Who has used a flare in anger & why?

[RunAgroundHard]

I have, but I can't be bothered to reel it all off again, I'm a one finger typist.
It's in Scuttlebutt under 'electronic flares'

Just to help keep the thread content relevant, veshengro's flare experience: -

Electronic Flares

Crossed single handed in December, wandered the Leewards, French WI, American Virgins, Puerto Rico.
Bound for Florida, bad weather..very bad, prior to tropical Storm Andrea I think she was called which did not develope into the very early Hurricane as expected. 30 hours awake, hand steering under storm jib. Stuffed it on a reef somewhere between Great Inagua and Mayaguana. North East of Southern tip of Cuba.

Fired flares, pretty red ones, mayday on VHF (limited range) last resort pulled the Epirb trigger while in the the liferaft..yep., been there done that, injured and in bungalow size seas too. Picked up by US Coast Guard out of San Juan Puerto Rico at the edge of the Helio range, so taken to Turks and Caicos as I am a Brit and they patched me up and gave me some clothes.

 

[veshengro]

Thanks,
RunAgroundHard

Not lazy, just painful slow typing

 

[boomerangben]

If flares were inocuous, then it would be a no-brainer to have them, but they can be very, very dangerous, in storage and use. Why take the risk?

Just how many instances have there been of flares causing damage during storage and indeed of use? I have one under my right armpit when at work, as does my colleague. They are definitely not that dangerous.

I can tell you for first hand experience smoke is better at guiding a helicopter in than a light, especially during the day. By night any light that indicates distress that can be seen by NVIS will get you rescued by helicopter. I’m not sure what the RNLI prefer, but a red flare will certainly not leave any doubt about you needing help amongst any other mariner who sees it

 

[boomerangben]

I have been involved in quite a few searches following sightings of red flares, perhaps happened around once a year when I was in SAR. So not frequent. We used several smokes a week, plus very pistol flares.

Flares are extremely effective to get eyes on a small target, especially by day. If well looked after, they are safe enough in my opinion. I can see why others are less enthusiastic but I don’t see that their caution is supported by statistics. But of course each to their own. We are skippers of our own little ships and have the luxury of make our own calls on safety kit.

 

[Juan Twothree]

I've fired white parachute flares during searches on many occasions.
Rather than pointing them vertically, as mentioned in a previous post, we are trained to fire them slightly downwind, as they seek to wind.

I've also fired orange smokes on a couple of occasions, to indicate wind direction to a helicopter about to evacuate a casualty.

Flares are perfectly safe as long as you remember that they can be bl**dy dangerous.

 

[michael_w]

I have reported the sighting of a red parachute to the Irish Coast Guard. My report meant they could triangulate the flare's position and send the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat to investigate.

The other occasion I was involved in the rescue at night of a boat sinking near the Nab Tower. I asked the people in the liferaft to use a hand flare so I could identify them in the mass of Portsmouth's shore lights.

 

[Stemar]

Never used one in anger, but have used them in demos. I pray that I will never need to. My LED flare is, IMO, at least as reliable as a pyrotechnic. The life is indefinite, and batteries last for years. When I get near the battery expiry date. I'll get a spare set, so it's unlikely the "battery will turn to mush". I also reckon it's way safer in the hands of a terrified crew member, and the long light time means that, even if it isn't as bright, it's more likely to be seen.

For the coastal sailing I do, DSC VHF radio, plus a handheld, two mobile phones and the LED flare are enough to set the cavalry in motion and help them to find me. The last hope is the flubber we tow behind. If it's too bumpy to use the flubber, I'm not going to be out there anyway 'cos I'm VERY rarely more than an hour or so from a safe haven. That's my risk assessment, yours may be different.