Signaling devises

[JHornsby3]

Just sitting here and going over what I need to stay current. And one of those things is the signaling devises (flares) on the boat. They are not expired but it's getting close. So I am looking at what everybody has. I know I need some fresh 12g flares. And it is blowing me away, what we are paying, for what we are getting. Same with the handheld flares. Why are we all spending $35 average for a 4 pack of 3 minute sparklers? Can we as a group figure out a way to make this right? I find that us west coasters can buy better for less starting the week before fourth of July. And let me tell you, I live in Oregon where the fireworks just flat out suck. Not like the ones from the 7-11 in Tucson. Car flares are only a couple bucks and last for 30 minutes. Sure they don't have a piece of PVC for a handle, but still.

It really makes me wonder, with all the flares we have all bought and they are just sitting there outdated. I think Orion owes each of us a steak dinner for all the times they have bent us over. And not even a light kiss on the ear.

Maybe they should have to buy them back from us and recycle them.

Rant over. Great evening to all.

 

[hughespat57]

I keep my old flares and will take any given.

For legal requirements I got one of the new electronic “flares” the floating LED SOS lights.

If I were real cruiser I would buy some large SOLAS flares

 

[JHornsby3]

Oh, I have a bunch of old ones. A bunch. But crossing the bar into the pacific or even up the big rivers here, need current ones. I get the need for such devises. And I agree with it totally. It's the gouging that I'm getting tired of. Ok, so a hand held flare is only good for 3 minutes or less. Make it worth it and put a dang squealer in there with some sparkles. Make them worth the money and give us a reason to swap them out. LOL They say three years from DoM. I just once would like to see anybody have them and them be fresh. The best I can find locally is almost two years good. Not 2 years. But almost.

I'm looking at the battery ones. And the lithium batteries for them plus spares. I found something that said they are only USCG approved if used with the lithium batteries. I wish the 37mm flares were approved. Those can be had for less than $5 a pop. And they are good for longer than 2 minutes and over 500 feet.

 

[Stee6043]

I went LED this year as well, sick of throwing away the normal flares and I have too many laying around now. In my truck, in my toolbox, in my dinghy...it's probably a fire hazard at this point.

Standard alkaline C's in mine.

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