Boating Flares Disposal - My new pet peeve

[Crusty Ol Salt]

This has been building for some time, but has come to a head since purchasing Prometheus. It is almost as bad my pet peeve against plastic bags and other plastics you cannot recycle.

The previous owner gifted me 24 expired flares. No company or government agency recycles these works of art. The Orion web site states.

"To dispose of expired marine pyrotechnic distress signals, Orion recommends the following method:
Ignite handheld signals flares on land in a safe area, much the same as highway flares would be ignited."

I did catch this old thread and I do like the ideas of the marina or local club having a spring flare and fire extinguisher day. Where I am moored we do not. Maybe the just need someone to help organize it?
Flares. How do you dispose of them?

So I am asking my friends and family here. Has anything changed in 3 years?

 

[jssailem]

I do like the ideas of the marina or local club having a spring flare and fire extinguisher day.

I do as well.
I called the Marina office. Got the run around. Called the Fire Department. No one had any idea. Said they are not about teaching how to put out a fire. WOW...
It still sounds like a good idea.

Maybe we should start a Go Fund Me - " Fire the Flare and put it out"

 

[Jacktar]

Do not follow the incorrect advice of contacting coast guard or CG auxiliary or power squadron as they also do not have a way to accept and dispose of out of date flares.

 

[rgranger]

Large metal drum.... some scrap wood ... light the wood and then ask someone to hold your beer and toss them in.

 

[jssailem]

Sounds like a down home, Maybe rural hills type of solution...
I could do that.

 

[Tally Ho]

I lit a bunch of them off on the 4th of July…didn’t freak out the neighbors that way, and I got to see first-hand what it would be to light one of those on my boat in an emergency. Also shot off some the of the aerials and saw how short of a time they are actually in the air…

They (the hand-held ones) also make a great fire starter(outside).

After that, I bought a electronic flare…

I still have old ones on the boat, marks as expired, in case of an emergency…but I hope to never use them.

In the Chicago area, Crowleys Yacht yard puts on an open house every spring, and in the past, they put on a flare demonstration…probably using donated, expired flares.

Greg

 

[Mark Maulden]

We have a flare party at the beach and invite the local clubs and anyone else. We notify the Coast Guard when and where we are doing it. No problem…

 

[Davidasailor26]

After 2 years of COVID cancellations our yacht club was able to hold its annual sock burning again this year, including burning expired flares, smoke signals, and aerials. With the extra 2 year delay there were lots of pyrotechnics to go around. The local maritime museum also contributed a 1930’s era flare and smoke signal. Both worked like new, though they were burnt off the end of a really long stick in case of any surprises.

It was very good practice to have a setting like this. I would not want to be trying to read the instructions, figure out the fastest way to strike the lighter, and learn how the slag falls away in an actual emergency.

 

[MikeHoncho]

I do as well.
I called the Marina office. Got the run around. Called the Fire Department. No one had any idea. Said they are not about teaching how to put out a fire. WOW...
It still sounds like a good idea.

Maybe we should start a Go Fund Me - " Fire the Flare and put it out"

Wow, that’s the complete opposite of what a FD should be telling their tax paying public. I burn mine on the 4th of July. It’s not a big deal.

 

[Tom J]

Lots of great suggestions for getting rid of old flares. My boat is based in Massachusetts, and I'm afraid that lighting flares, especially the aerials, would be considered an act of terrorism.

 

[jssailem]

Mark... When its the party... Maybe worth a boat ride up to Anacortes for the adventure.

 

[thinwater]

Switch to electronic flares. Cheaper, last >6 hours, and the USCG believes the SOS pattern is more recognizable. There are two USCG listed types in two price ranges.
PS Electronic Flares

Do replace the batteries as needed (they have dates ion them) and use name brands.

After testing side-by-side, I switched. It won't suit everyone, but it will suit most of us. Carry aerial flares also, if you like.

---

Pet peeve that got me intersted in elelctronic flares. I went to WM during early COVID for new ones, and all they had was old stock with 50% of the life gone. They refused to discount, so I left them. Bought a Serius flare.

 

[jssailem]

I left them. Bought a Serius flare.

Similar experience, also switched to an electrical flare, aboard Hadley.
Still have a water dye pack and smoker for daytime use.

 

[Scott B]

Up here Canadian Power Squadran sponsors flare disposal days at marinas and chandleries across Canada. Makes it easy to get rid of the old ones and buy new ones. Ours are also good for 4 years from date of manfacture, not 3 1/2 years as the US. They've also changed the regs and are only required to carry half of what we had previously if you have some means of 2-way communication on board, i.e. cell phone or VHF or PLB or EPIRB, which is also good as I have several "expired" flares on hand for back up.

Bad part is the Sirius electronic flare that has now just been approved for use up here is $ 420 CDN.

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

I have jumped on the Sirius electronic flare band wagon too. Batteries and spares in a plastic ammo box with a desiccant bag.

Big picture is a government program that has a safety requirement using a hazardous material. The equipment expires every 4 years. And, there is no recycling program. After 20 years in the Navy and work the last 20 around military bases, it doesn't surprise me. As a matter of fact it is just one of 100s or 1000s of programs just like it.

I do live in an old fishing village and we are allowed burn barrels and I have one. I know that is really old school. If nothing else I will use them to start my burn barrel.

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

I Called the Fire Department. No one had any idea. Said they are not about teaching how to put out a fire. WOW...
It still sounds like a good idea.

Job security.....

 

[All U Get]

Up here Canadian Power Squadran sponsors flare disposal days at marinas and chandleries across Canada. Makes it easy to get rid of the old ones and buy new ones. Ours are also good for 4 years from date of manfacture, not 3 1/2 years as the US. They've also changed the regs and are only required to carry half of what we had previously if you have some means of 2-way communication on board, i.e. cell phone or VHF or PLB or EPIRB, which is also good as I have several "expired" flares on hand for back up.

Bad part is the Sirius electronic flare that has now just been approved for use up here is $ 420 CDN.

Canadian flares are better, maybe because they are metric.

 

[thinwater]

One of the reasons the USCG like the electronic flares is user safety. Consider putting pyrotechnics in the hands of a frightened drunk. Yup, things go wrong.

I fact, we had some learning while testing flares and electronic flares. My assitiants did not fully understand the hazards of hot slag until I showed them.

 

[sail sfbay]

Our yacht club would meet on a sand bar in the Carquinez Straits at super low tide, share a pot luck lunch and drinks and light off expired flares.

 

[Dalliance]

This has been an old pet peeve of mine for years. I bought an electric LED flare last year and have about a 24 year accumulation of old expired flares on the boat. I like some of the creative disposal ideas here.