but no gloves, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

Pete

 

[dolabriform]

Apologies for thread drift, but IMHO, a boat that's incredibly cheap probably has something seriously wrong with it.

Or needs to be sold sharpish. It's been gradually reduced and is now at a very good price, however it's on a Greek Island so no good for me right now
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Moody-33ft-Mark-2sailing-Yacht-good-condition-boat-in-white/113885758154

 

[Daverw]

PM sent

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

This is scary. I must have let-off two dozen or more without gloves/exploding in "the old days" before 'elf n softy' at bonfire parties, showing other folk how to fire the etc
I have been very lucky, by the sound of it

I have fired at least one red parachute flare over the Houses of Parliament :encouragement:. And I think we did a Schermuly rocket line as well, can't remember, we were too drunk.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

I’ve fired expired flares well inland on the in-laws farm. No problems with handheld flares or smokes, but the parachute flares were a different story. My experience with them is they were still burning when they hit the ground, and for several seconds afterwards. No laughing matter on the 5th November when the barns are full of hay, straw and cattle.
Although the chances are slim, the consequences of a still burning flare landing back in your boat, or life raft, would be horrendous.

 

[dolabriform]

I’ve fired expired flares well inland on the in-laws farm. No problems with handheld flares or smokes, but the parachute flares were a different story. My experience with them is they were still burning when they hit the ground, and for several seconds afterwards. No laughing matter on the 5th November when the barns are full of hay, straw and cattle.
Although the chances are slim, the consequences of a still burning flare landing back in your boat, or life raft, would be horrendous.

We had the same experience, a number of the rocket flares set the grass on fire where they landed.

Shoot them away from the rigging and point them downwind!

 

[dolabriform]

Spoke to ebay, they will having a word with the seller!

 

[prv]

point them downwind!

Indeed, because that will best ensure they burst above your position

(Rockets seek the wind, so you fire them slightly downwind and they curve back over your head as they rise. The parachute will of course drift back downwind once it opens.)

Pete

 

[Robert Wilson]

Indeed, because that will best ensure they burst above your position

(Rockets seek the wind, so you fire them slightly downwind and they curve back over your head as they rise. The parachute will of course drift back downwind once it opens.)

Pete

Now that's something I didn't know, and wouldn't have considered.
Does it depend on wind strength? i.e. if blowing F7 and above, would the rocket still curve back upwind?

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Spoke to ebay, they will having a word with the seller!

Why? Why don't you just mind your own business, and let people get on with their lives?

You have directly inconvenienced me personally, because I would have bought more pyros from that guy.

Get a life.

 

[dolabriform]

Why? Why don't you just mind your own business, and let people get on with their lives?

You have directly inconvenienced me personally, because I would have bought more pyros from that guy.

Get a feck ing life.

I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you, please accept my humblest apologies.

Why don't you click the contact seller button and arrange to buy them off him directly ? :encouragement:

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you, please accept my humblest apologies.

Why don't you click the contact seller button and arrange to buy them off him directly ? :encouragement:

Why be sorry ? It's dangerous and illegal to just stick flares in the post. What happens to the poor old postie when a rocket goes off in his van, or in his hand as he's about to stick it through someones letterbox ? What happens to the kids sleeping upstairs when it goes off as it hits the mat at the foot of the stairs ?

 

[dolabriform]

Why be sorry ? It's dangerous and illegal to just stick flares in the post. What happens to the poor old postie when a rocket goes off in his van, or in his hand as he's about to stick it through someones letterbox ? What happens to the kids sleeping upstairs when it goes off as it hits the mat at the foot of the stairs ?

I'm not Paul, I was trying to be sarcastic like

 

[PaulRainbow]

Why? Why don't you just mind your own business, and let people get on with their lives?

You have directly inconvenienced me personally, because I would have bought more pyros from that guy.

Get a feck ing life.

Even when they are breaking the law and acting irresponsibly ?

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'm not Paul, I was trying to be sarcastic like

Good man :encouragement:

 

[JumbleDuck]

Why be sorry ? It's dangerous and illegal to just stick flares in the post. What happens to the poor old postie when a rocket goes off in his van, or in his hand as he's about to stick it through someones letterbox ? What happens to the kids sleeping upstairs when it goes off as it hits the mat at the foot of the stairs ?

Have you known many flares go off spontaneously? I'm not saying that posting them is a good idea, but I don't think surprise operation is the issue.

 

[A1Sailor]

Why be sorry ? It's dangerous and illegal to just stick flares in the post. What happens to the poor old postie when a rocket goes off in his van, or in his hand as he's about to stick it through someones letterbox ? What happens to the kids sleeping upstairs when it goes off as it hits the mat at the foot of the stairs ?

+1.
Johnny went into school one day and told everybody about a dog that got a firework put up its arse.

"Rectum, Johnny. Rectum," said the teacher.

It pure did, Miss.

 

[prv]

Now that's something I didn't know, and wouldn't have considered.
Does it depend on wind strength? i.e. if blowing F7 and above, would the rocket still curve back upwind?

I've no idea, never fired a rocket flare myself.

(I'd like to, but as is regularly pointed out, they're a distress signal at sea and a fire risk on land. They're also a lot less discreet than a hand flare in my back garden.)

But the bit about firing them downwind and having them curve back is in the manufacturer's instructions and taught on courses.

Pete