There has been mention in the "Tethered" thread about carrying flares. I am curious what kind of flares everyone carries, cost, size, where to get them, etc.

I saw West Marine had both the stick and 18 gauge flare guns for sale this month and thought about spending $30 for then but not sure if they are what I should get.

I would be interested in hearing what others carry.

Thanks,

Flare gun 6 shots. Brand: 'Nicosignal'. They were about 60 Euros from a watersports shop in NL. The unit is quite compact with lots of safety interlocks. I'm thinking of getting some smoke (no, not that stuff...the red type..) too, more visible during daytime.

Dennis

Thanks Dennis

I always carry 3 of these in the breast pocket of my vest. They are submersible, but I carry them in a ziplock just in case. Heed the dates on them. We fire our out of date flares at a 'Coast Guard Day' and have about a 40% failure rate. Remember, smoke doesn't work well at night.

When I'm sailing big boats offshore, I throw a few in my foulie pocket, just in case.

Most cat sailors on Netherlands don't use the flare gun or flares with 40% failure rate.

I will have to look up the brand but what most use is a handheld flare and my own experiences thus far (new years firework celebrations) they have a 100% success rate even when several years overdate and corroded on the outside. When you pop one off at midnight you'll light up the whole street and you can almost look for any contact lenses they you may have dropped earlier. This flares produce alot of smoke also and will burn through anything even when underwater. This is, I think, another safety issue, when the knife doesn't cut it anymore then I plan to use the flare as a blow torch. You've got about 1 minute to get the job done.

I'll look up the brand for you guys when I'm at the beach this weekend. They cost about 20 Euro's overhere.

Ohh, by the way, if any of you can remember fireworks int he stands at big soccer matches (the red coloured flares) those are the same items. Interestingly enough, nautical shops sell most of these to soccer supporters rather then sailors.

Wouter

Myself and most people I know use the one below.
Its cheap and small enough to fit into any PFD pocket.

Since I sail mainly on the Chesapeake Bay (Maryland, USA), I carry a stobe. ACR Electronics produce some high qaulity units that are very reasonable.

http://www.acrelectronics.com/

It would be interesting to know how sensitive the automatic unit is.

Kris Hathaway
F-16

Obviously, you're much cooler than us. I bet if you take your awesomely, superior Netherland flares out for a couple of years of cat sailing, then leave them in the bottom of your catbox rolling around for a couple more years, you'd see the same results. My point was to make sure to change them out when dictated by the date. My other point was don't just carry one. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Most states technically require "signaling devices" (flares) onboard cats.

From Cal Boating:

"All boats 16 feet or more in length must carry devices aboard at all times.Boaters must carry: EITHER a) devices that are suitable for day use and devices suitable for night use OR b) devices that can be used for both day and night use."

"All visual distress-signaling devices must be Coast Guard-approved, be readily accessible, and in serviceable condition. Devices carried aboard beyond the date stamped on each device will not meet legal minimum requirements."

I carry 2 Skyblazer in each life vest.


And in the boat, I have the following safety kit with other emergency items.

I guess it also depends on where you sail, most of the time I sail on a freshwater lake with plenty of other boats around at any time.
If I would sail on the ocean I would take safety a lot more seriously.

I sail on a fresh water lake too, but last summer I had to swim home when my boat threw me off and kept going downwind on it's side faster than I could swim for it. Of course I was in the middle of the lake when it happened, not near one side or the other. I counted 4 power boats that passed by me in the 90 minutes it took me to swim to shore.

I waved my white hat and yelled but not one of them saw me. There were whitecaps and it's very hard to see someone (or hear them) from a powerboat if you aren't looking for them. I wish I'd had a flare (or a teather) that day!

You would think at least one of them might have seen a cat on it's side going downwind with nobody on it and maybe started looking but no. This happened about an hour before sunset, it was dark when I got to the beach, my biggest fear became getting run over by a powerboat or a close encounter with a gator. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Now I clip myself to the mainsheet when I'm out alone, you can't depend on powerboats to see you.

I'll second something posted earlier about those Skyblazers. Make sure you keep the dates current. I had 3 or 4 of them expired last year. On the 4th of July, I went to "test" them over Ocean Springs Bay and none fired.

The previously posted CA boating regulation was for powerboats. The appropriate section for most beach cats is:

Visual Distress Signals (Coastal Waters Only): Boats less than 16 feet,
manually propelled craft of any size, sailboats under 26 feet — of completely
open construction and not equipped with propulsion machinery, and boats
competing in an organized marine parade, regatta, race, or similar event are
only required between sunset and sunrise to carry aboard devices that are
suitable for night use (see page 43).

That's specifically regarding nighttime use.

That's the next paragraph just after the one I posted. You are only required to carry devices suitable for night unless you meet those criteria (which, yes, most of our cats do). It's my understanding of the law that you still have to carry a device suitable for DAY use.

I've scooped a lot of guys out of the water that were very close to death from Hypothermia. It just makes sense to me to better my chances of survival by carrying a few simple, inexpensive safety devices regardless of the nuances of the law.

Our local Harbor Patrol empowered the lifeguard on the beach where we launch to check for flares and a radio at their discretion. No safety gear, no launch.

Did they ever find that missing cat sailor off of Santa Barbara a few months back?

Here's some info on the flare gun I own.

Web page (German)

And a piccy:

Actually when I worked as a cat sailing instructur for several years I made a bet with the sailing school owner to that extent. He bet that the most old and worn down flares that we could find would still show a 100% succes rate. We found some at the bottom of some locker that were covered in thick brown rust all over and were 4 years over date (meaning over 7 years old at least); these had been carried unprotected in lifevest for several years. We tested them all and I lost this best, they all fired and burned like new.

Since then I've tested all my old flares; often forgetting some of them thus having them several year past their dates. And what do you know I still have a 100% succes rate.

These babies are the cheapest available and have proven to be utterly dependable. Maybe you should buy a crate of these.

Wouter

Its my flare...We're required to wear 11 pieces of flare. It costs 40$ and is sold through US Sailing...

"You know the Germans had flare that they made the jews wear."

LOL Why didn't I think of that, GENIUS!