Budget Liferaft - SeaGo or Plastimo?

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madabouttheboat

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Given the choice, and I have been, between a valise 4 man SeaGo liferaft and a Plastimo Cruiser Orc also valise and four man, both around the same money, (the plastimo is about £40 more), Which one should I go for?

Or, I am open to other suggestions around the same money (= less than £500)

Thanks
 
just been a test in MBM on liferafts. Maybe more than you want to spend on their recommnedation, but I think the comment is that if you ever have to use a liferaft in anger, you would be better to have the best you can afford, rather than the cheapest you can find.
(Or hire one)
 
There's just been a thread (which I can't find) about the reluctance of anyone other than Seago themselves to service their liferafts - OK if you live near their factory but pricey in carriage fees if you live elsewhere.

Another factor to consider?
 
When I looked at this very Q about a year ago - I found various makes and sizes that all did some things better than others in tests, things like tipping up on entry, ease of climbing in, insulation, equipment included, inflation failures etc... I found that the Seago came out consistently well in most comparisons, was a fair price and about the right wt. I bought the 6 man valise. Was going to a buy a fourman, but the six was hardly any bigger to store, did not weigh much more and added a bit of extra capacity.
 
The Ocean Safety was highly recommended by YM a while ago, SEAGO second. And SEAGO have largely (but not completely) resolved the service issue.
 
There was a comment on this forum quite a few months ago that in the last 12 years no one has ever used their liferaft for rescue in British coastal waters. I hope someone can come on and givem more info or the data source. So for me the risk of needing a liferaft is so low, compared with other hazards at sea (and in life!) therefore, go for the cheapest that satisfies the safety standard for your use.....and spend the saving on gas alarms, medical kit, critical spare parts etc etc
 
I bought a seago 3 ish years ago and I was told that they were good, cheap but no one would service it.

I saw how many were for sale and gambled that by the time mine needed a service there would be agents all over.

I am pleased to report that I have just had mine serviced.

No where said they could not do it.

I got two quotes

£180 + vat

£120 + VAT

I went for the cheapest but didnt find them in /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I phoned one other and got it done for £100. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

They phoned me when it was inflated so I could see it, I asked if there were any problems with seago and he replied none and they were by far the most popular pleasure life raft they service.

The seago has an insulated floor that I dont think the plastimo does.
 
Yes, that was me that did the research, and no, I have not kept the reference. Don't want to go there again, because it didn't make me many friends and all the data is in the public domain anyway. You just need a bit of patience to work your way through it - and a reason for wanting to know. However most people seem quite happy to stump up what is now a relatively small amount of dosh "just in case" and then bitch about the servicing costs which are unrelated to the original purchase price.
 
Sorry if this is a bit disjointed, I copy pasted two posts from scuttleburks

I had my seago serviced earlier in the year.
Cost £100, they even rang me when it was inflated so I could call and see it, I got 15 mins instruction including how to right it, I was given some first aid packs from bigger commercial stuff and a certificate.
Three separate service agents were happy to quote

Cosalt was one but they were expensive.
.
The other one was also £100 but I had to arrange city link courier service.

I recommend not leaving it too long, batteries were zinc chloride.
these were replaced with long life procel batteries during the standard service.



Anyone in Lincolshire or Yorkshire I recommend

Grimsby Inflatables std 01472 tel 241270 cost circa £100

Others can post via City Link (only ones to take the weight) to

http://www.norwestmarine.co.uk/liferaftservice.htm

Service £60 + parts (flares, batteries, seasick pills) + £30 carriage +vat

I calculated at £140 ish, not a write off and the same cost as any other make !
 
I think you're probably right but then something like THIS does make you think whether skimping on a liferaft is wise
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think you're probably right but then something like THIS does make you think whether skimping on a liferaft is wise

[/ QUOTE ]

Does paying any ammount guarantee you get the job done right.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think you're probably right but then something like THIS does make you think whether skimping on a liferaft is wise

[/ QUOTE ] The liferaft that failed here was a Zodiac, one of the most expensive on the market. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
An interesting case. If the boat was British registered there will be an MAIB report which will give us the facts from which to draw conclusions.
This is the first foundering incident that has involved a MOBO since the reports of the MAIB and the Irish equivalent have been collated (about 13 years). An analysis of the incidents involving leisure boats where life rafts might have been or were actually deployed (around 15 in that period, some marginal cases) show some interesting patterns. I hesitate to call them "statistics" as the number is so small and the cases are so diverse.

They all involve sailboats, although one of the Irish cases was a converted sailing trawler yacht. There are 3 reasons why a liferaft might be needed. The biggest number is foundering in adverse conditions, the second collision with a big ship (2 suspected but not proven and three definite) and structural failure (two keels falling off, one leaks and failure of pumps, although the boat did not sink and one rudder failure).

Where a liferaft was deployed, in only two cases was it an unqualified success (worked perfectly and lives saved). In both cases this was a planned evacuation because the boat was sinking or the skipper thought it might sink. The latter resulted in the crew being in the raft for more than 2 days. That raft was a Seago (important to note as we will see) In all the others there were problems - difficulty in getting the raft free, non inflation, inflating upside down, difficulty of boarding, or difficulty in retrieving survivors. However, in many cases they did perform their ultimate function. Note that there have been many changes in design as a result of these incidents. In one case of foundering due to weather, it was judged that a raft might not have been effective and the survivor was in the boat. This supports the findings of the Fastnet enquiry.

Two recent cases, one the Irish yacht already quoted, and the other in a collision between 2 small fishing boats (not included in the numbers above) the liferaft failed to inflate. In both cases these were "premium brand" high spec rafts on hire. In both cases the failure was due to poor servicing.

So the conclusion is don't go out in extreme weather, nor in a boat with a keel that could fall off or is unseaworthy and keep clear of big ships. And until now go boating in a MOBO.

There is no evidence that one raft is better than another, only that it needs to be properly serviced. This does not of course mean the quality of servicing is related to price - in both cases of failure it was procedure, not cost cutting on materials.

So if you are thinking of buying a raft for your MOBO, rationally the answer is don't bother. The evidence is that the chances of needing it are close to Zero. However, if you do there is no evidence to suggest that an expensive raft is any more effective than a budget raft. Just make sure it is properly serviced. (In personal opinion, based on what I have seen it is safer to use an out of date new raft than a serviced raft - but don't have any concrete evidence).

I have two boats, one on the south coast which sails in quite a hostile environment but does not have a raft - you can guess why! and the other which drifts around the Ionian that has a high spec Ocean Plastimo. Why? because it was a charter boat so compulsory even though there is no evidence I can find that a liferaft has ever been deployed by a Greek charter boat.

So, if you are thinking of fitting a raft, I suggest you spend your time reading the reports - all on their websites, rather than arguing the relative merits of one brand or spec over another. You might also read the MAIB reports of fishing boat accidents as they have a lot to say about foundering and the use of rafts. However in my view there is little that translates directly to leisure boats except that it confirms the unpredictability of outcomes.

However liferaft purchase is based on either an individual's view of what "might" happen or it is a mandatory requirement of either coding or participating in certain activities such as offshore racing.

The only consolation is that the production of huge numbers of these devices that are never needed (I hesitate to say useless) has brought the price down by 60 or 70% in real terms in the last 20 years, so for most basic cost is no longer a significant factor in the decision.

Hope this helps
 
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