|
ContinuousWave Whaler Moderated Discussion Areas ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area Marine Flares vs Road Flares
|
Author | Topic: Marine Flares vs Road Flares |
blacklab |
posted 08-31-2008 04:59 PM ET (US)
My flares have expired and I expect to be out on the water before most marine stores open. Are the flares that can be purchased at Pep Boys for $2.49 the same? If not, what is the difference? I'm only crabbing in the back bays, but don't want to have a problem with expired or incorrect type of signal. Thank you in advance for your replies. |
dfmcintyre |
posted 08-31-2008 05:34 PM ET (US)
Pep Boys (and other automotive stores) highway flares do not have an expiration date. Don |
chopbuster |
posted 09-01-2008 12:00 AM ET (US)
Read the first regulation. |
blacklab |
posted 09-01-2008 01:27 AM ET (US)
Thank you for your responses. If I have interpreted these coast guard regulations correctly, no visual distress signal is required up to a point that is 2 miles wide. I.e. in the back bays of coastal NJ, where a boat could never be more than 1 mile away from any shore. Please see: http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/fedreqs/equ_vds.htm I'll be picking up some flares anyway. |
crabby |
posted 09-01-2008 08:31 PM ET (US)
I've never used a handheld marine flare, but I know that every automotive roadside flare I've ever used usually melts down and drips (not good on a boat or if you are trying to hold onto it). |
BlueMax |
posted 09-01-2008 11:39 PM ET (US)
Just my opinion - I'm thinking Marine Flares launch into the sky and can be visible for miles and burn out before they return to earth (or water as the case may be) whereas road flares burn, spit and melt where they are placed - big difference. I would personally not use a road flare on my boat, they can be way too hot to hold (especially when they burn down), can damage the boat and possibly even cause a fire on the vessel (especially if you have above deck tanks). Additionally the road flare would only be line of sight at sea level and possibly not noticed in the day time. |
pglein |
posted 09-02-2008 03:04 PM ET (US)
BlueMax, There are two kinds of marine flares; ones that shoot up in the air, and ones you hold in your hand and wave around. While the kind that you hold in your hand may LOOK like road flares, they are, indeed, quite different. |
contender |
posted 09-02-2008 04:21 PM ET (US)
Crabby hold it upside down or to the side, over the side of the boat Plgein: is correct, However, believe it or not the laws are different in different parts of the country for boating and what they are required to carry, Starting Jan 1/09 Fla. it will be required for anyone fishing to now carry a circle hook on board, salt or fresh water fishing, thats right one hook, you do not have to use it, or need it, but you do have to have it...government at its best |
pglein |
posted 09-02-2008 06:11 PM ET (US)
What's a circle hook? |
contender |
posted 09-02-2008 08:37 PM ET (US)
Hook that is bent round with the point toward the shank, it is suppose to just hook the fish in the corner of the mouth and not harm it so it can be released. Usually used for large bottom fish (just got back from Alaska and used them for Halibut, down in South Fla. for Tile fish and other deep water fish) However, do not know if can be/is used for fresh water fishing but the government saw it fit to make every boater carry one now (as of Jan 1/09)... Even if you fly fish... Another person in charge with no common sense...be safe |
BlueMax |
posted 09-02-2008 08:42 PM ET (US)
I guess I'm not familiar with the Marine flares that can be hand held - do they use a different type of pyrotechnic that does not burn as hot or sputer and make a mess (although I guess if you need help, your least concern is making a mess on the deck). Also would like to know what a "circle hook" is. Does it look like some kind of animal trainer snare that you can snag someone in the water with? Good stuff. |
BlueMax |
posted 09-02-2008 08:43 PM ET (US)
Contender, I guess you posted while i was typing, thanks for the info. |
jimh |
posted 09-02-2008 09:13 PM ET (US)
I have quite a collection of marine safety flares whose certification has expired. I keep meaning to set them off to see how they work. Do you think you would get in trouble if you were in a small boat at night and you ignited a safety flare that was out of date? Could you be cited by the Coast Guard for making a false signal? That is, can the light from an expired flare be considered a distress signal? |
contender |
posted 09-02-2008 09:24 PM ET (US)
jimh In a small boat at night set off a flare, yes false alarm, set it off in your drive way to see how it works...be safe |
whalerron |
posted 09-02-2008 09:28 PM ET (US)
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources performed a test of Marine Handheld Flares and Marine Handheld Orange Smoke flares. The test was carried out on the Eastern Shore near the Chesapeake Bay bridge and observers were setup across the bay on the Western Shore. The object was to see which type of flares were more quickly noticed in daylight. The Orange Smokes were noticed much faster. jimh - I had 2 20 year old handheld marine flares which had been kept in a dry box on my boat. I recently lit them off. They worked like brand new. It is illegal to display a visual distress signal from a vessel unless there is an actual emergency: - ron |
dfmcintyre |
posted 09-02-2008 09:32 PM ET (US)
Uh, Jim....If that's gonna be your line of reasoning to a federal magistrate "Your Honor, I ask that the charges of Improper Flare/Signal use be dismissed as I was TESTING them because they were outdated. Oh, and the USCG and the XXX (fill in with your favorite or least favorite county here) County Sheriff's Department should have known that when they responded."....be my guest. Just let me know the court date. I'm always up for some entertainment... On the serious side, I've received conflicting advise in the past regarding even carrying expired flares as extras. I view extra, outdated flares in the category as I do extra ammunition....you can never have enough. Anyways, this year I posed the question to the USGC Aux crew who inspected our large boat. They told me that as long as the minimum up to date flares, etc were carried, it didn't matter if the additional flares were out dated. Best - Don |
whalerron |
posted 09-02-2008 09:38 PM ET (US)
quote:http://www.boatingsafety.com/boats/cgvisuals.htm crabby, |
whalerron |
posted 09-02-2008 09:40 PM ET (US)
crabby, I stand corrected. This site has a nice diagram of the regulation. |
jimh |
posted 09-02-2008 10:36 PM ET (US)
Wait a minute---Wait a minute! If the Federales can cite me for having out-of-date flares, then how can they also cite me for making a false distress signal with an out-of-date flare. That seems like having it work both ways in their favor! |
BlueMax |
posted 09-02-2008 10:58 PM ET (US)
That's the federales for ya! I once set off expired flares in my driveway on a 4th of July and got a stern lecture from a Sherriff’s deputy that happened to be patrolling the area. I had six aerial flares that were about a year or more out of date - only 2 out of 5 of them actually fired off and the Sherriff pulled up as I sat in the back of my boat getting ready to pull the cord on the last one. He told me the proper way to dispose them was to turn them in to the Coast Guard station as they were still considered pyrotechnics if I were to throw them in the trash. Well he actually had a lot more to say to my drunk arse, but that was about the only part I listened to other than "I am not going to cite you at this time" (NC has an 'if it goes up or blows up it is illegal' policy). |
Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.