Rigger
Well-Known Member
How accurate are the dials on fire extinguishers? I have 2 which are past their expiry date but still read as full (in the green zone) on the dial.
Time expired flares and Fire extinguishers
- Thread starter Nostrodamus
- Start date
emsworthy
Well-Known Member
Blimey resorting to buggery just for not wearing a life jacket is a bit strong!
Or did it say bollocked instead? 
GrahamM376
Well-Known Member
You left out bribery to local officials! We had the boat impounded on our mooring last year by Policia Maritima, after a passing ferry wiped out the pulpit and nav light. Had to pay for 2 mandatory surveys - before and after repairs. We were stuck for a month but the ferry continued to run carrying up to 90 people (despite the fact we had informed the police their insurance was forged and invalid) for 4 weeks until the story hit a daily paper - a few red faces and much ducking and diving in the police station.
Perhaps some posters should try sailing further from their armchairs, they will soon realise that the "you can't do this I'm British" attitude will just drop them even further into the smelly stuff.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
There are similar stories from Greece where there have been collisions with local boats or people have called on the rescue services.
However, with regard to normal processes affecting cruising yachtsmen there seem to be very few problems given the potential!
However, with regard to normal processes affecting cruising yachtsmen there seem to be very few problems given the potential!
BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
.... or any other boat which has a DSC set. So you could be mid-ocean and DSC will be effective if there is another ship within VHF range.
penfold
Well-Known Member
If they're powder extinguishers, I'd be inclined to bin them. Replacements are cheap, and the powder does settle. They will probably work OK, but I don't want just 'OK' when fighting a fire. If foam/AFFF or water, it may be cheaper to get them inspected/retested rather than buy new? If CO2 or other gas(old green halon?) they'll be fine.
WARNING: do not do any of the following as you may be killed or injured, children will suffer and kittens may drown.
Disposing of pyro is a job best left for November 5th; handflares in good nick with no water damage will probably light up no bother, just have reduced light output and/or wonky colour. Smokes likewise; smokefloats will need to be dropped on gravel/nonflammable surface as they get very hot. I have no intention of revealing what to do with rocket flares on a public forum, other than to say don't fire them into the air as they'll probably land on your neighbour's shed and set fire to it. All these pyros produce copious amounts of abrasive dust(and in the case of the smokes, orange dust), don't do it near cars(it goes for the paintwork), valuable things or anything white.
WARNING: definitely don't do this. No, really don't.
Any pyro showing signs of significant water damage is best put in a metal container and disposed of by people more responsible than me or you. On the other hand, making a pile of the duff pyro at a safe distance from anything flammable, building a bonfire over it, igniting and standing very well back(50+ metres), may also work. I have no knowledge of this.
Conachair
Guest
I wouldn't rely on dsc helping offshore. last offshore passage another ship was for about half an hour once a week. Pretty empty out there.
alant
Well-Known Member
If you do have any Powder extinguishers, don't forget to shake before use, cos the powder does tend to settle at the bottom with time.
alant
Well-Known Member
Passed a large 'tanker' which was stopped in mid ocean & tried to make contact using voice radio on 16 + other more obvious ways of attracting attention & no reply. When within spitting distance, said tanker started her prop & slid away into the distance.
Bosun Higgs
N/A
Toad must be away on a lily pad somewhere - this is just his sort of thread and I had expected him to arrive any minute demanding everyone prove every last word of any foreign law.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Think he has retired, hurt - leaving Tim to press their unsustainable case single handed! Every time Toad has gone into battle on subjects other than SSRs he has displayed his ignorance and usually got a bloody nose. He was however right when he posted the RYA announcement on flares in France.
Lucky Duck
Well-Known Member
In all fairness, on these sort of threads well meaning posters sometimes state as fact things that they have been told second or third hand or are just plain wrong. This thread on the PBO forum is a recent example the comes to mind
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274615&highlight=holland
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
I just googled for the RYA statement on TEPs to post on another thread. It turns out the first thing Google brings up if you google Time Expired Flares France is this thread. So sorry for bringing an old thread back to the top, but for myself and other people goggleing the same terms in future here is the RYA article:
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
I've never been stopped in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia or the UK and had flares or anything else examined. Only papers.
However, when the boat had its 20 year survey the only 3 things that were picked up were - 1. out-of-date extinguishers (2 of 5), 2. out-of-date LPG piping (by 1 year) and single instead of double jubilee clips on hose connections (2 out of 8).
Far more significant than any national authority in what and how your boat must have safety devices are going to be your insurers. Not complying with their requirements is one simple way of voiding your insurance.
However, when the boat had its 20 year survey the only 3 things that were picked up were - 1. out-of-date extinguishers (2 of 5), 2. out-of-date LPG piping (by 1 year) and single instead of double jubilee clips on hose connections (2 out of 8).
Far more significant than any national authority in what and how your boat must have safety devices are going to be your insurers. Not complying with their requirements is one simple way of voiding your insurance.
tidclacy
Well-Known Member
Took my out of date powder fire extinguishers to the dump. They would not have them and they suggested I took them to the local fire station which I duly did. The Firemen at the station told me that as long as the gauge was in the green they would be OK! As I had already bought replacements, large powder and large Co2, now have them at home in the garage!
Shorn100
Well-Known Member
The dials on stored pressure fire extinguishers cannot be relied on - apparently they can get stuck. Rather than buying new, the cheaper option is to have them serviced so that they are good for another five years.
Shorn
Shorn