Flares
Submitted by piscetor on Thu, 2025-11-06 01:26
Never noticed before, but checking the expiry date on my flares to find that the smoke flares expired 3 months before my rocket flares and they are in the same packet. WTF, it shouldn't,t be allowed to be sold if there are two different exspity dates Rip off for sure and could get you a fine from your friendly water po.ice.
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Filletmaster
sea-kem
Posts: 15191
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Just buy a battery strobe
Just buy a battery strobe and be done with flares.
Love the West!
sunshine
Posts: 2685
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Didn't know they were considered a legal replacement
Might look into that
Mark_M
Posts: 210
Date Joined: 10/04/15
here
All registrable vessels and non-registrable vessels.
When operating beyond 400 metres, from shore in the ocean in unprotected waters, you must carry at least 2 handheld red flares and 2 handheld orange flares.
You can carry an EVDS (electronic visual distress signals) instead of flares if a GPS-enabled Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is carried or GPS-enabled Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is worn.
https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/marine/recreational-boating/rules-safety-guides/safety-equipment/flares-evds
sea-kem
Posts: 15191
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I onl;y found out through a
I onl;y found out through a mate who got pulled up in Exmouth with out of date flares, he went to the boating shop up there and they recommended that as it would cover his ass.
Love the West!
Rob H
Posts: 5889
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Yes I have the ResQFlare on
Yes I have the ResQFlare on my boat.
You must have a gps epirb though.
The crazy thing is that it doesn't come with a mounting bracket to sit it beside the epirb so I made one
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
piscetor
Posts: 246
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Flares
Looking at that now. Cheers
Filletmaster
Reefsta
Posts: 385
Date Joined: 03/08/19
Probably time to move on
I've bought a packet of 4 Pains-Wessex flares the last 3 times and noticed one set had same expiry dates between smoke and parachute, next set a 3 month difference and the current set a 4 month difference. The red parachute rocket flares were always the ones with the longer expiry date. Like Seakem, I'll be getting one of those battery powered flares (electronic visual distress signals or EVDS) once my current flares expire next year. Not always the case in other states or with AMSA, but in WA they are now recognised as a substitute for flares, as long as you have a GPS enabled EPIRB or PLB with you, and price-wise same or cheaper than a set of offshore flares. Also, unlike EPIRBS they have user replaceable batteries, so should last longer than the 3 years I get out of a packet of flares.
piscetor
Posts: 246
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Flares
Check on your plb, some are only OK if your 2 mile or less from shore
Filletmaster
piscetor
Posts: 246
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Flares
Check on your plb, some are only OK if your 2 mile or less from shore
Filletmaster
piscetor
Posts: 246
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Flares
Check on your plb, some are only OK if your 2 mile or less from shore
Filletmaster
piscetor
Posts: 246
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Flares
Check on your plb, some are only OK if your 2 mile or less from shore
Filletmaster
davewillo
Posts: 2652
Date Joined: 08/09/16
This interests me as my
This interests me as my flares are due for replacement now. The EVDS takes care of the legal requirement and obviously for Marinbe Rescue purposes, but what about signalling to the nearest boats or at an Oasis concert? I always keep the most recent out of date flares when I buy new ones so I have two sets on the boat anyway.
PGFC member and lure tragic
Paul N
Posts: 493
Date Joined: 09/11/06
flares
I too got sick of replacing fares and got the battery operated strobe as a replacement . On a recent trip to Exmouth i wash checked at the ramp for all safety gear and the strobe instead of flares was passed as legal . in fact they said that most people are replecing with strobe as long as you have a gps epirb then its all good.
davewillo
Posts: 2652
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Yep I have a GPS EPIRB so
Yep I have a GPS EPIRB so I'm all good. Beats buying flares every few years and never using them (hopefully).
PGFC member and lure tragic
beeroclock
Posts: 763
Date Joined: 22/08/12
I would like to stop with the flares as well
but didnt know battery strobe with GPS EPIRB was an option. Can I buy any battery strobe or does it got to be one designed specifically for the marine environment?
sea-kem
Posts: 15191
Date Joined: 30/11/09
BCF do the model that covers
BCF do the model that covers marine, about $130 from memory. But like Dave aboveI'll be keeping my out of date flares as there's nothing wrong with them. If it goes pear shaped out there I'll be letting everything off.
Love the West!
Reefsta
Posts: 385
Date Joined: 03/08/19
A few electronic flare options
Had a quick look at WA Transport's website about the EVDS gear. It says;
Currently, seven EVDS meet DoT’s requirements and have been approved for use:
davewillo
Posts: 2652
Date Joined: 08/09/16
The one Andy is talking
The one Andy is talking about is second on this list and sells for $130 to BCF Club members (free to join). Whitworths do the one on the top of the list for $130 but I think the BCF one is better as it lasts longer. I'm getting one for sure. Thanks for the good advice fellas!
PGFC member and lure tragic
Swompa
Posts: 4019
Date Joined: 14/10/12
I have one but also have a
I have one but also have a set of inshare flares. I figure a bright orange smoke trail to my boat is going to be more visable for immediate response rather than a strobe in the middle of the day.
sacbag
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 09/08/11
EVDS devices
Throw my hat in the ring
To be effective, distress signals need to be recognised. EVDS devices are not compliant with the SOLAS Convention or Australia’s technical performance standards for distress flares. The international carriage requirements do not recognise EVDS and Australia’s national carriage requirements have not been amended to recognise them.
Tests conducted in Australia in 2017 indicate that the EVDS was not recognisable as a distress alert when seen. This reinforces that EVDS devices should not be used in place of a pyrotechnic flare.
As all vessels are required to comply with the COLREGS, distress signals carried should comply with either the SOLAS or the Australian standard.
Reefsta
Posts: 385
Date Joined: 03/08/19
True but
While the AMSA does not consider the current EVDS as a suitable replacement for flares and points out they are not in the COLREGS list for distress signals, they do meet the requiremnts for recreational boating in WA and Tassie. I'm not sure if there are any implications for insurance and that is something to check, but as an earlier post pointed out the trend will be for rec boaters here to move to EVDS. Personally, while I'm safety concious, keeping flares properly stored and in date is not ideal, so I'll be changing to EVDS next year when my current flares reach expiry date. The obvious concern is whether other boaters see or recognise the flashing SOS signal during the day, although I've also had friends with motor probelms light an orange smoke flare during the day only see many other boaters just pass them by. At night the red rocket flare wins for visibility range, but is brief and those type of flares will no longer meet rec boat requirments from September next year. That will leave the choice between handheld red flare or handheld EVDS, so would be worth checking the visibility range of the EVDS at night and get one that can be seen from as far away as possible.For me an EVDS with good visibiity range, hours of flashing endurance and no expiry date other than user changeable batteries seems to way to go and one less explosive device on the boat.
sunshine
Posts: 2685
Date Joined: 03/03/09
EVDS vis is over 9km at sea level
And good for several hours .....how long for a parachute flare.....a few minutes.....I intend to have BOTH and hang the expense as safety is my only priority. And am a night radio operator for sea rescue !