After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.

On Apr 7, 11:20*pm, Frogwatch wrote:
After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. *However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. *So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. *Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. *So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. *I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.

Nothing I do can possibly compare to my friend who took two
waverunners from Lake Worth to Green Turtle Cay AND BACK without any
escorting vessel.

Frogwatch wrote:
On Apr 7, 11:20 pm, wrote:

After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.

Nothing I do can possibly compare to my friend who took two
waverunners from Lake Worth to Green Turtle Cay AND BACK without any
escorting vessel.

How did they handle the fuel? Jerrycans?

On Apr 8, 8:11*pm, Larry wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:
On Apr 7, 11:20 pm, *wrote:

After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. *However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. *So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. *Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. *So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. *I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.

Nothing I do can possibly compare to my friend who took two
waverunners from Lake Worth to Green Turtle Cay AND BACK without any
escorting vessel.

How did they handle the fuel? *Jerrycans?

Fuel management for the two Waverunners was a major problem because
one was a 2 cycle and the other was a four cycle. They carried 5
gallon cans of fuel and worked out a way to pump fuel from a can into
the tanks without getting water into them.

Frogwatch wrote:
On Apr 8, 8:11 pm, wrote:

Frogwatch wrote:

On Apr 7, 11:20 pm, wrote:


After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.


Nothing I do can possibly compare to my friend who took two
waverunners from Lake Worth to Green Turtle Cay AND BACK without any
escorting vessel.

How did they handle the fuel? Jerrycans?

Fuel management for the two Waverunners was a major problem because
one was a 2 cycle and the other was a four cycle. They carried 5
gallon cans of fuel and worked out a way to pump fuel from a can into
the tanks without getting water into them.

So they had a full tank and only 5 gallons of additional fuel to make
that trip? I would have guessed a lot more would be required.

On Apr 8, 11:36*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 8 Apr 2010 20:04:54 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch



wrote:
On Apr 8, 8:11*pm, Larry wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:
On Apr 7, 11:20 pm, *wrote:

After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. *However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. *So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. *Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. *So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. *I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.

Nothing I do can possibly compare to my friend who took two
waverunners from Lake Worth to Green Turtle Cay AND BACK without any
escorting vessel.

How did they handle the fuel? *Jerrycans?

Fuel management for the two Waverunners was a major problem because
one was a 2 cycle and the other was a four cycle. *They carried 5
gallon cans of fuel and worked out a way to pump fuel from a can into
the tanks without getting water into them.

If they could refuel in Turtle Cay they should have been able to make
a one way trip on one tank. I really don't know much about the
Bahamas. That may not be a place with a gas dock.These things hold
15-18 gallons *so *5 gallon Jerry can is not much. The guys I know who
have new 4 strokes say they do about 8 GPH if they are not WOT.

It was the 2 stroke that needed re-fueling mid-way between Lake Worth
Inlet and West End.

wrote:
On Thu, 8 Apr 2010 20:04:54 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:


On Apr 8, 8:11 pm, wrote:

Frogwatch wrote:

On Apr 7, 11:20 pm, wrote:


After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.


Nothing I do can possibly compare to my friend who took two
waverunners from Lake Worth to Green Turtle Cay AND BACK without any
escorting vessel.

How did they handle the fuel? Jerrycans?

Fuel management for the two Waverunners was a major problem because
one was a 2 cycle and the other was a four cycle. They carried 5
gallon cans of fuel and worked out a way to pump fuel from a can into
the tanks without getting water into them.

If they could refuel in Turtle Cay they should have been able to make
a one way trip on one tank. I really don't know much about the
Bahamas. That may not be a place with a gas dock.These things hold
15-18 gallons so 5 gallon Jerry can is not much. The guys I know who
have new 4 strokes say they do about 8 GPH if they are not WOT.


I had no idea Waverunners carried that much fuel. 15-18 gal seems like
a lot for a PWC.

On Apr 9, 6:17*pm, Larry wrote:
wrote:
On Thu, 8 Apr 2010 20:04:54 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
*wrote:

On Apr 8, 8:11 pm, *wrote:

Frogwatch wrote:

On Apr 7, 11:20 pm, * *wrote:

After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. *However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. *So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. *Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. *So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. *I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.

Nothing I do can possibly compare to my friend who took two
waverunners from Lake Worth to Green Turtle Cay AND BACK without any
escorting vessel.

How did they handle the fuel? *Jerrycans?

Fuel management for the two Waverunners was a major problem because
one was a 2 cycle and the other was a four cycle. *They carried 5
gallon cans of fuel and worked out a way to pump fuel from a can into
the tanks without getting water into them.

If they could refuel in Turtle Cay they should have been able to make
a one way trip on one tank. I really don't know much about the
Bahamas. That may not be a place with a gas dock.These things hold
15-18 gallons *so *5 gallon Jerry can is not much. The guys I know who
have new 4 strokes say they do about 8 GPH if they are not WOT.

I had no idea Waverunners carried that much fuel. *15-18 gal seems like
a lot for a PWC.

65 miles and they carried 10 extra gallons in two cans. They were
only able to go 11 kts due to seas.

Frogwatch wrote:
After launching a bunch of Orion 12 guage flares and some Orion hand
helds a few years ago, I have never felt good about them. However,
the seriously expired Pains-Wessex flares worked very well. So, I
found that Pains-Wessex is available again in the USA and I bought
some online.
The hand held Orions barely will light even when lit from another
flare whereas soaking wet Pains Wessex flares lit easily. Almost all
of the expired 12 guage Orions were fizzles often launching but rarely
lighting up whereas the 10 yr expired Pains Wessex rocket flare was
seriously impressive. So, I now have a LOT of flares of both Pains-
Wessex and Orion brands. I keep them all in a tupperware style
container.

Good information there, Frogwatch.
Remember that you need a well-thought and practiced abandon ship drill
so that those flares are with you in the punt, not deep-sixed in the
boat while you bob about in the punt.

Jim