StormJib said:None of the 25mm meet the SOLAS standards. There is also the issue of a single pistol or firing tool. In the dark, rough water, confusion of the disaster.. they can fail, corrode or simply get dropped into the sea. That is why the knowledgeable and prudent mariner stocks his disaster grab bag and life raft with single use handheld SOLAS certified flares. It you want to get current or up to speed with this kind of stuff consider taking the next Safety at Sea seminar at your local yacht club. For skippers the "Hands On" is the way to go.
http://www.ussailing.org/education/safety-at-sea/ Link Safety at Sea Seminars So Stormjib......nice to see that you have done some research and have come to decisions for yourself. And I agree with some of the things you have said. That said, you are taking a rather strong tone with others opinions here. Just because you are right doesn't mean I am wrong!(old proverb)
Your opinions seem to be based on theory. Nothing wrong with that. Let me share a real life experience that refutes at least one of your theories. I was forced to land my helicopter in a very remote area. I was unable to make any radio calls once on the ground. My unit launched 4 other helicopters to try and find me. As they got closer to me, close enough for me to hear them and later see them, I started to launch SOLAS specification parachute flares. 6 of them. The other crews never saw any of the flares. The flares were too high. The crews were looking down at the ground, you know, sort of like at sea level. The flares burned for their specified times, but burned out above the rescue crew's field of vision. They didn't see me until I lit a smudge fire at ground level. So maybe some of those low opening flare gun flares you are deriding might have an application somewhere, sometime!
Make your own decisions, make them work for yourself, share what you know to be fact with others in a polite way, and leave them to make their decisions based on their needs, knowledge, and experiences.
For the record, on the boat I carry some of each of the above, hand held, SOLAS approved, Orion flare gun, and some military surplus pin flares.
