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Would you like your in date flares replaced and the old ones taken away for disposal

  • yes

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • no

    Votes: 6 54.5%
  • depends on cost

    Votes: 2 18.2%

Disposal of Flares

3K views 19 replies 15 participants last post by  hellosailor 
#1 · (Edited)
I know that old chesnut,


This question is for the UK members (Initially)

Let me ask this of you boys and girls out there, If I could collect your IN DATE flares that have maybe a couple of weeks left in them and replace them with new at a competetive price who would be interested.
There would be a charge for collection, disposal & Administration of course
Please answer the Poll
 
#2 ·
Why would you want to have your "in-date" unexpired flares collected??? SOLAS grade flares are often good for many years after they're out-of-date... and having more flares aboard than the minimum is usually a wise idea.
 
#3 ·
Sorry did'nt make it clear, when your flares are about to run out of date, I can collect.
If you are found in French/Dutch water with out of date flares you will be fined on the spot even if you have additional in date flares with you.
Would you be happy launching an OOD Flare? I am ex RNLI and have launched flares on exercise, It is quite hairaising and they are in date.
How long do you think it will be before the UK Boarder agency start to fine UK cruisers for OOD flares like the French. next on the agenda will be a register of flares sold, so like the sorn tax system for cars you will have to prove that you no longer have a use for them and have disposed of them through a proper agent, or have replaced them accordingly.
 
#4 ·
You can use your old ones for training on various Holidays. Showing and giving your crew the experience of how to handle a flare.
4th of July
Guy Flawkes day
New Years
Are a few of the many holidays that you can use.
Also if you training on a non-holiday let the Coast Guard know that you are firing off the old flares for training purposes and the lat/long that you are at. And remember fire safety. In other words be far away from other boats, parking lots, buildings and wooded/grassy areas.
 
#6 ·
You can use your old ones for training on various Holidays. Showing and giving your crew the experience of how to handle a flare. . . let the Coast Guard know that you are firing off the old flares for training purposes and the lat/long that you are at.
A caution - this is a pretty international group - I know there are a countries that prohibit the "practice firing" of any flares other than white flares.

If you fire red flare, and it is not an emergency, and the CG or other SARs groups responds, you would most likely be liable for a pretty hefty fine, as well as the costs of the response.

Rik
 
#7 ·
I had collected quite a few OOD flares. I brought the oldest down to my local fire station (in the US) to dispose them. One fireman took about 3 or 4 minutes to get just one of these flares ignited. After that, he handed the rest back to me and said I should keep them in my car. Yes, this really happened.
 
#9 ·
We shoot them off on the 4th of July, with the 8 million other fireworks going off, how would anyone even know if it's a signal flare or a firework? The other option would be to shoot them into a burning barrel or fire pit, then throw the rest out. Why pay to have them taken away.
 
#11 ·
We contacted the Fire department and the Coast Guard and held a test-firing session at our club for out of date flares. The sailors were grateful for the experience of actually setting them off. The Coast Guard was grateful for the opportunity to provide a safety lesson and some PR, and the fire deparment was glad not to have to gather them up to dispose of them. Everyone liked it so much, we think we'll do it again next season.

P.S. Why is there a fine in Holland and France for carrying out of date flares? Why not just show them the current ones in that case? Would they fine you for non-solas approved lifejackets if you had enough approved ones? It doesn't make any sense.
 
#13 ·
I tried to light a 15 yr old flare and the ignition button broke off of the end. Tried another old one , the same... Used a torch to get them started and found that they dripped a hot white molten liquid that solidified when it hit the driveway.
Also tried an old 12 gage, old 25 gage and new extended 12 gage red flares. I believed that the 25 gage would be the best by far... Results were surprising. The older 12 and 25 gage only stayed aloft about 3 seconds, not much height . Yes the 25 gage was brighter. The new 12 gage extended flare was twice the height at least and was as bright as the 25 gage flare...I was surprised by this.
Being in the USA, I'll keep the old flares on board but also realize that they may be less than desirable and may not even work. I will keep fresh flares on board to count on should I ever need assistance.
 
#14 ·
Just curious, were these SOLAS or USCG approved flares. The SOLAS ones are required, by specification, not to drop slag, the USCG ones do not have that requirement AFAIK.
 
#16 ·
The French are also idiots... these are the same people who wanted to prevent certain computer related terms from becoming common usage in French... see article here. From the article...

Before a word such as "cloud computing" or "podcasting" ("diffusion pour baladeur") receives a certified French equivalent, it needs to be approved by three organizations and get a government minister's seal of approval, according to rules laid out by the state's General Delegation for the French Language and the Languages of France. The process can be a linguistic odyssey taking years.
 
#17 ·
No way I'd pay!!!
Up here on the Merrimac river on the first Saturday in April on both sides, opposite the other, the Harbor Masters have a kind of war game to set those old 12 gauges to flying.Someone had a parachute type and it sailed clear over the river on to shore and they got a little nervous so they don't allow those types to fly anymore.
It is a lot of fun and it gives one a chance to experience how to use your flare gun.
 
#19 ·
Old thread, and one person WAS correct, in that I noticed recently, it is now a $1000 or some odd fine for carrying expired flares in/on your boat! NOt sure if it is the hazard-es part, or the fact you have expired flares......may need to look this up some. BUT, beware!

Marty
 
#20 ·
" it is now a $1000 or some odd fine for carrying expired flares in/on your boat!"
Now Marty, unless the New World Order took over the world while I wasn't looking last night, there's no universal law, fine, or penalty about flares, food, sex, or sailing.

You might want to requalify that with the venue that has such a law, because in my home waters, it sure ain't so.

Unless, as I said, they slipped a revolution by me last night.
 
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