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How to dispose of expired flares


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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.

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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. 

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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. 🙈

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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. 

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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 .

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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 !!!!

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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.

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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 ............

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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.

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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 ...................

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Just now, GPSguru said:

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 ...................

Sure, but once they're close enough for their crew to start using the Mk 1 Eyeball a smoke flare will help them to pinpoint you in a snotty sea.

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Just now, Andy135 said:

Sure, but once they're close enough for their crew to start using the Mk 1 Eyeball a smoke flare will help them to pinpoint you in a snotty sea.

Or even any other vessel that is close enough to assist but that doesn't have PLB tracking kit.

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