The limited experience here from an exercise in full daylight and good weatherconditions with an airforce rescuehelicopter last year was that the one parachute flare we brought and fired failed and the handheld smokeflare worked. The helicopter crew reported that their FLIR (forward looking infrared) saw the heat from smokeflare clearly at several kilometers distance and this gave about a minute of burningtime to locate the position. Just as important was the use of distinctive colors for clothing, rescuebags or anything else in the water. As they said: We will find you on the beach anyway! They had actually located people due to a bright yellow carrybag from the local supermarket. Cheap and good. But the initial attention must be achieved in another way. Which leaves VHF, strobelights, and possibly cellular phones for some fortunate areas. Not to forget the plan paddlers leave at home with agreed signs of life for the trip. Jens Viggo Moesmand Denmark *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 5/30/2004 6:41:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time, JFarrelly5_at_comcast.net writes: > I keep > three of those fairly useless small red flares in there in a dry bag. > Once a year I shoot them off and buy new ones. Every year only one works. I use the pencil flares. They are screw on cylinders that fit atop a spring loaded launcher. They are bright and high flying. In all my yearly flare retirement launches I have yet to see one fail. The *fairly worthless red flares* you mention maybe the same as the fairly worthless red flares I used to buy. they fail at about the 60-65% ratio, too. I keep a small waterproof hard case in my pfd pocket with the flares and launcher. It also keeps my vitamin I, tums, epoxy filler and duct tape. They may present an issue in retrieving and screwing on in heavy seas, but at least they work. They are waterproof, so I might store a preloaded one in a cigar tube. I make absolutely certain no contact between the primer and firing pin is made. When in need I can tighten the flare onto launcher and slide the firing pin back and fire. I'm not particularly recommending this, as it can be dangerous, I'm just stating how I solved the problem of highly unreliable flares stored on ones person. Any one bought a shoulder or chest holster and mounted the orange 12 guage flare pistol in it? Thought about it for about 3 seconds and then the Dirty Harry comparisons one will likely receive at every launch and landing would be too much. Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
on 2/6/04 05:35, Rcgibbert_at_aol.com at Rcgibbert_at_aol.com wrote: > > I use the pencil flares. > In a previous life I fired a lot of these, and found that in a decent wind (when I would likely use one now, as the contributing factor to a drama needing outside help) they blew flat and didn't make enough height to be of use. Para flares always worked though. 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/1/2004 11:31:53 AM Pacific Daylight Time, jka_at_netaccess.co.nz writes: > n a previous life I fired a lot of these, and found that in a decent wind > (when I would likely use one now, as the contributing factor to a drama > needing outside help) they blew flat and didn't make enough height to be of > use. Para flares always worked though. > There is no substitute for a parachute flare. I only bother with the pencil flares as they fill the need to have some sort of flare attached to the body. Presently, I'm rethinking even the need for these as my new Laser Flare is small, waterproof and columnates light well. It's daytime vis is quite good and it's nighttime vis is outstanding. It has survived many days of surf launch and landing. No connections, just a simple ol' consumer. Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On 1 Jun 2004 at 13:35, Rcgibbert_at_aol.com wrote: > I use the pencil flares. They are screw on cylinders that fit atop a > spring loaded launcher. [...] > Any one bought a shoulder or chest holster and mounted the orange 12 > guage flare pistol in it? I'd like to see a small pistol launcher that uses pencil flares instead fo the big 12 guage flares. I've never used either, but my gedanken experiments suggest that a small pistol grip will be easier to use than the skinny pencil launcher - especially if I could safely preload it and later fire it with one hand. Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/1/2004 11:41:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time, JFarrelly5_at_comcast.net writes: > Where can you buy the pencil flares? > > >> >> > I buy them at West Marine. They cost about 25 dollars for a launcher and 3 flares. Mike is correct about them being less than ideal for launching and a better launcher would be a boon to the marine community. However, it's better than the *dud-dud-pip* of the other type. They are made by Orion or other companies. http://orionsignals.com/Marine/Products/aerial/pocketrocket.html This is the link to the laser flare (the lay-zerrrrr) I have also. http://www.greatlandlaser.com/rlf.htm Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> -----Original Message----- > In a message dated 6/1/2004 11:41:00 AM Pacific Daylight > Time, JFarrelly5_at_comcast.net writes: > > > > Where can you buy the pencil flares? Before you rush out and buy flares, you might want to really think about the types. After watching the Capsize and Recovery Videos from Wayne Horodowich and the University of Kayaking, I had to re-think my choices in flares. In the video, Wayne shows you what the flares look like a mile off when fired both in daylight and nighttime conditions. At night, all were very visible. During the day, the only flares that were at all visible besides the parachute flares were the 12 gauge pistol flares. The people demoing the flares, stated that the pencil flares were very hard to load and shoot while in the water and even suffered some burns. The pistol flares were easy to load and shoot and the 12 gauge were marginally visible. I now carry a 12 gauge pistol and at least 4 flares for it, 2 parachute flares, 2 orange smokes (which are very visible) and a signal mirror. All of this fits into a small drybag which also holds duct tape, emergency epoxy stick, electrical tie wraps, a Leatherman tool, and a small towel for drying a boat so that the duct tape will stick. The dry bag goes in my day hatch, but others without a day hatch find it will usually fit behind a seat. Steve Holtzman *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Rob said: >I use the pencil flares...They may present an issue in retrieving and screwing on in heavy seas, but at least they work.< During our Storm Island rescue, we launched a number of pistol-fired 12-gauge flares. They were much better than the small cylinder flares normally carried by paddlers, and much easier to fire, though you need two hands too, for loading and reloading. We had to raft up to fire the flare guns, but I imagine it could be done solo, in extremis, as sometimes just about anything can be done when life is on the line. However, the flares failed to attract initial attention, nor did they help substantially, at first, in helping the vessel of opportunity and subsequently the airforce Hercules to pinpoint our position. Smoke flares would have been better, though they would have dissipated quickly in the wind. Smokies can be even harder to hang on to, for a solo paddler, in rough seas - depending on skill and kayak stability. As the coast guard officer said, if your backup plan includes the use of hand-held or hand-fired flares, and it is too difficult to do that from your paddle-craft, perhaps you shouldn't be paddling in those conditions. Like duh. Like he was right, though. Tony said: >Does anyone have any data on how many kayakers lives are saved annually when the rescue resulted from the use of flares?< Much of the data wouldn't be kept officially anywhere, as I imagine many a flare-initiated rescue were responded too by other vessels in the immediate area, without coast guard or official action. As to whether one should carry flares, type, number, etc, remember the "P's & Q's" of emergency signalling: Practice, Preparation, Quality, Quantity. you can take that one to the bank (better take your Visa card too!). Doug Lloyd Victoria BC *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/1/2004 8:31:46 PM Pacific Daylight Time, sh_at_actglobal.net writes: > Before you rush out and buy flares, you might want to really think about > the > types. After watching the Capsize and Recovery Videos from Wayne Horodowich > and the University of Kayaking, I had to re-think my choices in flares. > I agree with the context of what you are saying. My comments on the pencil flares are only regarding a flare system attached to the person and not in the signal and emergency kit located in my day hatch, (where the parachute flare, 12 ga flares and smokies are located). Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:37 PDT