The USCG just released this advisory bulletin on Visual Distress Signals and old flares. Some information is specific to District 9--Great Lakes, the rest of the information is general to the US.
Visual Distress Signal Alternatives and Disposal of Pyrotechnic Flares
- Thread starter dlochner
- Start date
Can't see a hand held light or a flag, being "equivalent" to a flare that fires 250 ft in the air.
Safely disposing of them minimises the environment risk.
The problem I see, based on the linked and sub linked documents, is the retarded varying USA state regulations for disposal.
If it isn't easy, many people will just dispose of them however they personally see fit.
We have a similar disposal issue in Canada in some locations. While there is a disposal program in boating dense locations, there isn't a simple option in other parts of Canada.
Safely disposing of them minimises the environment risk.
The problem I see, based on the linked and sub linked documents, is the retarded varying USA state regulations for disposal.
If it isn't easy, many people will just dispose of them however they personally see fit.
We have a similar disposal issue in Canada in some locations. While there is a disposal program in boating dense locations, there isn't a simple option in other parts of Canada.
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For general alert purposes the electric signaling devices are not as effective as a SOLAS flare. However, for location purposes the electric signaling devices are far superior to and safer than handheld flares. There is no slag dripping off the flare and the signaling device runs for hours, not minutes.
MUCH better than a handheld pyrotechnic flare.
I can't see wanting to use one nowadays.
That's likely why my assumption was that this was about Solas aerial flares.
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That slag is insane. I wonder how many people have any idea hot knarly that stuff is. I lit one off one day at work just to see how it works. I put it on the parking lot and it burned a 3" long x 2" deep hole in the tar pavement. I got rid of them all off my boat the very next day. I still have smoke though. Not sure if those also produce that molten slag but dont know of another option. Also grabbed a 25mm flare gun and flares to make up for the road flares.
According to some testing (I forget who), distress flares work for decades past their expiration date. No reason to get rid of them. So I have the flag and strobe for compliance and the flares for alerting others. As was said, flares are very temporary where as the flag and strobe work for much longer periods of time.
Fred W
Fred W
I switched to the electronic flare several years ago and keep a day flag next to it (not real sure if its value…but keeps me legal).
Fresh batteries at the beginning of each season, and I am comfortable with it as an alternative to fire on the boat.
Greg
Fresh batteries at the beginning of each season, and I am comfortable with it as an alternative to fire on the boat.
Greg
I just found some aerial flares aboard from 1989. They are so old they look like real shotgun shells instead of the newer plastic casing ones.