Re: [Paddlewise] exploding flares

From: Alex Ferguson <a.ferguson_at_chem.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: Mon, 05 Oct 1998 08:55:48 +0000
> An article in our club newsletter discribed how a guide was badly hurt
> when a handflare exploded. ........

> On occasions durin inspection it was found that the
> flares were left in the firing position. ..........

> ****** The question that I ask myself is can this happen without being
> dropped ?
> Say inside the boat or on top due to heat or rough seas ?

What Eddie might have missed and what the guiding 
copmpany's rep told us at the kayak forum was that, being in 
the firing position, the flare was dropped (in its container) 
and it now "fired". The explosion was caused by being in a 
sealed container. Normally a flare can burn and the gasses 
expand at the correct rate when in free air. The key part to 
the whole episode was that the flare was triggered as it 
would be if done intentionally (except of course for the 
container).

(You missed a good sea kayak forum Eddie, we always have 
good weather when they are held in the South Island !!!!!!)

"This is a "dig" because the Auckland one (where Eddie 
lives) always has attrocious weather - always, right? "

Alex
--
----------------------------------------------------
Alex Ferguson      a.ferguson_at_chem.canterbury.ac.nz
Electronics Workshop, Chem Dept, Univ of Canterbury
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Received on Sun Oct 04 1998 - 13:52:41 PDT

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