when was the last time you looked at your flares?

[MustRib]

Was sorting some stuff last night, and opened up the flare polybottle that normally rides in the holder on the A frame.
Its a Pains Wessex Offshore Flare pack....not looked in it since finishing Round Ireland last year.
I lifted out the flares and the constant rubbing and movement had rubbed almost all the labels on the flares back to white. Illedgible.
More worryingly, the hand held smoke flares had unpopped their rubber end caps and the pull strings and tabs had managed to inter-twine themselves into a knot.
I have put a base of bubble wrap in the bottle, and wrapped each flare now so there is no movement within the container.
I thought about the current wake jumping thread...it would have been interesting if one had fired inside the container
Anyone know of this ever happening?

[SPR]

No such issues with Greatland Rescue Lasers

I seen what you did described before -best wrapping / stuffing container up with bubble wrap.

S.

[Peter_C]

Funny as I looked for new flares yesterday, since mine are now expired.

[Bern Hanreck]

November 5th !

[willk]

Originally Posted by MustRib

...it would have been interesting if one had fired inside the container
Anyone know of this ever happening?

Someone on here had a smoke fire in a jetski locker while at sea. Unfortunately, it did very little damage...

I used to keep mine in a similar container to you, but WITH a foam base AND a long strip of large cell bubblewrap. They stayed like new and were easy to extract as you could see them from the top.

[m chappelow]

Originally Posted by MustRib

More worryingly, the hand held smoke flares had unpopped their rubber end caps and the pull strings and tabs had managed to inter-twine themselves into a knot. ?

I always preferred the older style ones with the twist & strike with palm of hand or the para ones with the little metal trigger ? At least it had a safety pin & you could fire them one handed if desperate or injured ! With the later string & toggle ones what would you do If you broke or injured your arm or hold it above your head with your good hand then pull the string & toggle with your teeth : / . At least with the older style ones you could thump it on something hard like the deck or console or flick the trigger .

[MustRib]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

I always preferred the older style ones with the twist & strike with palm of hand or the para ones with the little metal trigger ? At least it had a safety pin & you could fire them one handed if desperate or injured ! With the later string & toggle ones what would you do If you broke or injured your arm or hold it above your head with your good hand then pull the string & toggle with your teeth : / . At least with the older style ones you could thump it on something hard like the deck or console or flick the trigger .

Interesting. The Flare Pack is current in date until mid 2016. The Para flares are as you describe, with metal striker, the Handhelds have the rubber cap and pull string/tab. If my arm was broken or injured, and I needed to use flares it would be the first ones I could physically fire (probably the Para's in this case), but would be going for DSC, EPIRB or PLB first.

[Dry Run]

when was the last time you looked at your flares?

I was tempted to say "about 1975"

[jumpinjack]

Drove past Premier Marina, Swanick yesterday and the Chandlers shop had a big sign in window saying flares 1/2 price. Not sure if of any use to anyone

[PeterM]

Off to get rid of my last pyro flares tomorrow ( via the correct disposal route at the RNLI HQ)

Payday at the end of the month and I'll be going for another laser from SPR

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by PeterM

Off to get rid of my last pyro flares tomorrow ( via the correct disposal route at the RNLI HQ)

Payday at the end of the month and I'll be going for another laser from SPR

My pyros expired last year, not to be replaced. I've gone "Modern" too