Life Raft & Survival Equipment - Best way to dispose of outdated flares?

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks-

You don't dispose of them.
Just because the date is out, it doesn't mean they are dead.
Keep them for backup, and use them first (followed by a fresh one at the ready).
But if you really want to toss them, take them to a West Marine and drop off or give to a Power Squadron or CG Aux. They'll use them for demos.

Thanks! I keep flares as old as 10 years old, like you said, I'd likely use them first but some are even much older than that- does anyone have a sense of shelf life where it just doesn't make sense to keep/try to use them if necessary?

Sure I keep mine too, but make sure you have fresh dated ones on board, the CG and police want to see proper equipment...:grin:

Put them in a 5 gallon bucket of water for a couple of days .... maybe put a pin hole in the side of them if you can do it safely (without sparks, maybe do it while they are submerged under water).

We accept outdated flares from anyone and have a Haz/Mat specialist pick them up periodically. I would call your local police and fire department, either ask permission to fire them off at the waterline for training purposes or where to dispose of them properly. I've never heard of the bucket of water gig. I don't recommend carrying outdated flares on your boat and the minimum requirement is 3 hand held flares which must be in date if you are boarded. I also don't recommend using expired flares beyond 3 years of expiration, even in training.

" I also don't recommend using expired flares beyond 3 years of expiration, even in training. "

why?

Hey THT, I use outdated flares for crew traning so that my crew or passengers see how to really use and deploy them ! I would recommend doing this in a safe area with good weather and announceing this on vhf 16 as a training exercise only.
Tight lines, Capt. Dave Mabes
P.S. Use this info for training purposes only and check with the local Leo,s in your area.

Wait until 4th of July and let your crew set them off along with fireworks. We always keep at least one set of the out of date ones onboard for extra. Last year on the 4th we set off about 3 sets of expired flares and were sadly disappointed with their effectiveness. A lot of them didn't ignite at all, and some barely cleared the dock we were standing on. Even the ones that worked were much less visable than I expected. It's a good lesson to make sure you have another vessel in sight before deploying them otherwise it would be unseen.

Even the ones that worked were much less visable than I expected.

I think you discovered what most folks do. They ain't military parachute flares that light up half the ocean, and good reason to also have hand-helds for night use ... ;)

I am pretty sure you can get a ticket for having expired flares on board, even if you have a set of good flares on board. The thinking is that during an emergency you, or one of your passengers, is not going to check the expiration date. They want to make sure if they are needed they are good!

According to the Power Squadron when I had a Vessel Check in September, keep the expired flares on board if you so choose to. Once the "good" ones are used up, a dim short one is better than none.
You will not receive any kind of penalty so long as you have the proper (in date) items on board.

Steve is correct. As long as you have the proper 'In Date' flares you are required to carry, it is alright to have out-dated flares on board.

SOLAS flares are the only flares worth buying ieven if they aren;t legally required.

Firing flares for any reason other than an emergency is illegal. I don't care who you call first.

Just give them to the fire department.

SOLAS flares are the only flares worth buying ieven if they aren;t legally required.

Firing flares for any reason other than an emergency is illegal. I don't care who you call first.

Just give them to the fire department.
Old thread, but....

Nope
Nope
and
Nope.

You don't know you're CFR's my friend!

In our area the fire departments don't take expired flares....so, sadly, most people on our docks seem to simply drop them in the marina's trash barrels along with their other boating discards....

If ya really want to dispose of them, just soak them in water for a day.
At least that was the way we did it 20 years ago in the FD.

You don't dispose of them.
Just because the date is out, it doesn't mean they are dead.
Keep them for backup, and use them first (followed by a fresh one at the ready).
But if you really want to toss them, take them to a West Marine and drop off or give to a Power Squadron or CG Aux. They'll use them for demos.

This!

I have packs of them going back a while. In addition to several "good" ones, if I am ever in a situation where I need them I'd rather have a few extras that may still work than no extras.

Yeah, I figured if I ever needed to, I would use an expired one first, if it were not an immediate life & death situation. But I would have a fresh one right beside me if need be.
What the heck, use the old if they will work.
But by all means, ALWAYS have fresh ones available.
As they become "moistened" through age, they will lose some of their intensity.

I am in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and asked first hand about expired flares. I was told to keep them on my boat as a backup set. We don't take them but I'm sure a bigger flotilla might. I'm out of Montauk and we have very few active members there.

Bob

Unfortunately there's about as much misinformation on this thread as there is good information.

1. It is not against any USCG rule to have expired flares on your boat.
2. It is against USCG rules to NOT have current (unexpired) flares on your boat.
3. It is against the law to fire off flares unless there is a true emergency.
4. Most fire departments do not want your old flares.

Now for the fun part. You can get permission from the USCG to hold an event where boaters can bring their old flares and legally fire them off. To do this, contact your closest USCG office. They can email you the three-page form you use to request permission to hold the event. It takes about 7-10 days to get that approval back.

If you are going to host one of these events (I planned one last month sponsored by our yacht club and open to the public and members of other clubs) you should:
1. Notify all local law enforcement and fire departments of the date/time/location.
2. Notify the local USCG of the date/time/location.
3. Notify all local emergency dispatch centers.
4. Veryify with your insurance carrier that your liability insurance will cover you if there is an accident where someone gets hurt.
5. We requested the local fire dept have an ambulance stand by for the 1.5 hour demo "just in case."
6. I sent out a flyer to the local boat dealers and marine stores to advertise the demo day.

At our event 52 people showed up and fired off between 250-300 expired hand held lighted and smoke flares and aerial flares of various kinds. Of the aerial flares, most were the 12-gauge type, but two people brought the 25mm flares. It was interesting to note that the ONLY failures were some flares that had expiration dates in 1988.

Most of the people who were there said that was the first time they had ever fired off, or seen fired, any of the various types of flares.

Here are a few pics of our event...

12 gauge flare pistol
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x313/gofirstclass/Boat%20Flare%20Demo/AP3050025.jpg

25mm flare pistol (These went MUCH higher and stayed up longer than the 12 gauge flares)
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x313/gofirstclass/Boat%20Flare%20Demo/AP3050033.jpg

25mm flares
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x313/gofirstclass/Boat%20Flare%20Demo/AP3050034.jpg

Hand Held Smoke Signal
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x313/gofirstclass/Boat%20Flare%20Demo/AP3050041.jpg

Hand Held Lighted Flare
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x313/gofirstclass/Boat%20Flare%20Demo/AP3050031.jpg

The event was a success by all measures. We likely will do this again in 3-4 years and will publicize it better and hope for a bigger turnout.

If you belong to a local boat club or yacht club you might consider hosting an event like this. It's a good PR event for your club.