Anyone ever launch sky lanterns?

[jleonard]

We saw some going at Block this weekend. Looks pretty cool, something the grand kids would really enjoy.
Anyone ever do this?
I just ordered some and we are going to give it a try.
Maybe at Coecles???

[DougSea]

24 hours ago I'd have had no idea what you were talking about...but as we sat in Oyster Bay last night waiting for the Dolan family fireworks I saw two fly overhead. When I saw the first one I thought it was a parachute flare. The second one came by much closer and you could make out the "balloon" part of it clearly. Pretty cool but given the open flame I was glad I wasn't in the direct flight path! They flew on for quite a ways before burning out and vanishing in the night sky.

[jleonard]

Pretty cool but given the open flame I was glad I wasn't in the direct flight path! They flew on for quite a ways before burning out and vanishing in the night sky.

I think if the flame is going it rises, then only decends once the flame is out. The ones I bought are supposedly bio-degradable so I guess as long as they don't land on someone's boat or house it's no harm no foul.

Anyway, mine are supposed to be delivered on friday so I will be able to launch a few while on vaca at Block next week and see how they do....maybe I'll launch one in Coecles as a tribute to Albins.
Anyone have an Albin decal I could attach ?
I would hate to just put a big A on it..folks might get the wrong message

[Veebyes2]

I saw them last year at a Bluegrass Festival. Pretty neat but I don't think they would be a good idea on the water.Too much risk of mistaking it for a flare & calling the CG.

[DougSea]

...Too much risk of mistaking it for a flare & calling the CG.

Which is exactly what I thought I was looking at when I saw the first one. Since it was the 4th of July I assumed some idiot had lit off a parachute flare, it wasn't until the second one went by a lot closer that I realized what it was.

Do you make a Pan Pan call and then launch it? I suppose you could.

[jleonard]

These do NOT look anything like a flare so I would discount that risk personally.
Unfortunately while we were at Block this past week it was always too windy at night to test one out.

[RobS]

It certainly was not too windy at Coecles this weekend!

The Pyro's

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Pyro's of all ages

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The Audience

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[ScubaPete]

I don't want to sound like my mother, but aren't these a fire hazard. Maybe not a huge risk, but floating a fire in the air to drift where ever...... just doesn't seem very safe.

[jleonard]

I don't want to sound like my mother, but aren't these a fire hazard. Maybe not a huge risk, but floating a fire in the air to drift where ever...... just doesn't seem very safe.

If the wind conditions are right (5 mph max) and the distance is available, they ascend while they are on fire. When the fire goes out they eventually fall, but at that point the fire is out. The materials are biodegradable.
Once again the use of reasonable care is expected.
We had the perfect condtitions saturday night for this activity. And the kids loved it (including the big kids )

[DougSea]

I don't want to sound like my mother, but aren't these a fire hazard. Maybe not a huge risk, but floating a fire in the air to drift where ever...... just doesn't seem very safe.

If you saw one go up you'd feel better, they rise very quickly, and keep on rising, as long as the small fuel cell is burning. From our vantage point they burn out fairly abruptly at great altitude. By the time they hit the ground they should be completely cool. The general complaint I read about them is the small wire that holds the bottom open and holds the fuel cell but Jay picked up ones that are totally bio-degradable.

[ScubaPete]

Well I'm all in now. And when my wife complains/worries/frets, I will just quote you two experts!! Where do you find these things?

[jleonard]

Just do a google search for "Sky Lanterns" and you'll have lots of choices. You also find instructions on how to use them properly. Not claiming to be an expert, just someone who tried them and had some fun.

I got mine thru Amazon. If you search for "Sky Lanterns" in Amazon you'll find them. I bought a 12 pack of assorted colors. Just over $3 each.

[Jack]

I saw quite a few launched at a wedding in Stamford (Shippan) but unfortunately not right at the water's edge. They rose beautifully landing on a few roofs of houses nearby. The fire department arrived very quickly to hand out a summons. It was all very exciting.

[DougSea]

I saw quite a few launched at a wedding in Stamford (Shippan) but unfortunately not right at the water's edge. They rose beautifully landing on a few roofs of houses nearby. The fire department arrived very quickly to hand out a summons. It was all very exciting.

Well, that's no fun!

Was it very windy? The ones launched at Coecles went pretty much straight up several hundred feet, then the wind carried them away, rising all the while...