Grinna 2 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Found a bag marked "Old Flares" on the boat the other day. I have just gone thru them and there's a bunch of parachutes and handheld flares that have expiry dates like 1977, 1980, 1990 and the most recent ones are marked expiry 2002. The parachute flares I will take into Safety at Sea for disposal, but was wondering about the handhelds. Would they still go so long after their expiry date??? Are they likely to go BANG instead of fizz? Just curious. Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Most will work If you don't want them, we need them for our fire brigade We use them for landing rescue helicopters And we are always in need of more We use the really old ones for training and most work Jon 0274779745 Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I've banged off 18yo chutes and they went probably better than the newer ones. Mind you I do remember one fizzing a fair bit before take off and I was seriously pissed or it probably won't have been attempted. A 9 boat raft up one New Years..Oh yeah!!!! Do what D said G, he is knot telling porkies and using them for some dodgy rural wife swapping sex game....... or if he is the prick won't front with any video of it Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 Hey hang on .... I've got a dodgy rural wife (Looks guiltily over the shoulder) There are times when I'd gladly swap her ..... maybe for an outboard or a gennaker. Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Hey I've got a spare genneka and a spare ob But then again what would I do with 2 wives 1 is more than enough Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Why swap either when you can combine the two? Link to post Share on other sites
shanson 0 Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I've got a couple of pack's of old flares, PM me if you want them. Cheers SHANE Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 Hey hang on .... I've got a dodgy rural wife (Looks guiltily over the shoulder) There are times when I'd gladly swap her ..... maybe for an outboard or a gennaker. I'll tell her what you said.. Good to see Max back!! Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 Flares scare me. I can't believe members of the public can buy these explosives freely but we need a license to get the terminology right before we can use a radio. Anyone who followed this case a few years ago will share my aversion to flares: http://personalinjury.ffw.com/client-cases/2008/sep/product-liability-claim.aspx On the 5 April 2006, Duncan MacDougall was demonstrating a hand flare for the purposes of a training video. The hand flare was a Pains Wessex White Collision Warning Hand Flare used at sea to warn shipping about untoward events. Duncan, armed the flare in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and at arms length, pushed the firing plunger in. The hand flare ignited and an explosion occurred. Instead of firing into the air and away from Duncan, the hand flare “backfired” into his abdomen. The hand flare canister became embedded in Duncan’s abdomen and burned at 3000 degrees centigrade for the advertised 60 seconds. This caused significant damage to Duncan’s right hand and abdomen. Duncan was taken to Wexham Park Hospital where he was treated for very serious injuries. He had immediate surgery and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit where he remained for 4 months. Duncan lost most of his large bowel, his spleen, some of his pancreas and the tip of the middle finger on his right hand. His right hand was reconstructed through plastic surgery and is partially working. He also has a stoma. Duncan remained in hospital for a total of 9 months and came home at the end of December 2006. Sadly Duncan still has significant pain, suffers from PTSD and is at the moment still not able to return to his previous work as a voiceover artist for radio and television commercials or as a course leader for training sailors. The accident was clearly caused by the breach of duty of the manufacturers, Pains Wessex and the Consumer Protection Act 1997 applied. Nevertheless, and surprisingly, the defendants argued that the accident was caused or contributed to by Duncan’s own negligence. The defendants argued that contrary to its own instructions that Duncan should have held the hand flare parallel to his own body so that if there had been a malfunction the flare would not have struck him. The defendant’s arguments on contributory negligence were not successful and the claim was settled on a full liability basis for a substantial sum. Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 Bugger! I knew some or all of the flares were expired and had thought about setting off a few of the hand flares so I knew what to expect etc. I didn't realise some of them were dated 1977 and now after reading that account of Duncan MacDougall I'm not sure I want to play with these things anymore. I must admit that it does surprise me that we're allowed to purchase, store and play with handheld pyrotechnic devices in an unregulated manner, but we aren't allowed to buy a Very pistol or purchase fireworks (except on specific days). Weird. Link to post Share on other sites
Dagwood 57 Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 Bugger! I must admit that it does surprise me that we're allowed to purchase, store and play with handheld pyrotechnic devices in an unregulated manner, but we aren't allowed to buy a Very pistol or purchase fireworks (except on specific days). Weird. I think the theory the authorities are relying on is what they cost and if you can afford to buy them, there is a reasonable chance you won't be dumb enough to use them blowing up letter boxes and terrorising animals. Clearly they've forgotten to factor in Rum. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 What Daggy said. Dickheads don't usually want to spend a few hundy for only 4 or 5 pretty lights. If you want fun just go to the local sports/gun shop and buy a pile of black power, it's way way cheaper and anyone can buy it, even those 99% of most chandlers wouldn't sell flares to. Black power is fun and No I didn't say one of our lads was firing marbles all over North Auckland over the weekend with a cannon Wheels made and black power from the local gun shop. That would be silly and just dangerous. Yeah Right!!! It's damn good fun Link to post Share on other sites
Megwyn 2 Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Hmmm - Laser flares. How do they work? (as in, do you have to have an orange and a red one, or can you get one that does both?) Where do you get them from? And how do they compare price wise with their more dangerous relatives? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Laser flares are good, and expensive. Come and see me at the Tga Boat Show. I'll have a Laser flare there. Jono Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Laser flares won't satisfy Category 1 requirements though (will they?) and they're only visible line of sight, while parachute flares launch a visual signal higher to get better range of visibility. I understand the concerns about carrying pyrotechnics on your boat, but I'm not sure there is a viable alternative at this stage. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Flares should be banned!! (God forbid they ever came back!!??.. like bell bottoms... searsucker shirts...winkle pickers... sideburns... wide lapels.... COLD DUCK!!!! ) Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Its a scary thought having a box of these right next to a gas cooker! Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 you can buy flare guns, they are prohibitively expensive though, RFD (had? ) them. I have an american orion set that does cat 1 in a tidy foam lined plastic case, considerably cheaper than whats available here. I don't understand why the safety folk here don't carry them, a much tidier (better?) way to carry / store them than loose flares rattling around in an orange plastic container. Link to post Share on other sites
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