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Random Quote: An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on the muddy banks of rivers doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home. ~Author Unknown
Location: Solomons, Maryland / Now just visiting Marathon
Posts: 4,683
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?
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).
__________________ "I'm suing the THT and the guy that made it."
We accept outdated flares from anyone and have a Haz/Mat specialist pick them up periodically.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 I don't recommend carrying outdated flares on your boat and the minimum requirement is 3 hand held flares which must be in date if you are boarded.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.
Hey THT, I use outdated flares for crew traning so that my crew or passengers see how to really use and deploy them !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 We always keep at least one set of the out of date ones onboard for extra.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!
Location: Solomons, Maryland / Now just visiting Marathon
Posts: 4,683
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.
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....
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.
Location: Solomons, Maryland / Now just visiting Marathon
Posts: 4,683
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.
Best way to dispose of outdated flares? 
