Just replaced my flares due to expiring.
Is it legal to keep the old flares on the boat?? Just wondering how Water Police view this. The reason I ask is that I was thinking I could keep them as a back up in case we ran out of the new ones in the case of an emergency??
Thanks,
Tony
Pretty sure there was a thread on this a while ago and the general consensus was that it was illegal to carry expired flares.....
dont know if it was ever clarified by anyone..... I keep mine onboard just dont show them to the authorities when they ask to view them? the way I see it is I would rather have them then not....
Legally flares become explosives once past use by date. You are then into big boys laws.
Don't ever present out of date flares and keep them separate to in date ones for inspection. Official policy is if you think you need extras then buy 2 in date ones ( yeah we are made of money) . Will always say " what if you pick the wrong ones when abandoning ship and they don't work?) Screw that if I'm sinking I'm taking the epirb 1st , jacket , grab bag and then flares or 2nd lot whichever are easy to get first anyway.
Personally I keep the recent old ones on board and would use them first if time allowed then break out the new ones. Yes there is some danger in doing that but seriously they last bugger all time and extra ones as long as they are safe are a bonus. Are older ones safe? - used to be suggested by everyone to do it( keep freshest old set) and have done it for 40 years. Probably up crap creek with insurance company is somehow it was the old out of date flares that caused the boat to burn or sink - better things to worry about like putting the bungs in.
I still think AMSA should support VMR and buy flares in 6 month blocks ( or annual flare day) and every 6 months run a flare day ( oh year it is a crap fight to organise these days) so people know what to expect. VMR makes some money and we are all safer . Buy your flares via them and get a ticket to event. That way kids, wives etc all get a go with a valid flare ( just before expiry) and the VMR get some great BBQ and new flare sales income that day. We all know we don't read the bloody instructions on them let alone doing so in a fast moving emergency. I bought a different brand and they are different to use.
New laser flares are brilliant for night . Last ages and are compact. They don't yet comply but if I had choice of one on fire or laser one that lasts hours and can be turned on and off I'll go the laser. Hope they get priced so they can be attached to every offshore night sailors personal epirb and maybe a nearby boat can see laser rather than piddly strobe.
I'd rather see flares used to attract local boats ( radios off as they are) than have a full scale amsa epirb event.
Out of date flares - well I drop em at the police station and get a fresh young probationary face and say " I've got some explosives to hand in " plonking a box on the counter - look on their faces is worth it and silence in the background. They dispose of them when they have calmed down and written it in the surrender book. Next time I might wear a turban.
popcorn
Edit - laser flare link - not valid as replacements yet but a good compact extra
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_i...bsolutePage=14
http://nswskc.wordpress.com/2012/06/...ne-signalling/
http://www.sosmarine.com/Pages/SOS%2...s/SOS-5565.htm
Originally Posted by patrol50
Ditto to that Bruce.
Cheers
Bill
Hi Tony
Good luck with ya trip out tomorrow....weather looks awesome.
Expect to see a hot report with lots of photos of v large & colourful fish....!!!
Yeh ..defn a good plan to have back up flares ...just in case.
Have Fun.
Cheers
Phil
Very good idea Cormorant, that way everyone including the kids knows what to do and expect if the poo should hit the fan. Make sure you record the visit with a turban.
.
.
The real deal on this one without question is the following
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...mmy-Spit/page6
Thanks Mister, a good read. I had heard of this Kerry fellow, as it was before I joined Ausfish, & heard he could fire off. I think you showed me how right I was!!
Thanks,
Tony
Yeah mate was an interesting one that one hey? Appeared like he couldn't handle those that didn't know what they were talking about and didn't like or understand what they were hearing but many fronted up for heaps of humble pie on that one. Bit of a classic that one hey!
lol cormorant ...just don't hand in a mobile phone you found in the same bag ......
I used to carry a previouse set of flares along with new ones but when i was told they could be unstable after their used by date i didnt want to take chances "Just Incase" so took them down to the local VMR for desposal..
Far too long a way to swim if theres any truth about them being unstable when the get on a tad ey..
I had a large box full of old flares on my last boat spanning back to 20 years old.
Every year they were seen by the water police, maritime inspectors and commercial surveyers and never once was anything ever said.
I took a heap over to the Port Macquarie tafe one time for the MCV class for their flare day and all but one old flare worked perfectly.It still fired but the parachute failed to ignite.
We let go some newer ones I had that were about 4-5 years out of day and they all failed.
I believe this.
And thanks corm for the heads up on the lazer pointer,...just this last month or so I spent 1.5k at Whitworths on safety and general seaworthy boat...boating stuff, today alone 450$...I didn't know that lazer pointer existed...will add it to my list, nice piece of cost effective safety kit to have attached to the skippers lifejacket.
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