Pencil Flares

Are these available in Australia, in particular WA?

You'll will find as they are not approved under Aust Standards...They'll be hard to find. They fail to meet burn time and volume of smoke given off.

You'll will find as they are not approved under Aust Standards...

That's interesting. I've used and tested pencil flares on a couple of occasions and they were very effective.

I used them in anger to call for help when a friend got into trouble; they were seen by multiple people on shore and the NSRI were called.

When we did our sea-rescue exercise with the NSRI, we got permission to fire some, and they were found to be effective - particularly for the helicopter who reported that the smoke trail acted as a pointer to the paddlers.

The beauty of them is that they are so compact - they weigh nothing and can easily be stored in your front PFD pocket.

Smoke flares may well be even more effective, but for surfski paddlers they are bulky and cannot be carried on your person - so overall their effectiveness is reduced.

No safety measure is 100% effective, but every measure you take adds a little to the odds of your survival.

There are a number of things about the WA safety regulations that I think are wrong for surfskis. For one thing leashes are vital - and they're not even mentioned.

I used pencil flares in an emergency in Ireland (rescuing a diver) and they were very effective even in daylight. I have tried to buy some in New Zealand and you can't buy them here and there is no way to import them. Pity as they are small enough to carry in your surfski pdf

Hi Richard, These Mini Flares are advertised as available from Whitworths Chandlery. 2 outlets in WA. Box of 8 red mini flare cartriges with an ejector mechanism. 6 sec burn. 3000 candela. Visible 5 miles / 8km in day and 10 miles / 16km at night. AUD$100.
See www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.as...es&intAbsolutePage=1 or search for Flares in Whitworths online catalogue.

Otherwise consider the Red Rescue Laser Flare Light - Has anyone come across these? Do they work? Are they recommended (or legal?). Cheaper than 2 packs of mini flares at AUD$150 and rechargable with new batteries. Range claimed 20 miles / 32 km. 40 hrs. Claimed lifetime warranty.
See www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.as...re&intAbsolutePage=1

That 20 mile range for red laser is at night, a lot less during the day (1-3 miles). Due to the physics of light, the green laser version has a better daytime range of 3-5 miles. Over the past year I have looked into them extensively, reading multiple reviews that included a lot of testing, and, while outwardly they seem like a good idea, I do not think they would be effective in ocean conditions with surfskis.

There are several reasons for this. They need to be aimed correctly (by generally using both hands so as to line up the target) and swept past the target (eyes) of someone looking. While this might seem easy, the lasers are not nearly as bright as the sun, as would be used if you were flashing someone using a mirror reflecting the sun. The thin vertical beam of the laser thus needs to be slowly swept across the target, as slow as 5 degrees per second. Think about trying to do all this while you are in the water in rough conditions of 2 meter waves and sea spray and trying to hang onto your ski and… (because, of course, that is when you are in need of rescue).

These devices would really be effective for rescue if one is stationary on land, or on a large enough boat where you could manipulate the beam in a slow manner. Still, they are small and appear fairly robust, so if one has the room it could be part of a safety kit; I just would not rely on it to be the primary contact method in an emergency situation.

Bill

Hi J3ZZA

I did check whitworths a short while before I posted, must have missed it.

Thanks.