Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc sell safety flares. Will these work OK for my boat
safety package? Has anyone done this? Just curious.

"RB" wrote in message
.. .
Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc sell safety flares. Will these work OK for my
boat safety package? Has anyone done this? Just curious.



I think they have to be USCG approved for use on a boat. I may be wrong but
that is my understanding.

On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 17:06:57 -0500, "RB" wrote:

Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc sell safety flares. Will these work OK for my boat
safety package? Has anyone done this? Just curious.


The safety flares for automobiles are designed to drip their hot stuff on
the road or shoulder. You *really* don't want to set those on your boat and
light them.
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

JimH wrote:
"RB" wrote in message
.. .
Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc sell safety flares. Will these work OK for my
boat safety package? Has anyone done this? Just curious.



I think they have to be USCG approved for use on a boat. I may be wrong but
that is my understanding.

Nothing prevents the use of auto or camping store flares on a boat- but
they will not be counted as part of the required inventory during a
USCG boarding unless they are USCG approved. Also, some of those
freeway flares are designed to be lit and then dropped onto the
pavement. For obvious reasons this isn't an option on a boat- you'll
either extinguish the flare by dropping it into the water or risk
setting the boat afire if it lands on the deck.

BTW, the USCG standards for flares are a joke. You are almost as well
off "flicking a BIC" as relying on some of the pathetic little glimmers
emitted by some flares that are USCG certified.

For adequate flares, insist on the SOLAS standard rather than settling
for merely "USCG approved".

JohnH writes:

The safety flares for automobiles are designed to drip their hot stuff on
the road or shoulder.

"Dross" is the term. Hot, molten salt.

On 25 Apr 2006 17:08:27 -0700, "
wrote:


JimH wrote:
"RB" wrote in message
.. .
Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc sell safety flares. Will these work OK for my
boat safety package? Has anyone done this? Just curious.



I think they have to be USCG approved for use on a boat. I may be wrong but
that is my understanding.

Nothing prevents the use of auto or camping store flares on a boat- but
they will not be counted as part of the required inventory during a
USCG boarding unless they are USCG approved. Also, some of those
freeway flares are designed to be lit and then dropped onto the
pavement. For obvious reasons this isn't an option on a boat- you'll
either extinguish the flare by dropping it into the water or risk
setting the boat afire if it lands on the deck.

BTW, the USCG standards for flares are a joke. You are almost as well
off "flicking a BIC" as relying on some of the pathetic little glimmers
emitted by some flares that are USCG certified.

For adequate flares, insist on the SOLAS standard rather than settling
for merely "USCG approved".

That's a bit of info I didn't know! My $90 High Performance Orion kit
doesn't seem to meet the Solas standard. But, for only $19 each, I could
upgrade to Solas flares. Carrying three of those might not be a bad idea.
Thanks for the tip.
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 19:14:01 -0500, Richard J Kinch
wrote:

JohnH writes:

The safety flares for automobiles are designed to drip their hot stuff on
the road or shoulder.

"Dross" is the term. Hot, molten salt.

Here's what I got when I tried to look up the real word:

************************************************** ******************************
"Tip: Try removing quotes from your search to get more results.

Your search - "the stuff that drips from flares" - did not match any
documents.

Suggestions:

* Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
* Try different keywords.
* Try more general keywords."
************************************************** **************************

Thanks for the info. What do you do that gave you that bit of knowledge? I
don't think I've ever heard the word before.

--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

wrote in message
ups.com...

JimH wrote:
"RB" wrote in message
.. .
Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc sell safety flares. Will these work OK for my
boat safety package? Has anyone done this? Just curious.



I think they have to be USCG approved for use on a boat. I may be wrong
but
that is my understanding.

Nothing prevents the use of auto or camping store flares on a boat- but
they will not be counted as part of the required inventory during a
USCG boarding unless they are USCG approved. Also, some of those
freeway flares are designed to be lit and then dropped onto the
pavement. For obvious reasons this isn't an option on a boat- you'll
either extinguish the flare by dropping it into the water or risk
setting the boat afire if it lands on the deck.

BTW, the USCG standards for flares are a joke. You are almost as well
off "flicking a BIC" as relying on some of the pathetic little glimmers
emitted by some flares that are USCG certified.

For adequate flares, insist on the SOLAS standard rather than settling
for merely "USCG approved".


I think you may be jumping the gun as we do not know where he plans to boat.
For all we know it could be an inland lake and purchasing flares meeting the
SOLAS standard is overkill.

On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:43:14 -0400, " JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT
comREMOVETHIS wrote:


wrote in message
oups.com...

JimH wrote:
"RB" wrote in message
.. .
Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc sell safety flares. Will these work OK for my
boat safety package? Has anyone done this? Just curious.



I think they have to be USCG approved for use on a boat. I may be wrong
but
that is my understanding.

Nothing prevents the use of auto or camping store flares on a boat- but
they will not be counted as part of the required inventory during a
USCG boarding unless they are USCG approved. Also, some of those
freeway flares are designed to be lit and then dropped onto the
pavement. For obvious reasons this isn't an option on a boat- you'll
either extinguish the flare by dropping it into the water or risk
setting the boat afire if it lands on the deck.

BTW, the USCG standards for flares are a joke. You are almost as well
off "flicking a BIC" as relying on some of the pathetic little glimmers
emitted by some flares that are USCG certified.

For adequate flares, insist on the SOLAS standard rather than settling
for merely "USCG approved".


I think you may be jumping the gun as we do not know where he plans to boat.
For all we know it could be an inland lake and purchasing flares meeting the
SOLAS standard is overkill.


Lake Superior?
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

JohnH writes:

What do you do that gave you that bit of knowledge?

Pyrotechnics.

Dross can interfere with the proper functioning of a lot of pyrotechnic
devices, like clogging up nozzles in a gerb or smoke signal.

Marine flares are designed to not slough dross. The Pains-Wessex
handheld type leave you holding an incandescent baton of solid dross.

Having fired quite a few expired P-Ws on land, illuminating acres of the
surroundings with a literally dazzling light, to celebrate Independence
Day, I don't want to ever hold one in hand on a pitching boat. It would
take some skill to avoid nasty burns.

One should practice with these things (not out on the water, of course).
Any occasion calling for their use would be enough worry in itself, to
which you should not add an initiation into how to hold a 3000 degree
gob of burning magnesium at arms length.

Light off a few of your expired boat flares at home next July 4 (or
whatever your appropriate local occasion is). You might find a dim
fizzle that calls for a different model, or be surprised at how scary
the "good" ones are.