Flares on small open boats?

“Hello! For those of you who carry flares, what do you recommend. Arwen's handheld flares have expired and I want to get new ones. Does anyone have any views on types, makes etc which would be most useful for someone like me who coastal dinghy cruises up to about four or five miles off shore along the coast anywhere ranging from Falmouth along to Torquay? (but mainly based around Plymouth). Any thoughts or recommendations?”

An innocent enough question I thought, posed to one of the forums I subscribe to! And what a flurry of opinions and comments it led to, all of which were quite illuminating (I’m sure there is a pun in there somewhere....flares......illuminating? Never mind!)

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Some commented that they don’t carry flares because they are dangerous, scary and prone to the odd misfire or two, as experienced by an RYA Yachtmaster instructor during a class demonstration a year or two ago, when it malfunctioned, exploding backwards into him! Some people have experienced them melting under intense heat and so the message is – wear a really thick leather glove when you let them off. Now let me think, I’m sinking, sending off a mayday and will I remember the glove? Um! Some commented that it relied on people seeing it, recognising it and, if at sea taking accurate bearings and reporting its position accurately to coastguard. Some dryly observed ‘if they were listening’ – a reference to our HM Coastguard cuts we are experiencing here in the UK.

Inevitably many commented about the problem of disposal of them. What do you do with expired ones if you haven’t let them off on November 5th or 31st December? I can never get a clear answer from anyone about what to do with my old flares. I’ve offered them to our local mountain rescue group for training purposes and am awaiting a reply! Well I thought this was a good idea. I did mountain leadership training and if flares are not too out of date they could be useful in training sessions?
Many people were in favour of waterproof VHF handheld radios as the primary safety gear. If you couldn’t reach coastguard, a mayday relay to another boat probably would. Laser lights were mentioned but I think the jury is out at the moment on their effectiveness. Someone from Orkney commented that the coastguard and helicopter teams had tested one up there and that while they were good as a signalling device, it was felt they were not as effective as a flare. Many mentioned carrying EPIRBS or smaller personal locator beacons. I carry a SPOT PLB.

And what about the situation in which you find yourself needing to set off a flare? Someone drily commented that you are likely to be capsized and the flares under water.......there is an issue about where exactly you keep them to hand on the boat isn’t there? Near the tiller? In an emergency grab bag that floats? Actually, where do people keep their flares when onboard?

Some people are, like me, carrying a pack of mini flares. I carry them in a buoyancy aid pocket. If I go in, they go in with me! I like these. I’m familiar with them having used them in mountain rescue situations before.

A few people did comment that they carried orange handheld smoke flares and that these were more visible in daylight and the smoke lingered for a good 15 minutes. I like orange smokes as well. I carry an orange ‘smoke can’ which you can throw in the water as well.

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I have to say that that kind of flare does pinpoint and last a long time!

So where does this leave me?

1. I am the paranoid type. I think if it is electronic, waterproof or not, it is likely to fail just when you need it. Worst case scenario – both VHF and PLB go down at the same time

2. Planning for that highly unlikely but just my luck scenario.....I need to carry something else!

3. Something else is one pack of miniflares on my person; and a set of orange handheld smokes easy to hand. Perhaps two orange smoke cans as well.

4. Very hot red fiery flares...um.......not so sure and since I don’t do night sailing....but then what if I get caught out on a long passage and end up capsizing at dusk? Well it could happen!

5. Anti collision white flares.........lesson is don’t put self in situation where likely to collide with something if you can help it! Keep a good eye out?

In saying all this, a few people pointed out that you need to let flares off in two and a good combination is 1 minute red flare to attract attention followed by 1 orange flare to keep location in sight. Makes sense. Someone observed that flares are damn good for starting fires of driftwood should you have to swim to shore, wet, cold and exhausted. It’s a fair point!

So.......if I’m sailing normally maximum of four miles offshore and normally along a coastline.........what should I go for? Anyone got any more thoughts before I make a decision?

My thanks to all those who kindly replied on the openboat forum. Their advice and thoughts, as always, well considered and thoughtful, based on practical experiences. Ladies and gents – thanks!

Steve