Marine flares for BC travel?

[raueda1]

Right off the bat, I realize this is kind of JONG question, but WTF?

Last week I was strolling around the local boating/marine store at their 70%-off-going-out-of-business sale. One of the things I picked up was a very small signal flare pack, seemed well worth the $10. The flares are about the size of an M-80 and shoot out of launcher about the size of a penlight - very small, light and completely waterproof. I had the same thing years ago for open ocean kiteboarding and it was pretty fucking good! It shoots a bright red signal flare a couple hundred feet high and is clearly visible from very far away.

Would anybody ever think of throwing it in my pack for BC or hiking in remote places? I'm not thinking about avy rescue obviously, just upping the odds of being found in some kind of emergency. Seems like the kind of thing that the military would do, but I've never heard of anybody doing this. Regardless, good marine stores have lots of neat stuff with crossover applications. And most of it made of bomber materials.

[whitekingsalmon]

There should be an expire date on them.....you should go back n see if they have any seal bombs..they are waterproof and pack a pretty good boooom, would be great for some avy control.

[thewon]

no. bring a brain with you. use it. it's better than flares

[BCMtnHound]

Seconded on the difficulty in a heli crew in spotting a party on the ground. Had a guy take a bad fall riding motorcross in a reservoir at low water. Wide open flats during midday. Called in the evac as he had a serious neck injury and the road out was 34km of very rough logging road. Heli passed right over us and continued to the end of the reservoir.

Just figure on the caveats of the device. Great to use in winter on snowpack, or open water during a marine incident, not so good in our drier than ever forests. Those flares can burn quite awhile. And make sure they are packed in an appropriate container to prevent/limit damage from an accidental discharge. Most heli's probably won't allow them on board if that's your transport. As for the charges, you never know you have a dud until you try and fire it off. Time, wear, abuse and manufacture defect are all issues with the charges.

[char]

Yeah, heli pilots love it when people set off aerial flares when they are low and slow. Use a ground flare or a tarp.


I understand the idea, which makes sense. But from an aircrew perspective, it would raise my attention a few notches. Especially if I don't know the people on the ground. It would definitely help when 2-3 miles out to guide in, but if it some jacked up BC traveler shooting off flares?

It can be super hard to pick out people on the ground, but in my experience a bright tarp or waving a bright object usually does the trick. If they are waaaay off, it could get the attention you need.

Other than that, they would be great. I know if I was out and saw one go off I would investigate.

[1000-oaks]

I second the flare idea, I've only been involved in one evac but the heli couldn't find us at dusk in the rain, even though we had a small fire (under a tree though). He flew overhead a few times, having a flare would have helped a ton.

Don't ask how hard it can be to start a fire without matches in the rain, even if you have gasoline and firearms... You'd think it would be easy, but shooting gas-soaked wood doesn't work. Nor did sparking 12V wires from a quad battery on a gas-soaked rag (wind blows away the vapors). Had to pour gas on the wood, wet the rag with gas, dump gunpowder on the rag, light the gunpowder with a spark from battery wires to light the rag, then throw the burning rag on the wood. Fkna, and I was a Boy Scout.

Always carry a cigarette lighter.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

What char said. using a ground flare, or smoke flair like what they use for helo landings would be preferred and provide a longer lasting signal.

1000oaks- haha fuckn christ man! lol (hope all ended well)

[raueda1]

Interesting. Maybe not as much of a jong question as I supposed. To be clear, the flare kit in question really is tiny and weighs almost nothing, lighter than an avy beacon. I guess I'll throw it in with my stuff. So then the question becomes...... why don't more people carry them? God knows, boaters do and there are a bazillion jet ski people out there who have had some heinous experience where they wish they did.

[char]

I can appreciate the context your concerns from an air crew perspective, however I will counter this with the fact that pen flares are part of issued survival equipment for many air crews, and the use of pen flares for signaling aircraft is well documented in both civilian and military survival literature.

Oh yeah, I'm not saying not to use them. Just that if there is a heli flying low and slow without radio contact looking for you in drainage they aren't going to appreciate you setting off an aerial flare. Good way to get attention if used properly. If they are low and slow looking for you, a bright object waved or a mirror flash is usually preferred.

[sfotex]

If you want to be spotted at night by an aircraft get a cheap laser pointer, it looks like the bat signal thru your NVG.

[Harry]

When I was in the military we were issued pen flares as part of a survival kit. They work good. I say for $10 put them in your pack, you never know.

For lulz, watch the James Bond movie Thunderball. Q issues Bond the latest in high tech signaling devices (mid-1960's), a pen flare. Bond later uses it to signal a Coast Guard rescue chopper in the Caribbean after the bad guys try to nuke Miami.

[Gunder]

Just get a legit programable VHF radio. Its way more usefull then flares, not much more in weight, and there is nothing better than being able to talk directly to the SAR / heli crew. I've been involed in multiple instances now, where having a radio, local freqs and knowning how to use it has made the difference for someone spending the night in the woods (or last least 10~12 extra hours) vs. getting picked up and flown directly to medial care.

[thewon]

^^^^^^^^^^^^+1

[raueda1]

This is what I got. There are others.