Flares (insane prices)

[Scaaty]

Anybody give a solid reason why an auto store will sell flares for a $1.99, and West Marine will sell a 3 pack for $51. (thats $17 each)

 

[rndn]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

I just bought a four pack for $22.00 at Gander Mountain. They now are selling them in four packs even though you only need three. Smart company. How to sell more flares??? Make it a four pack and don't sell them individually. Boaters don't have a choice but to buy another flare. Increase sales by 33% overnight.

 

[bago]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Poor lucky you!In my country-Bulgaria (Europe) flares are part of the mandatory equipment of any sport or fishing small boat and are sold at a price equivalent to 35USD a piece.So when we present our boats for mandatory annual check by the local marine authorities we simply borrow them from each other .Local averige wages are about 600Usd a month.That is called rip -off regulations.

 

[tommays]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Well the Auto flares drip nasty stuff stuff will BURN your hands and BOAT


The marine flares(really smoke NOT flares ) are safe to hold in your hand



Tommays

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Still think flares ar bulls%$T anyway. I carry a gun (flare), as the last thing I want to do is start a fire in my hand, in a boat, when sh*t's hitting the fan..

 

[rndn]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

You poor gut in Bulgaria!! I take it they don't do inspections througout the year?

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Part of the high price is probably shipping hazardous material.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Could be one is more moisture resistant than the other, still don't know how that would cause the price difference. (except that the word Marine is included)

 

[Bondo]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Anybody give a solid reason why an auto store will sell flares for a $1.99, and West Marine will sell a 3 pack for $51. (thats $17 each)

As noted,....... You're comparing Apples,+ Oranges.........

Personally,....... I see the Scam of it all as where they're only Legal for 3 years.........
They'll work Forever,..... But you Still have to Replace them every 3 years.......

I just bought Another Orion Safety Kit at almost $100.00........
And there's Nothing Wrong with the $100.00 Kit it's Replacing...........

 

[thurps]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Walley World sells flairgun flairs 3 for about $12.00. Mine are out of date in July. At least I have some fireworks now.
I wonder when PFD's are going to have a date sticker on them.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Don't get me started on dated flares. What a rip. Besides, all this in 1950's nonsense. I have NEVER seen or heard of anyone seeing, or using, a flare in 50 years on the water. Of course I aint everywhere at all times, but in this day and age of Electronics, radios, and cellphones, they should suggest they drop it to advisable to carry a signaling device. What ticked me off is I have a flare gun, but to be legal, I need flares too (yep, 3 out of a 4 pack)

 

[rndn]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Now that you mention it, in 20+ years of boating in the Great Lakes near upstate New York and the finger lakes, I have never seen one being used. I wouldn't even know what they look like when burning. I'm sure it's noticeable.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Back before electronic navigation devices came within the means of the general public flares indispensable for locating a disabled craft. My first and only time using a flare was when our starter went out in the middle of the Chesapeake late one evening. With no electronic navigation devices onboard to get an exact fix we had to resort to flares to signal our location to the CG vessel that came to tow us back to port.

I?ve now got a chart plotter and a DSC radio for just such an occasion but what would happen should I loose all my electronics for some reason? It gets mighty dark in the middle of the big body of water at night and the ability to signal a passing ship need be, priceless.

I do agree with them being too expensive and the expiration date to an extent. I shot a bunch 6-10 year old flares out of the flare guns and they had lost probably 2/3 of their distance and height. I?ve got 3-10 year old flares I?ll burn on the 4th and fully expect them to light and burn. I think 5 years would be more appropriate.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

I read something in the last few months where they (can't remember exactly who "they" was) were testing mildly expired flares and a surprising amount of them failed to ignite.

-E

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

. (except that the word Marine is included)

Ding Ding Ding Ding!!! and the winner is.............​

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

I read something in the last few months where they (can't remember exactly who "they" was) were testing mildly expired flares and a surprising amount of them failed to ignite.

-E

More BS (and "they" are ..???)...any study is made into what the author wants it too. "take those 5 boats out and check there flares"...(just after the Hurricane, and 3 sunk)...."see? 3 out 5 don't light!!...). Basically, common sense has "jumped the shark"..

 

[bago]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

You poor gut in Bulgaria!! I take it they don't do inspections througout the year?

Yes ,they don`t.So far.But my personal opinion is that flares should not be required for boats licenced within the 2 miles from shore range.They are more hazzard than necessity.

 

[BillP]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

More BS (and "they" are ..???)...any study is made into what the author wants it too. "take those 5 boats out and check there flares"...(just after the Hurricane, and 3 sunk)...."see? 3 out 5 don't light!!...). Basically, common sense has "jumped the shark"..

I don't know who "they" are either but I've been shooting expired flares off my dock since the early 1970s...from cheap plastic handhelds to high dollar aluminum jacket aerial flares. I've shot dozens of them and they have ALL had a high rate of failure at expiration date. I didn't keep notes but probably half of the packs had at least one dud and one time all 3 flares were duds. The first few yrs I thought it was a fluke but later it got very clear that shelf life is real...and probably why we see 4 in a pack now instead of 3.

bp

 

[rolmops]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Apart from insane prices,do you really want to hold a burning flare in your hand if your engine stalled because of a fuel leak?????????

 

[alamosaddles]

Re: Flares (insane prices)

Don't get me started on dated flares. What a rip. Besides, all this in 1950's nonsense. I have NEVER seen or heard of anyone seeing, or using, a flare in 50 years on the water. Of course I aint everywhere at all times, but in this day and age of Electronics, radios, and cellphones, they should suggest they drop it to advisable to carry a signaling device. What ticked me off is I have a flare gun, but to be legal, I need flares too (yep, 3 out of a 4 pack)

In 1994, while I served aboard the US Coast Guard Courageous conducting immigration ops, heading towards the WinPass we rescued 5 POB a sailboat that was taking on water, batteries were dead and they had only one way to summon help...a flare shot from a flare gun. I'm sure they are glad they had flares on board.

This is the same reason a boater would be an idiot if he did not have a paper chart on board and he instead is relying solely on his GPS/ chartplotter...Electronics are awesome and pretty reliable...Until they get wet or until the juice (batteries) stops flowing.

If you are DIW, no batteries=no working VHF, a handheld flare or a pistol flare will be your means of attracting attention from those boaters zipping by in the distance, who otherwise would not notice or realize you are there or in distress.