With our new to us H23 we are trying to do things correctly and educate ourselves. As I moved equipment from the old boat, I gave us a safety inspection. Read the regulations and checked the flares which were expired. Umm, make that real expired. Of course, we got new ones. Here's my question...are the old flares still usable, and if not, what is the proper way to dispose of them? Thanks in advance for the usual good advice. Mike
- Status
Some will still use them
Some will still keep the flares and fire the old ones off first when the time comes. If one doesn't work and time is critical then they will fire a newer one off. I just bought a new to me boat and like you turfed all the old ones, they were too old and I didn't feel comfortable with them. But with the new ones I bought, I'll keep them past their stale date and use them first if I can. Here is is a coast guard requirement as to dating of flares (I'm sure its the same where you are), however which ones you fire off isn't a coast guard requirement.
Some will still keep the flares and fire the old ones off first when the time comes. If one doesn't work and time is critical then they will fire a newer one off. I just bought a new to me boat and like you turfed all the old ones, they were too old and I didn't feel comfortable with them. But with the new ones I bought, I'll keep them past their stale date and use them first if I can. Here is is a coast guard requirement as to dating of flares (I'm sure its the same where you are), however which ones you fire off isn't a coast guard requirement.
Don't do it in the marina though...
SOmeone at our arina fired off a flare gun during the 4th celebration several years ago and it landed on a boat a few away from mine and burned a hole in the guys brand new bimini!
SOmeone at our arina fired off a flare gun during the 4th celebration several years ago and it landed on a boat a few away from mine and burned a hole in the guys brand new bimini!
Do NOT Just Shoot Them Off
Big time fine and folks will respond looking for a person in distress wasteing time and money and perhaps taking them away from somthing important. Contact your local Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadron or Fire Department. Ask them if there is a flare day planned for folks to get training on firing flares. You can also donate them to the same groups for training.
Big time fine and folks will respond looking for a person in distress wasteing time and money and perhaps taking them away from somthing important. Contact your local Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadron or Fire Department. Ask them if there is a flare day planned for folks to get training on firing flares. You can also donate them to the same groups for training.
The rules
as I understand them is: If you have one current date of flares, hand-held or aerial then any obsolete flares are your business to keep or not to keep. I keep a set of current hand helds and use the outdated hand-helds in my car for road flares. When I have enough for my car I give them to friends or relatives. I try to keep the aerial flares current but if they are a year or two out of date there shouldn't be any problem.
as I understand them is: If you have one current date of flares, hand-held or aerial then any obsolete flares are your business to keep or not to keep. I keep a set of current hand helds and use the outdated hand-helds in my car for road flares. When I have enough for my car I give them to friends or relatives. I try to keep the aerial flares current but if they are a year or two out of date there shouldn't be any problem.
they have always worked
I save the out of date flares for emergency use. I occasionally light them off or shoot them & they have aways worked. I've always make sure they are kept dry. I put them in my car trunk too. Flats seem to happen in the dark when it's raining.
I save the out of date flares for emergency use. I occasionally light them off or shoot them & they have aways worked. I've always make sure they are kept dry. I put them in my car trunk too. Flats seem to happen in the dark when it's raining.
Watch the wind!
Remember, firing a flare, is like taking a leak: do it DOWN WIND! Keep the old flares, like the other posts said. If you're in trouble, it might be the last of the expired ones that catches the USCG's attention. Fire one off on the upcoming 4th, like Don said, or in a group, with the USCG's blessing. The first time you shoot one off shouldn't be while rolling in heavy seas with a blown out sail, etc. On the same note, local fire departments will let you extinguish small, controlled fires of different origins (wood and paper, fuel), so you'll know how to use an extinguisher BEFORE you have to. Call a local volunteer dept., and ask an officer, I'm sure they'll be happy to help. They might even let you use one of their expired extinguishers.
Remember, firing a flare, is like taking a leak: do it DOWN WIND! Keep the old flares, like the other posts said. If you're in trouble, it might be the last of the expired ones that catches the USCG's attention. Fire one off on the upcoming 4th, like Don said, or in a group, with the USCG's blessing. The first time you shoot one off shouldn't be while rolling in heavy seas with a blown out sail, etc. On the same note, local fire departments will let you extinguish small, controlled fires of different origins (wood and paper, fuel), so you'll know how to use an extinguisher BEFORE you have to. Call a local volunteer dept., and ask an officer, I'm sure they'll be happy to help. They might even let you use one of their expired extinguishers.
Keep'em, but don't rely on 'em
I seem to recall a test that one of the magazines did not long ago to see if the expiration dates on flares are legit or just a scheme to sell more flares. With Coast Guard blessing, they fired off a bundh of fresh flares and a bunch of expired ones with mixed dates. All the fresh ones worked; a significant number of the expired ones were duds. The older the batch, the more duds there were. They concluded that the expiration date is for real since when you fire a flare for real, you need it to work. I would buy some new ones (for safety and compliance), and keep you most recent expired set as a just-in-case backup.
I seem to recall a test that one of the magazines did not long ago to see if the expiration dates on flares are legit or just a scheme to sell more flares. With Coast Guard blessing, they fired off a bundh of fresh flares and a bunch of expired ones with mixed dates. All the fresh ones worked; a significant number of the expired ones were duds. The older the batch, the more duds there were. They concluded that the expiration date is for real since when you fire a flare for real, you need it to work. I would buy some new ones (for safety and compliance), and keep you most recent expired set as a just-in-case backup.
Rick,
Cant believe I'm saying this, but, you offer the best advice. Mike, I'd save them, and if you have time, try them. Would still like to hear about your adventure on the big water! Good luck, George
Cant believe I'm saying this, but, you offer the best advice. Mike, I'd save them, and if you have time, try them. Would still like to hear about your adventure on the big water! Good luck, George
Shoot off a few in a safe place
I shot off a few old ones on the 4th of July at my home. It had just rained so I knew that a fire risk was low. Several neighbors were setting off rockets and other fireworks. I was surprised by the 12 gauge flares not going as high or burning as long as I expected. Some of them were over 10 years old and they all worked!!!! But it doesn't feel safe keeping too many on the boat. Tom
I shot off a few old ones on the 4th of July at my home. It had just rained so I knew that a fire risk was low. Several neighbors were setting off rockets and other fireworks. I was surprised by the 12 gauge flares not going as high or burning as long as I expected. Some of them were over 10 years old and they all worked!!!! But it doesn't feel safe keeping too many on the boat. Tom
Thanks and for George
Thanks guys. Some of the old ones will go in the car, some will be kept on board as backup. One or 2 may become July 4th fun. Really good comments about not giving false distress signals. Somebody did that out of our area on Erie using the radio about 2 years ago and caused the Coast Guard to do a search in mid-winter. If I rememder correctly, they triangulated the signal, found him and threw the book at him - as well they should. I too was uncomforatable keeping all of the old ones on the boat - I have quite a collection! George - went out Sunday with a single reef in 3 to 5 ft. rollers with whitecaps and I'd guess about 15+ mph breeze. We were uncomfortable enough that we didn't bother raising sail and turned around and headed in. I think the problem was that a NE sea had been building all day. That amount of wind from the SW would not have been a big deal, I think. NOAA weather said waves were 1-3 when we departed from our sheltered Lagoons - big difference vs. what we found. Somebody else mentioned in a post earlier this week that they were also on Erie Sunday, but in a 26 and things went well. Regards, - Mike S/V Orion
Thanks guys. Some of the old ones will go in the car, some will be kept on board as backup. One or 2 may become July 4th fun. Really good comments about not giving false distress signals. Somebody did that out of our area on Erie using the radio about 2 years ago and caused the Coast Guard to do a search in mid-winter. If I rememder correctly, they triangulated the signal, found him and threw the book at him - as well they should. I too was uncomforatable keeping all of the old ones on the boat - I have quite a collection! George - went out Sunday with a single reef in 3 to 5 ft. rollers with whitecaps and I'd guess about 15+ mph breeze. We were uncomfortable enough that we didn't bother raising sail and turned around and headed in. I think the problem was that a NE sea had been building all day. That amount of wind from the SW would not have been a big deal, I think. NOAA weather said waves were 1-3 when we departed from our sheltered Lagoons - big difference vs. what we found. Somebody else mentioned in a post earlier this week that they were also on Erie Sunday, but in a 26 and things went well. Regards, - Mike S/V Orion
Hey Mike,
I'm envious, your already out in the big water, with good stories to tell!! Finally got mine ready to sail, rudder problem fixed. Tomorow is the maiden voyage, too excited! I hope your at the big lake right now. Tell us how the weekend was, would like to know how the boat does in the big chop. Some day I would like to take my boat to Put-N-Bay, and Kelly's Island
I'm envious, your already out in the big water, with good stories to tell!! Finally got mine ready to sail, rudder problem fixed. Tomorow is the maiden voyage, too excited! I hope your at the big lake right now. Tell us how the weekend was, would like to know how the boat does in the big chop. Some day I would like to take my boat to Put-N-Bay, and Kelly's Island
- Status