Hi all, Check out <www.equipped.com/rescuelaser.htm> for info on laser flares, and their other pages for really good info on signalling. I have trialed a Greatland Laser Flare and found it took a bit of careful aiming to ensure my observer saw it clearly. I doubt I could be that accurate with my nose just above the water. The observer said it was very bright, and would have been a good homing device, but didn't register as a cry for help in the way that a flare did. A former USAF Para-Rescue Jumper who I have paddled with said that he used to carry a radio, Day-Night flare (see Pains Wessex website), strobe, and a signal mirror, as his means of attracting attention. As PJ's deploy into hostile seas by choice, I followed his recommendations. Re strobes, I have seen them from the air at night a few times, and they stand out like the proverbial. Once I asked an observer on a SAR aircraft what worked for them, and he replied that the thing that stood out most on one search for the crew of a sunken vessel was a floating aluminium ladder! The swimming survivors then fired a para flare, which passed between the engine and the fuselage of the Orion P3. That got their attention. Cheers JKA -- John Kirk-Anderson Banks Peninsula NEW ZEALAND *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Jun 06 2004 - 04:23:41 PDT
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