VHF radio/flares
Discussion
I've been talked into doing some kayak safety for a triathlon which will start with a loch swim. I've just been told that we will need to supply a VHF radio/flares so that we can talk to helicopters/lifeboats if need be. Up until this point I'd been working on the assumption that anyone mental enough to do this triathlon won't be struggling with the swim, or they really shouldn't be entering, however this appears not to be the case.
As sea kayaking isn't normally my area I don't have need for a VHF radio/flares in the normal running of things and non of my friends have them either. A quick look online suggests prices that I really don't want to spend for a one use buy (£60+ for the radio). The flares at £10ish upwards are more justifiable...fireworks right?
Can anyone suggest where I might be able to acquire some from cheap within the next 4 days? (or a shop to buy them from in, well most of Scotland, in the week following)
As sea kayaking isn't normally my area I don't have need for a VHF radio/flares in the normal running of things and non of my friends have them either. A quick look online suggests prices that I really don't want to spend for a one use buy (£60+ for the radio). The flares at £10ish upwards are more justifiable...fireworks right?
Can anyone suggest where I might be able to acquire some from cheap within the next 4 days? (or a shop to buy them from in, well most of Scotland, in the week following)
Loaf said:
http://www.adecmarine.co.uk/product_details.asp?p=...
They deliver. DO NOT go to sea without a lifejacket & some means of contacting shore - and this doesn't include a mobile, as the signal is often s
te even 100yds offshore. You need a VHF (preferably) or these flares as a minimum. If space is at a premium then mini flares are good but cost £50-£60.
Sorry to sound all hall-monitory but I'm a Coastguard Rescue Officer and if I had a fiver for every time I'vebked given safety advice to some fozy cucking dunt who's spent £000's on a boat/board and hasn't bothered with £100 for a lifejacket and £50 for a pack of mini flares, I'd be living in Sandbanks by now.
I was definitely planning on a buoyancy aid, I usually do even on a canal out of habit. I have no motor, only my arms. Being western Scotland i can imagine the phone signal being useless at the best of times, the area is surrounded by land on all sides though (but not land locked).They deliver. DO NOT go to sea without a lifejacket & some means of contacting shore - and this doesn't include a mobile, as the signal is often s
te even 100yds offshore. You need a VHF (preferably) or these flares as a minimum. If space is at a premium then mini flares are good but cost £50-£60.Sorry to sound all hall-monitory but I'm a Coastguard Rescue Officer and if I had a fiver for every time I've
kedRiff Raff said:
If he tries to communicate with a SAR helicopter with a parachute flare, he might not be the most popular person on the water that day.......................
How about if I use a Chinese lantern instead....My house otherwise is about as far from the sea as you can get (literally) so i won't get the coast guard out if i trigger a hand held one while bored. Would cheapy radios like these : http://www.twoway-radio.co.uk/trolleyed/27/index.h... be any use for talking to the coast guard or should i assume they're all UHF rather than VHF (aside from waterproof issues)
MOTORVATOR said:
Just to clarify there is no cost to licence a VHF set for a vessel online nor do you need a licence or certificate of competence to buy and install one.
The licence and operators certificate are two totally different things.
The licence is effectively registration of the set aboard and clarification of detail to which the call sign relates. As part of the terms of the licence you are responsible to ensure the set is generally only used by those in possession of a certificate of competence.
The certificate of competence allows the holder to utilise any communications set legally for non safety purposes (subject to bandings).
Also whilst the training authorities will tell you there are huge fines for using one without a certificate of competence, the legislation specifically excludes the monitoring of a vhf radio for safety purposes and use within a distress situation.
As you would expect really as you don't really want the Wife / Kid / Bit of totty standing there as you fall overboard thinking he told me I mustn't touch that thing.
And the huge fines we hear of? Well actually the authorities deal with the transgressions separately by way of fixed penalty of £100 at worst unless there is a very serious abuse issue in which case they will utilise the courts.
So to those that do the certifying, please be clearer that the authorities would much rather you have an unlicensed set utilised by a non trained operator than go to sea without.
So if i buy the little hand held jobbies there no chance I'd need a licence at all? granted these seem to have a max range of around 8km so quite ho much use they'd really be in an emergency situation I don't know- beyond talking to someone nearby. Quite what other type I'll get in a kayak is also beyond me.The licence and operators certificate are two totally different things.
The licence is effectively registration of the set aboard and clarification of detail to which the call sign relates. As part of the terms of the licence you are responsible to ensure the set is generally only used by those in possession of a certificate of competence.
The certificate of competence allows the holder to utilise any communications set legally for non safety purposes (subject to bandings).
Also whilst the training authorities will tell you there are huge fines for using one without a certificate of competence, the legislation specifically excludes the monitoring of a vhf radio for safety purposes and use within a distress situation.
As you would expect really as you don't really want the Wife / Kid / Bit of totty standing there as you fall overboard thinking he told me I mustn't touch that thing.
And the huge fines we hear of? Well actually the authorities deal with the transgressions separately by way of fixed penalty of £100 at worst unless there is a very serious abuse issue in which case they will utilise the courts.
So to those that do the certifying, please be clearer that the authorities would much rather you have an unlicensed set utilised by a non trained operator than go to sea without.
Cheers for the advice guys, I've been given a bit more info and we'll likely be part of a safety team who do have their own radios and flares but none for us. Part of this will be motor boats with (presumably) proper radios. The main event organisers are now aware of the issue and are working on it as well, so hopefully all will be well...worse comes to worse we'll have flares but no radio. Only one of the radios linked to looks even half way acceptable for a one use buy and at £70 a shot its pushing it... particularly if i couldn't use it as a toy afterwards.
On a technical point are the flares hand held but shooting something up (on a parachute) or is it the thing in your hand that burns? Or are there both types? I presume most of the ones for around £10ish are the later type in which case beyond being damn bright I wouldn't have any real issues letting them off in a residential area.....parachutes not so!
To the person who asked where its in Torridon. I would say I've been asked not to tell you any more info (locations/routes) than that but I'm very hazy about whats involved anyway!
On a technical point are the flares hand held but shooting something up (on a parachute) or is it the thing in your hand that burns? Or are there both types? I presume most of the ones for around £10ish are the later type in which case beyond being damn bright I wouldn't have any real issues letting them off in a residential area.....parachutes not so!
To the person who asked where its in Torridon. I would say I've been asked not to tell you any more info (locations/routes) than that but I'm very hazy about whats involved anyway!
Ayahuasca said:
Both types.
Some shoot something up on a parachute, some you hold in your hand and it makes a bright light (usually white) , some you hold in your hand and it generates clouds of smoke (usually red).
Miniflares shoot something up but don't have parachutes.
Cool, I shall avoid parachute ones, though mini ones sounds potential fun as well, so long as they don't hit the ground burning. Well ok, funs the wrong word, but acceptable for triggering at home. Hand held preferable though.Some shoot something up on a parachute, some you hold in your hand and it makes a bright light (usually white) , some you hold in your hand and it generates clouds of smoke (usually red).
Miniflares shoot something up but don't have parachutes.
Thanks again!
eharding said:
In which case I would assert the OP is a lightweight.
Two flags and a woggle are perfectly adequate for visual comms.
I shall learn my sephamore then as I wouldn't want to be thought a light weight. However being Scotland in the summer is rely on visual comms a good idea? Two flags and a woggle are perfectly adequate for visual comms.
Edited by eharding on Wednesday 13th June 00:48
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