How to dispose of expired flares

[Andy135]

Anyone know what do do with flares that are past their expiry?

And before anyone suggests it... no, I won't be setting them off for fun.

I seem to remember that some RNLI stations used to take them, but I can't recall which ones or even if they still do it.

[Saintly Fish]

4 minutes ago, Andy135 said:

Anyone know what do do with flares that are past their expiry?

And before anyone suggests it... no, I won't be setting them off for fun.

I seem to remember that some RNLI stations used to take them, but I can't recall which ones or even if they still do it.

I was going to suggest cut the legs off and make shorts. 

[JonC]

It is against the law to use them on shore. 
I used some up on a fireworks night years ago, I was well inland so they were never going to cause a problem. 

My neighbour was a classic little big man, he had bought some massive rockets and he thought he was the don. Soon put him in his place. 

[Andy135]

20 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

I was going to suggest cut the legs off and make shorts. 

Dad joke alert! Sit in the corner and think about what you've done.... 🤦‍♂️

[Saintly Fish]

2 minutes ago, Andy135 said:

Dad joke alert! Sit in the corner and think about what you've done.... 🤦‍♂️

😩

[JonC]

When I’ve been at work before wearing joggers I have taken a knife to the legs if I’ve been too hot. It is surprisingly hard to cut them straight while wearing them. 

[Andy135]

Just now, JonC said:

When I’ve been at work before wearing joggers I have taken a knife to the legs if I’ve been too hot. It is surprisingly hard to cut them straight while wearing them. 

FFS this thread is about the safe disposal of emergency pyrotechnics, not your DIY fashion modifications. 🙈

[JonC]

2 minutes ago, Andy135 said:

FFS this thread is about the safe disposal of emergency pyrotechnics, not your DIY fashion modifications. 🙈

Well it was flagging so I thought some insight into my spring/summer collection would raise the bar. 

[Saintly Fish]

5 minutes ago, JonC said:

Well it was flagging so I thought some insight into my spring/summer collection would raise the bar. 

Well I think what your doing is cutting edge Jon. 

[Andy135]

4 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

Well I think what your doing is cutting edge Jon. 

OMG is that another Dad joke...?? 🤦‍♂️

[Odyssey]

Coastguard by prior arrangement. 
 

also try LGS marine. They service liferafts and life jackets as well as sell lifting gear. Costs about £3 per flare from memory 

[MegaByte]

Here some info. from the Coastguard and the MCA.

 

Flares Disposal.pdf

Edited November 11, 2020 by MegaByte

[Andy135]

26 minutes ago, MegaByte said:

Here some info. from the Coastguard and the MCA.

 

Flares Disposal.pdf 1.07 MB · 3 downloads

Thanks Brian - I'll give the Solent office a call.

[Odyssey]

You maybe able to let them off if you call coastguard first but not if their out of date. 

Can be worth speaking to your local lifeboat team 

[JonC]

1 minute ago, Odyssey said:

You maybe able to let them off if you call coastguard first but not if their out of date. 

Can be worth speaking to your local lifeboat team 

If it can be done in a safe legal way it is a good idea to have a go of one, to get the idea of how they work. Better than practicing as the shit is going through the fan. 

[Saintly Fish]

5 minutes ago, JonC said:

If it can be done in a safe legal way it is a good idea to have a go of one, to get the idea of how they work. Better than practicing as the shit is going through the fan. 

Quite often the boat training team in the marina opposite my house let off candle stick flares as a demo. 

[JonC]

The parachute type offshore flares do have a fair kick to them, the power to get the height is quite impressive. 

[Saintly Fish]

8 minutes ago, JonC said:

The parachute type offshore flares do have a fair kick to them, the power to get the height is quite impressive. 

That’s why they stick to the hand held types because the marina is under the Southampton airport flight path .

[JDP]

We used to set them off as demonstrations after they had been handed into marine rescue (same as RNLI) however, work cover now doesn't allow us to. So now we play war games with them on a friends remote property, who happens to be high in the police force. 

Its good to be familiar with how to use them incase China invades !!!!

[Andy135]

2 minutes ago, JDP said:

Its good to be familiar with how to use them incase China invades !!!!

 Fingers crossed for you Jon!

[suzook12]

Good job the flares aren't made in China then 🤣

[mick]

12 hours ago, JDP said:

We used to set them off as demonstrations after they had been handed into marine rescue (same as RNLI) however, work cover now doesn't allow us to. So now we play war games with them on a friends remote property, who happens to be high in the police force. 

Its good to be familiar with how to use them in case China invades !!!!

They are already trying, they sent a virus on ahead.

[GPSguru]

On 11/11/2020 at 6:24 PM, Andy135 said:

Anyone know what do do with flares that are past their expiry?

And before anyone suggests it... no, I won't be setting them off for fun.

I seem to remember that some RNLI stations used to take them, but I can't recall which ones or even if they still do it.

 

Are you going to replace them ............... if 'yes', then are you also getting a tar barrel to compliment them, and pretend to be Casabianca reciting the parody of "the boy stood on the burning deck" .............🤣

I have gone over to a PLB as my main emergency modus operandi ............... it could be argued that you may need an orange smoke flare so the emergency services can pinpoint your vessel, but I will rely upon AIS to do that for me 😇 ...................... I have always been of the opinion that Flares are more of a liability on small vessels ..............

In these modern technology times, I feel that flare are largely redundant, and I can see them being written out of the colregs ............

[Andy135]

Just now, GPSguru said:

 

Are you going to replace them ............... if 'yes', then are you also getting a tar barrel to compliment them, and pretend to be Casabianca reciting the parody of "the boy stood on the burning deck" .............🤣

I have gone over to a PLB as my main emergency modus operandi ............... it could be argued that you may need an orange smoke flare so the emergency services can pinpoint your vessel, but I will rely upon AIS to do that for me 😇 ...................... I have always been of the opinion that Flares are more of a liability on small vessels ..............

In these modern technology times, I feel that flare are largely redundant, and I can see them being written out of the colregs ............

Not sure yet. I already have a PLB permanently strapped to my lifejacket so I don't feel the need for them necessarily, but having a smoke flare to hand if I have to abandon ship for whatever reason would make it so much easier for rescuers to locate me once they're on the scene, even with the PLB activated. Every second counts in the water.

[GPSguru]

11 minutes ago, Andy135 said:

Not sure yet. I already have a PLB permanently strapped to my lifejacket so I don't feel the need for them necessarily, but having a smoke flare to hand if I have to abandon ship for whatever reason would make it so much easier for rescuers to locate me once they're on the scene, even with the PLB activated. Every second counts in the water.

True .............. but your PLB is equipped with an automatic short range 'homing beacon' on 121.5Mhz (same as all aircraft) and the LB / Chopper will use that to find you, as its range will be vastly more than the short term visual from a smoke flare ...................