Flares - It's that time of year again...

comsnark said:
Just curious. . .

. . .has anyone on this board had to use this stuff?

I would be interested in your experience. I would imagine most would now use these things in conjunction with radio/cell phone; as in "Which boat are you?" "Here. . .let me fire off a flare".

I would imagine that for those going off shore, two high powered radios (main plus backup) would also be prudent.

My currently active safety gear is also in original packaging. I figure it keeps the stuff better over time. It also discourages people from messing with it. And yes. . .I always have a knife onboard so I can open the packaging. . . .
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Good point....to use all the safety equipment properly we should all attend a course.... I still believe that my knife, my dinghy and my handheld VHF are all I need in case of danger!
 
just spent the weekend going through my new to me boat stuff. I found 48 expired flares, 3 never been opened 12 gauge shot gun flare kits starting back from 2003, 2 of the wussy flare guns, and 5 distress flags. Now I want to fire off those old 12 gauge shells.
 
sfergson727 said:
I thought I was the only one who practiced with the flares in the back yard. I certainly was suprised too, how much slag comes off those things. It would be just like me to run around the boat, while it was sinking to make sure everyone was holding the flare well off the side, so that the gel coat and vinyl wasn't burned.
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It is a real issue if you have an inflatable liferaft and the molten slag drips on the tubes and burns holes in them. That's why I like the floating smoke canisters... you can push them away from the raft in the water and not have to hold anything.

sfergson727 said:
While on the subject of flares. I use both the handheld flares and the shot gun shell flares you fire from a pistol. Interestingly enough, the pistol flares are not legal in my surrounding states because of gun ordinances. (commies) How stupid is that?
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I assume you can still get the self-contained parachute flares (as shown in my first post) instead of the 12g/pistol type. I doubt that thing counts as a gun.
 
Four Suns said:
The flare guns that orion sells do not fire that high in the air. I've fired them off in my back yard just to play with them (I'm inland and have enough land so no one could see them).

As a side note, my wife won't let me fire the 12g flares anymore because I've used up all the fire extinguishers in the house...
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You must have some real tall trees.
 
Good discussion.
I'll mention (since no one else has, yet) that I upgraded to a 25 mm launcher last year from the more common 12 ga. This allows me the ability to use parachute flares from the launcher (not possible with 12 ga.), and it will also fire the 12 ga. shells as well. It's also a more substantial- metal- gun; not a cheap POS piece of plastic like the 12 ga.

Here is an excellent article from Boat U.S. Foundation including test results. Mandatory reading!

http://www.boatus.com/foundation/findings/findings45/page1.asp
 
I fired off an expired Solas parachute flare from my previous stern drive powered boat that was disabled a half dozen miles from shore. The TowBoat US guy was in the right general area, but couldn't tell which boat was the broken down one. I guess all stern drive boats look the same. He turned immediately towards me when I fired off that Solas. Good stuff. Was fun to try it.

Best regards,
Frank
 
I've got the low budget Orion hand helds just because having something is mandatory. The shot gun shell type would be my first choice, but I believe I am too in a state where they are illegal to have on board. Yet, I believe I saw them for sale at local WM store. ...:huh:

I think if I had to use a flare I would be without my boat in some pretty rough water. I really can't see a hand held Orion or a float away working out real well for me. A flare gun really does seem most practical to me. ...Ron
 
BonBini said:
I've got the low budget Orion hand helds just because having something is mandatory.
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Pyrotechnics/flares are not mandatory in any state that I know of... You only need that stupid flag (for day use) and a blinking light/flashlight (if you go out at night).



BonBini said:
I think if I had to use a flare I would be without my boat in some pretty rough water. I really can't see a hand held Orion or a float away working out real well for me. A flare gun really does seem most practical to me. ...Ron
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A flare gun isn't going to work if the flares get soaked (i.e. if you are swimming in the water). A small life raft is a GREAT investment so you can use the stuff in the ditch bag.
 
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Gary, I was thinking of getting a liferaft, where do you store it? I see some people store the hard case on the bow. After that trip from AC with about a foot of water in the bilge, I think a liferaft would be a good idea.
 
Greg said:
Gary, I was thinking of getting a liferaft, where do you store it? I see some people store the hard case on the bow. After that trip from AC with about a foot of water in the bilge, I think a liferaft would be a good idea.
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It's normally on the bridge against the back rail... you can see it here behind my Obama banner.

cc8221a7-1.jpg


It's probably not the best place for it to get it off quick but it's all I got. I wish the back cockpit seat on the 480 DB had a storage area under it that would fit the case. My 380 DA had enough room to stick it under the cockpit seat. I have moved it down to the cockpit (along with the ditchbag) if I know I'm going to be in some rougher weather. I tether the thing to the rail by the side steps...
 
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Four Suns said:
A flare gun isn't going to work if the flares get soaked (i.e. if you are swimming in the water). A small life raft is a GREAT investment so you can use the stuff in the ditch bag.
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Good point Four Suns and well taken.

I have no life raft either. My trips are limited to my equipment for sure. A bigger boat would make stowing a nice life raft much easier. Getting the wife to venture further out! "These things have to be handled delicately"

Floating sex toy as a life raft? Just kidding off course!. ...Ron
 
For the express guys, I have a revere coastal commander emergency raft that sits to the right of the helm chair in my 420DA. The ditch bag sits under the helm chair on the left side. They are easy to get to and do not hinder movement from / to the helm.

Gary-nice sign.
 
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