To our Clyde-based patrons

[Pete Cooper]

I can't make this event - but if anybody wants some well out of date flares I have a collection in my garage.

[aquaplane]

I can't make this event - but if anybody wants some well out of date flares I have a collection in my garage.

Doesn't everyone?

Ash, I took Erica down to the South end of the lake in the dark a couple of weeks ago. It was good to see how little you need to see and not hit anything. We managed to moor to the tea room jatty with very little light too, you will have loads more light in the marina.

[Gardenshed]

I suggest that all those planning to attend take a look at the Clydesailing Form posts on this issue:

http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion. ... ng%20forum

If you are going to play with flares, make sure you have heavy duty cotton/leather gardering gloves (not rubber/plastic!) and a bucket of water and brush on deck. Clearing a parachute flair that land on your deck (from another boat, I expect the chentlemen will be competent enough to miss their own boats!) needs to be done quickly!

I'm surprised that the coastguard have proposed setting off distress flares, afterall, they are the ones in distress not their supporters.

Aside: James Watt Dock Marina
I was in and out from there a couple of times this year. Really easy but just go up the dredged channel to the last buoy so and don't turn right into the putty!

[ubergeekian]

I'm surprised that the coastguard have proposed setting off distress flares, afterall, they are the ones in distress not their supporters.

Have they proposed it? I thought it was illegal. Mind you, the proposed use of Ch12 for intership communication and broadcasting sounds pretty dodgy as well. I don't suppose the CG will care much, but I'd be surprised if they initiated it.

[ash]

I'm surprised that the coastguard have proposed setting off distress flares, afterall, they are the ones in distress not their supporters.

Have they proposed it? I thought it was illegal. Mind you, the proposed use of Ch12 for intership communication and broadcasting sounds pretty dodgy as well. I don't suppose the CG will care much, but I'd be surprised if they initiated it.

I don't think that it has anything to do with the coastguard. The protest is being organised by a group who are against the closures throughout the UK. The hope would be that Friday evening attracts a lot of media interest. Firing off flares and using channel 12 might well get everyone arrested which would boost the media interest.

Ash

[Bodach na mara]

Ash, regarding your earlier question, Princes Pier is at the Esat end of the esplanade. The muster is off the coastguard building (and RWSABC) at the West end, about 1 mile from Princes Pier.

We are now hoping to be there if other activities end in time. I spoke to another CBSC member yesterday (Black Pig on TOP) who also intends to be there. Thanks everyone for all the other links.

[ash]

using channel 12

It's now been changed to channel 6.

Ash

[ash]

A great report on the protest event here - http://forargyll.com/2012/08/58433/

Ash

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Glad to report that we (friends and I) were part of that hostorical event last night.
And it was good to see Wight Dawn present.
I was aboard Besula the boat behind the powerboat in pic 13 of Argyle paper report.
The organisers asked us all to use chn 06.
A good turnout although it could have been better considering how many marinas are in the vacinity.
We travelled up from the CWSC pontoon and returned to Millport via (Fairlie to collect the dinghy from the mooring) arriving at Millport at aprox 2340 and just in time for last orders.
Enjoyed every minute of it, even though my arm was quite painful.
Did get a startle when mate let off the first red rocket, there were no pararockets let off.
Appeared to be a lot of failures of flares that were set off, both rockets and h/h.
C_W

[marisca]

I too was in attendance. 3 x handhelds, 3 x rockets (all exp. 2008) + 10 mini rockets dated 2007. One of the handhelds failed. There was a noticeable variation in the redness of the handhelds on other boats. The handhelds take a fair time to burn - not sure I would want to stand still holding one for that length of time if the boat was sinking, whereas the rockets just whoosh off.
I thought the rockets did have parachutes - they seemed to take an age to float down.

Not convinced that it will sway the powers that be to rethink but at least I now know what to expect if I ever have to use pyrotechnics.

[ubergeekian]

The handhelds take a fair time to burn - not sure I would want to stand still holding one for that length of time if the boat was sinking, whereas the rockets just whoosh off.

I'm surprised that no-one makes floating reds. From personal experience I know that if you throw a lit red flare in the water it keeps on burning until it's a surprisingly long way down, so the occasional splash shouldn't put them out. Perhaps having a small incendiary bomb float around next to a yacht and/or liferaft is seen as a Bad Thing.

The BBC News website has the story, by the way.

[ash]

I only set off 1 flare - a Pains Wessex red handheld with an expiry date of 12/2009. It went fine. I held it as far outboard and downwind as I could but still found the side of the boat and dodger covered in a fine grey ash on Saturday morning. By the time it burnt out, the whole of the metal tube was red hot.

The crew took some video, but she was also trying to keep an eye on the position of the boat and keep a look out for any para flares which might drop on us at the same time so the video is not the best but I'll see if I can make it available.

Ash

[ash]

As promised, a couple of video clips - click on them.

BTW, I decided to wait for the crew and drive down together - we made it to the location of the protest at 20.05 hrs.





Ash

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Is there still hope for Clyde Coastguard?
Todays latest.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-g ... t-19557539
C_W