Out Of Date Flares

[Member Removed]

Hi all, i have a number of out of date flares which have been premanently kept in a sealed waterproof container. They are only spares in addition to my Inshore pack which are well in date. my question is whether or not old flares become unstable. I do know of course the procedure if i should wish to destroy them. (wont wait til next fireworks night).

 

thanks, Stephen.

[Swainiac]

Hi stephen, many refuse tips have an area for out of date flares, if yours doesnt, contact the RNLI who will advise you of the appropraite channel for disposal.

Please dont just lob them in the bin, as you have said, explosives do become unstable, treat with due dilligence. Thanks,

 

Rich

[Paul J]

That reminds me= how about another flame demo-? i missed the last one

 

pJ

[Bob F]

Yes, flares do become unstable with age, as can be testified by one of the Skippers who had an old flare blow up in his hands!

 

However, I have unofficially heard it said that it should be safe to keep the flares for upto a year after their expiry date as a spare, but these should not be considered as a main flare because their peformance/effectiveness will have deteriated.

 

But how can you advocate this on a forum? An expiry date is an expiry date, I guess. Owner beware! If the flares have not been properly kept this could be bad advice.

 

BF

[shytalk]

theres a bit in mbm that says the police will take any old flares etc

[Swainiac]

Peter, some forces may, but they then get qualified people in to dispose of them, so it becomes an ar$eache for the station sgt to dispose of them, and that gets put in the too difficult basket!!

 

With over a hundred boats in the club.......thats a heck of a lot of flares approaching expiry!!!

 

Rich

[toerag]

I've kept my out of date rockets on the boat as they're probably the most useful, however I have used the handflares for lighting campfires for scouts, they're always very impressed. If your out of date flares are the same firing mechanism as your new ones, then definitely set off the handflares in a sensible situation so you know what to expect if you have to use them for real.

Police/RNLI/ship chandlers will know what to do with out of date flares for disposal.

[Seamouse]

If your out of date flares are the same firing mechanism as your new ones, then definitely set off the handflares in a sensible situation so you know what to expect if you have to use them for real.

I'd agree with this. Fired off a hand flare and two smokes on New Year's Eve that were 6 months expired and ended up with a bruise that turned my whole thumb black from hitting the trigger a bit too enthusiastically. More soberingly, you wouldn't want a hand on the wrong end of a flare when it ignites, nor would you want to have it pointing at you. These are potent toys, learning to handle one in controlled conditions could save you from getting it horribly wrong in an emergency.

 

Steve

[Brian]

I asked on the Coastguard stand at Southampton Boat Show, they told me to phone Portland Coastguard and they will collect them.