LED Flare

Interesting, but I am not sure the math works out.

If this is $100, and flares are $33, then you can buy three sets of flares for one of these.

If a set of flares last 42 months, that is 126 months worth of flares for the same $100, or 10 1/2 years.

Will this thing last for 10 plus years, or be trusted to?

I'm thinking I will stay with the flares. I know, call me a Luddite.

One LED Flare Replaces U.S. Required Pyros, Sirius Signal But Not Ocean Signal (BLOG) | | PassageMaker

menzies said:

Interesting, but I am not sure the math works out.

If this is $100, and flares are $33, then you can buy three sets of flares for one of these.

If a set of flares last 42 months, that is 126 months worth of flares for the same $100, or 10 1/2 years.

Will this thing last for 10 plus years, or be trusted to?

I'm thinking I will stay with the flares. I know, call me a Luddite.

One LED Flare Replaces U.S. Required Pyros, Sirius Signal But Not Ocean Signal (BLOG) | | PassageMaker

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I just picked one up and replaced my flares. For the here and now, we won't be headed offshore in excess of 3 miles, so the LED device fits the bill.

My logic- your math is pretty accurate (+/- a couple of points). I chose to get the LED unit because of the following:

• Longevity- the average handheld flare has a burn time of 3-4 minutes, so the math on a set of 3 is 9-12 minutes of signal time. The LED unit has hours of burn time (one report has a test that shows over 60 hours of battery life).
• Safety and ease of use- any of my crew/guests/family can light the thing off by simply twisting the LED dome till the light turns on. I am always worried about a newbie or my daughter knowing how to light off a flare, AND keep the slag away from themselves and the boat.
• storage- I fashioned a bracket (like an EPIRB bracket) and hung the LED unit and flag on the bulkhead, ready to use at a moment's notice.

I change my smoke detector batteries out at the time shifts, and will do the same with this unit every other year.

Pau Hana said:

I just picked one up and replaced my flares. For the here and now, we won't be headed offshore in excess of 3 miles, so the LED device fits the bill.

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Plus they float but where do you get "3 miles" from?
It doesn't make sense that they are only good up to 3 miles off shore but anywhere on the Great Lakes and...
According to 33 USCS § 2601 (2), the term coastal waters means--
“(A) the territorial sea of the United States;
(B) the Great Lakes and their connecting waters;

Hawgwash said:

Plus they float but where do you get "3 miles" from?
It doesn't make sense that they are only good up to 3 miles off shore but anywhere on the Great Lakes and...
According to 33 USCS § 2601 (2), the term coastal waters means--
“(A) the territorial sea of the United States;
(B) the Great Lakes and their connecting waters;

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Here, sir:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/docs/vds_table.pdf

Misread on my part- the 3 mile limitation is for commercial vessels only. I sit corrected.....

Good point on "burn time" and ease of use.

Though I do keep all my out of date flares on board so I probably do have a lot of "burn time" - if they still work!

Plus I do like the idea of the gun fired flares for height.

I am getting to the point that electrics seem safer and better.

Keeping the lava and slag creating pyros around and in date my come to an end for me soon.

My wife would be able to use the electric while I did other stuff, not so with the pyros.... in a deflate-able.... no way.

Speaking about the handheld only of course, I am partial to the rocket SOLAS devices.

I thinking buying one and keeping the current set of flares. Flares don't normally "go bad" for a long time anyway, just out of date, this thing will free from the replacing on X date "hassle".

Last Halloween and this next one too, the good citizens of Pender Harbour [8^)] shoot off their old expired flares. I would state that at least half of the expired flares we shot were duds in some way. While teaching my wife how to fire a flare gun, the flare ignited in the barrel, did not exit the barrel and I had to smack it out of her hand into the water where it burned down deep in the water. Fortunately my Sweety was not burnt or injured. Plastic flare guns are crap. Expired flares are dangerous. I will be buying an electric flare as soon as our Coast Guard gets off it arse.

Saw that thing on www.panbo.com. anybody here happen to know if it's legal in Canadian waters?

FYI, this type of electronic "flare," is not new. An incandescent model was introduced by ACR and CG approved as a replacement for incendiary flares years ago. I guess it was not a big seller as they were discontinued. I bought one on clearance for $14.99. That was at least 6 years ago. I still have it and bought the new LED model as well. Those, along with all my good and expired flares could make one heck of a light show.

Howard

Xsbank said:

I will be buying an electric flare as soon as our Coast Guard gets off it arse.

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Go ahead and get one. The way things are going, before long we won't have a CG anyway.

Depends if you buy flares to get rescued or pass an inspection...

Flares are pretty short lived once lit or shot. Shot five of them at a hovering helo once. He saw the last one.

I'll probably buy an electronic flare to get rescued. It may not pass a survey or inspection, but will probably be seen. I used to have a strobe on my masthead light, but it disintegrated with time. It wasn't "legal" either, but I bet it would've worked.

Doing my maths $33 for flares or $100 for electric flares that are $66 ?? and you boats worth well over $100000 and your life and others is worth ???? and your worried about $66 or a carton of beer ??

gaston said:

Doing my maths $33 for flares or $100 for electric flares that are $66 ?? and you boats worth well over $100000 and your life and others is worth ???? and your worried about $66 or a carton of beer ??

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While your grammar is absolutely dreadful, I think I get what you are saying.

So you think the LEDs are somehow safer than the flares?

How?

menzies said:

While your grammar is absolutely dreadful, I think I get what you are saying.

So you think the LEDs are somehow safer than the flares?

How?

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Had/have had dyslexia all my life never felt it was much of a problem but sorry to up set you .

Greetings,
Mr. g. I understood you just fine. There's an organization here that I've had dealings with...DAM...Mothers Against Dyslexia...

It used to be ok to fire old flares on NYE, but not now, especially as our NYE is heavily policed by about 3 agencies. Disposal of expired ones can be an issue, the Police used to take them, reluctantly, only if they could not avoid it. Now I think RMS (Roads & Maritime) will take them. An LED flare could solve that, and the display would be longer, they just need to get approval here.

BruceK said:

It used to be ok to fire old flares on NYE, but not now, especially as our NYE is heavily policed by about 3 agencies. Disposal of expired ones can be an issue, the Police used to take them, reluctantly, only if they could not avoid it. Now I think RMS (Roads & Maritime) will take them. An LED flare could solve that, and the display would be longer, they just need to get approval here.

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It was suggested to to me to just keep your old flares on-board in a plastic bag with a note printed on the bag stating that "use by date had expired ".

gaston said:

It was suggested to to me to just keep your old flares on-board in a plastic bag with a note printed on the bag stating that "use by date had expired ".

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Good idea, I usually keep the last set, and dispose of the one before that.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. g. I understood you just fine. There's an organization here that I've had dealings with...DAM...Mothers Against Dyslexia...

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There is an dyslexia atheist organization down here that continuously wonders if there is a dog!

Gaston,
Don't let these guys bother you or make you hesitant to post your thoughts. They all have their deficiencies, empathy not so much.

Howard

hmason said:

Gaston,
Don't let these guys bother you or make you hesitant to post your thoughts. They all have their deficiencies, empathy not so much.

Howard

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Howard forgot to attach the snapshot he took of your detractor Gaston, here it is.

hmason said:

Gaston,
Don't let these guys bother you or make you hesitant to post your thoughts. They all have their deficiencies, empathy not so much.

Howard

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Thanks Howard

Up till now I was thinking just how good this forum is and how different it is to other forums with open discussion and fair moderation. Its also a forum where all types of personality and professions mix on equal ground .

Its just a pity this great forum has a troll like all others .

uh.... back to flares.

I think this is a great idea. Thanks to the OP for posting it. My flares are likely expired and I think this would be a great replacement for the hand-held flairs.

Dave

I'm sorry, was the question really asked as to how an electric flare is safer the a burning, melting lava, handheld flare?

Or was it compared to a maybe shooting and not blowing off your fingers and falling back into your boat burning one?

Was that a joke?

For those of you sticking with pyrotechnics you might want to take a look at the Aurora line of flares that ACR has started selling. They have the same specs as Solas flares but are only USCG approved so they cost a lot less than Solas approved flares.

SCOTTEDAVIS said:

I'm sorry, was the question really asked as to how an electric flare is safer the a burning, melting lava, handheld flare?

Or was it compared to a maybe shooting and not blowing off your fingers and falling back into your boat burning one?

Was that a joke?

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Nope.

Plus what percentage of trawlers travel outside of approved area for LEDs, so need both anyway? I wonder how many on here that have bought the LED flare have gone totally without Solas?

Eight buildings, 1200 acres!

Sources: Cape Horn Fire started by flare launched from sinking boat | North Idaho - KXLY.com

menzies said:

Eight buildings, 1200 acres!

Sources: Cape Horn Fire started by flare launched from sinking boat | North Idaho - KXLY.com

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Holy Cow! What kind of flare were they using? Must have been darn close to shore for the wind to be able to take it there and burn long enough to ignite anything.

So as to the original post, this can replace a hand-held flare but I do not see is as a replacement for an aerial flare. I probably will get one later this year as my flares reach their expiration date.

Marty..........................