Monday evening with Flares at the South of Perth Yacht Club
A club Information Night with the focus on flare experience and a life jacket clinic.
Presenter David Philpot from Marine Safety had the 20 or so attendees join him on the lawns outside the club for a very effective display of the two types of inshore flares we would commonly use around Perth Waters.
Apart from the life jacket clinic and a chance to participate in the 30 second challenge, this was the highlight of the evening. David spoke of the types of flares and the need for safety when operating them and then proceeded to put everyone through their paces with the smoke and candle flares.
Four at a time, the participants were invited to fire up and see just what a flare can and does do in a safe environment. Close to sunset, the grounds at the front of the club were alternatively wreathed in orange smoke or lit up by the spectacular glare from the 10 thousand candle light red flares.
The end of the demonstration was a smoke pot flare which could produce orange smoke for up to 3 minutes and indeed as everyone trooped inside for the rest of the evening, the smoke pot was still pumping away belching out dense clouds of orange smoke.
Many thanks to our Ocean Racing Captain Betty Walsh and the On Water Group who organised this event in conjunction with Boating Western Australia and the Department of Transport (Marine Safety).
