Safety flares in Canada

D

drbridge

New member
Last summer we had a volunteer safety inspection by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. We were up to date on all Items and passed the inspection. The guy doing the inspection while looking at our flares told me that the pistol launcher for our parachute flares would be considered a weapon by the Canadian Coast Guard and that we should not take them over the border. We are talking about the Red Plastic Pistol made by Orion. I have searched high and low on line and made several phone calls to various Canadian agencies and can not get any information concerning this issue.
If any one has any info on this subject we would like to hear from you. We would like to take all of our safety equipment with us, but don't want a hassle.

Thanks
 
What I read,
Q. I always carry a flare gun in my boat/vehicle for emergencies. Do I need a licence and does it have to be registered?

Flare guns and other devices designed exclusively for signalling or notifying of distress, and intended to be used exclusively for that purpose by the person in possession of it, are not classified as firearms for purposes of the Firearms Act. A licence is not required to possess one, and it does not have to be registered. These devices are classified as firearms for purposes of the Criminal Code if they are used to commit a crime.

(Note: A few flare guns have been designed using the frame or receiver of a real handgun, and may require registration as such. The Canadian Firearms Program should be contacted for more information.)


http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/faq/ ... ng.htm#c10
 
Hoping Martin or Andrea (bridma) see this, and reply.

That response is from the RCMP Q&A site. I wonder if it is parallel with the CaCG thinking?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Foreign pleasure craft (pleasure craft that are licensed or registered in a country other than Canada) need to comply with equipment requirements of the country in which the vessel is usually kept.
Click to expand...

This is from Transport Canada

Marine outfitters Canada sells 12 mm flare guns, and flare guns kits.

We have always carried flare guns with us. We had discussed this with Canadian Coast Guard members in the past--no problem.
 
I found this page with a picture of a flare pistol on the Canadian Vessel Safety Inspection page. It is really quite non-specific.

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The page is here:
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/t ... s-1031.htm

the text goes like this:
*The Parachute flare is easily seen from the surface or the air, and burns at least 40 seconds.
*The "Multi-star" flare is also easily seen from the surface or the air. It burns four to five seconds. (If a single star shell is used, two shells should be carried for every flare.)
*The "Multi-star" flare is also easily seen from the surface or the air. It burns four to five seconds. (If a single star shell is used, two shells should be carried for every flare.)
*The hand held flare is less easily seen from the surface. (When using this flare do not look at it directly, and hold it downwind and well clear of the vessel.)
**The smoke flare is used as a day distress signal only. It may not be mandatory for your vessel.

All flares should be stored in a watertight container, in a cool dry location. Flares are valid for four years from date of manufacture, and should be disposed of after that time.

For disposal of outdated flares, contact a fire department, or the local police for advice.
Click to expand...

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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I can tell you I charged a local criminal with a weapons violation for using a flare gun in the commission of a felony crime in WA. State. However, the way he used the gun and his intent were the deciding factors for charging. I had to convince the prosecutor, however. I did this by sending her various Youtube videos of just what those flares can do. She agreed and filed. If you read the statute, it does meet judicial muster by definition of a "firearm" in WA. State. But that is WA. State law.

That said, I would hope Canadian officials take into account the intent of having/using it (for signaling in an emergency) and use (I don't see any C-Brats using it to commit crimes).

This could be an interesting interpretation.
 
Mark, Good on you, and did you include attempted arson in the charge as well? It would have been well deserved :idea:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

:embarrased :oops:
 
Isn't this like telling a Canadian official that your 8" fillet knife
is for cleaning fish and not for self protection?

Aye.
 
We were inspected last year by the Canadian Search and Rescue. They looked at our flares and never said anything about red our Orian flare gun. If it was illegal, I'm sure they would have mentioned it.

Martin.
 
My boat came with a 12 ga. Comet flare gun kit, made in Germany and sold throughout Canada. It doesn't state whether it is USCG approved and I haven't found anything on the web. I can get new shells for it when mine expire, but that's assuming that they expire when three years old per USCG, which assumes that the are USCG approved.

When trying to track all that stuff down, I came across a YouTube video of somebody shooting 12 gauge shotgun shells with a plastic flare gun, so it obviously can be used as a weapon. Then again, what can't.

When I came back from Belize this winter, airport security wouldn't let be go through with a big conch shell. The guard said that it could be used as a weapon. I talked to the guard for quite a while. I asked if they sold rum in the waiting area. Yes. In glass bottles? Yes. Then I asked if he had ever seen a cowboy movie where somebody broke a conch shell on the bar and used it as a weapon. He got my meaning and laughed. Still wouldn't let me take the shell.

Mark
 
Its amazing the info we get on this site! I have an orion pistol flare gun. Its sold at all (most) marine retailers in Canada. I can't imagine the Canadian Coast Guard doing anything but saying good on you for having current flares. :lol: Unless of course you happened to be heading into the local bank and asking for an over counter withdrawal and using your flare gun to emphasize the point. LOL
 
Made the crossing both ways, equipped with flares. Never declared them, never asked about them. A nonissue, as far as I am concerned, unless I am flying.
 
Since we can easily buy the pistol type flares here and they are recommended in various safety courses (I have been taking a 4 day "marine emergency duties" course this week!) I think the pistol type are just fine.
 
Mike, Ron and Martin, thanks for the "local Knowledge" posts. I was pretty sure I had seen the flare pistols in the stores in Canada but could not remember for sure.

I carry mine in the Expired Flare Bag, since mine are all past due, and have some handheld flares and an electronic LED one now.

Mark, Bummer about the conch shell. Wonder if he would have let you bring it along if you had told him it was just your lunch box and you were planning on conch steak for supper. Was it a fighting conch? or Trumpet conch?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Thanks for all this input. It didn't make since to us that these would not be allowed. We will take them with us and not worry about it. sometimes you can look all over the internet and not find a good answer. The go to place after that is the C-brats. We always get good answers here.

Thanks again
 
Harvey,

It was a fighting conch. We went snorkeling with a local and he pointed them out everywhere. I couldn't see them at all. After about an hour, the invisible became visible to me and we had conch ceviche most evenings. A very tasty weapon.

Mark
 
When trying to track all that stuff down, I came across a YouTube video of somebody shooting 12 gauge shotgun shells with a plastic flare gun, so it obviously can be used as a weapon. Then again, what can't.
Click to expand...

Please never even consider firing a 12 gauge shot gun shell in any flare gun! ATF did this to lay the rumor to rest--and the flare guns were destroyed as a result.

Photo of aluminum or pot metal one which was destroyed--plastic is weaker:

flare-guns-atf-fail.jpg


Consider that these drunk guys in the U tube at least had the flare gun tried into a tree, and fired it from a remote location. It most likely that most videos of shot gun shells fired in a flare gun, had some of the power removed.

Chamber pressure in a modern shotgun shell is 11,500 PSI on up. Sure there is no "chamber" in a flare pistol--because the shell is almost out the end--and in some flares it is out the end.

It is not only the chamber that is dangerous--but the latch is very weak, and is one of the first things to fail.

The same caution is the adaptors which will allow a .22 on up to .410 or .45 LC to be fired are also dangerous--and in most cases illegal.
 
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