What do do with old flares?

[Cantata]

I have it on good authority that the MOD have told the CG that they will no longer collect and dispose of old flares. In turn, therefore, the CG will no longer collect from us.
We might all wonder what we are going to do with them! Perhaps the onus will shift back onto the manufacturers to arrange disposal, but doubtless that would take a very long time to organise.
In the meantime, let's remember that setting off a red flare is the same as making a 999 call.....

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[kds]

What about a forum rally in dinghies in the Thames on Nov. 5th. I am sure we could find a target for them just West of Westminster Bridge ?
What about a scoring system for hits ?
No officer - I only meant it as a joke ! Honest !
Ken

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[SlowlyButSurely]

We keep our old flares on the boat on the basis that if you are in trouble you can't have too many flares even if some of them are out of date. When we get too many to stow we let a few of the oldest ones off on firwork night. We've never had one fail. About 5 years ago we let off the last of the batch that expired in 1968; it worked perfectly.

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[Evadne]

I always thought that the reason old flares should be discarded is that they might not go off, which is not much of a hazard, except for parachute flares.
Parachute flares have, I believe, three or four little apertures around their circumference that deflect some of the blast to spin-stabilise the flare as it ascends. If one or more becomes blocked the missile becomes unstable and imitates some of those WW2 pictures of V2 launches, pirouetting in a random direction. Not to be recommended.

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[Twister_Ken]

Para flares

Also not wise to fire them ashore (apart from poss of causing a shout) because marine flares are designed to still be burning when they land, which is fine at sea but not very clever on your neighbour's roof.

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[Ohdrat]

Re: Para flares

What about middle of Loch Shin then...

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[snowleopard]

keep them...

they'll be back in fashion in a few years.

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[robp]

Slightly different I know. But as from 13th August next year, we as an electronics manufacturer assume financial responsibility for collecting consumer products and re-cycling/disposal. Two issues; one is toxic materials and the other is re-cyclables. So yes, it might well be on the cards that we will all pay even more for flares and they will have to take 'em back.

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[Guest]

My idea is rotate

Old flares go as spare, new in 'First place use position'.

Instead of crsahing the wallet to buy full sets .... I buy singles and rotate out singles. This way I stagger the purchase of a set over a period and also eventually the system creates a larger set by rotating out the old with relatively in-date ones.

Disposal - you can contact Fire Service and I am sure that CG will have some reference to a service to dispose / collect. Maybe its time for Marinas to start offering the service - but thats dangerous as they'll probably use it as excuse to increase fees !!!


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

 

[chrisb]

coastguard took mine from me last week . he explained they were a hazard and the reason for not keeping them was that they might go OFF.i had previously kept them some as old as 1990 on the basis they the more the merrier and if i ever need them even if some fired it was a bonus- apparently not


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[Twister_Ken]

Re: Para flares

Don't know Loch Shin, but anywhere where a reported flare might indicate somone in distress should be avoided, or you could end up paying for a helicopter trip!

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[jimi]

Re: My idea is rotate

think Id prefer the FIFO system rather than LIFO on the basis that if one don't work then I can try one that has a slightly better chance of working .. of course I'd keep the newest ones in the grab bag though.

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[boomerangben]

Re: Para flares

Ohdrat, please don't. I would like to stay in my bed on Nov 5th rather than groping around in the Highlands checking out a red flare sighting.

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[ianwright]

I keep all mine. Out-dated flares go in a tupperwear box with a packet or two of silica gel. I tried a 1980 para red last year, in a large wet field, in daylight and It worked fine. Also I am one of those luddites who keep a Verey pistol aboard. Verey flares are cheaper and seem to work when very old indeed. I now have twenty red and twenty white. that might be just enough,,,,,,,,,!

IanW


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[jamesjermain]

Do you have a firearms certificate for your Verey pistol?

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[jamesjermain]

I took a selection from the late sixties to late 90s to the police station a couple of weeks ago and they took them without the usual joke about secondhand clothes shops. I had to fill in a firearms disposal certificate and then left them in a plastic bag in the reception area - wonder where I would have been told to leave them if they had been stun grenades.

I keep flares up to about 9 years old but have been warned that they can become increasingly unstable with age and can self-ignite though this is very rare. The very old cardboard tube flares are dangerous, however, and should not be handled, I'm told.

A coastguard told me once that you can let of old flares and they appear to work fine, but the performance may have declined significantly. This is particularly true of parachute flares which may well not get as high as new ones yet burn as long, so remain burning after landing. Old flares are unlikely, therefore, the match the legal requirements for new ones.

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[Twister_Ken]

> I now have twenty red and twenty white. that might be just enough,,,,,,,,,!<

Mmmm. Load with grape and stand by to repel boarders, Number One.

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[Cornishman]

I am surpised that so far nobody has come up with my favourite way of legally disposing of OOD flares. You merely take them to your supplier, and if he refuses to accept them you threaten him that you will take your business elsewhere where somebosy will accept them. After all an offshore pack is not cheap, and he shouldn't want to lose your business.
As a former RYA flares demonstrator I attended many nice days out at Old Sarum, courtesy of Pains Wessex, and in those days they collected from their distributors when delivering new ones and disposed of them on their range on Salisbury Plain. I understand that the RNLI now arrange demos and last year they were teaching SEACheckers that the CG will accept them. We have not been told differently yet.
Disposing of any marine flare whether on land or sea by letting them off is illegal, and there are new firework laws just come in too. So be careful, you might pick up an ASBO!

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[ianwright]

Fire arms cert

Oh yes. I used to be a keen target shooter but now the only items on my ticket are the flare pistol and flares.
I can't buy any more Verey flares until I use some (!), I'm up to my limit.
People might like to know that the FAC for a flare pistol used as part of ships safety equipment is FREE. You will need to fill a few forms in and have a chat with a Fire Arms Officer but I reckon it's worth it.
I’m not one who is keen on guns on boats but I do like the Verey pistol,,,,,,,,, Patience is too small for a couple of cannon but I might find room for a Cutlass,,,,,,,,,, eh? Hm?,,,,,,,,, Perhaps not.

IanW


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[cliff]

For those sailing to Arran there is always the old explosives dumping ground where they could accidently fall overboard.

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