DIY Liferaft Servicing

[JamesDavis]

Anyone had any experience? Quite honestly when the '@@@@ hits the fan' I'm happy to trust my own handywork. Are there any books or web pages with advice? I am a skilled engineer dealing with bottled gasses, high pressure valves etc but more importantly, like a lot of boatowners, I am resourceful and have lashings of common sense. I look forward to your replies.
My liferaft is a 4 man plastimo.

James Davis

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[johna]

Not any real help on the DIY front but for info it cost £179 to have my Plastimo serviced here in Poole last year.

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[VicMallows]

James, before you (and I!) get ripped to pieces on the forum, let me say I thoroughly echo your sentiments. Just like working on the gas boiler, I don't trust the so-called 'qualified' people!. Get on with it while it's still legal!.

Sorry I can't offer any specific liferaft advice......can't afford one.

Vic (also an Engineer).

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[charles_reed]

Not actually that challenging until you come to the replacements/repair.

All it really involves is check-weighing the CO2 cylinder, inflating the raft by hand and ensuring it doesn't lose pressure over a 72 hour period, replacing all the out-of-date supplies and repacking.
The trouble is that no-one, except yourself, recognises the service centre - so no authorised certification and therefore no licence.


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[JamesDavis]

Me again, am I missing something? What is the licience for? I could see it being a problem if I was to charter but for personal sailing is it necessary? As long as I could prove I had taken 'every reasonable care and precaution' by logging my DIY service as I would with an engine service.
PS: A plumber neighbour showed me how to service a gas boiler recently. Blue flame good, yellow flame bad. Wire brush any deposits on the heat exchanger. Hoover throughly. I, of course, would never think of doing it myself...............

James.

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[Shanty]

One of the yachting comics had an article about this a few years ago (can't remeber which - think it may have been YM). The major problem identified was repacking the raft in its bag / box.

I'm also thinking about doing my own raft, partly due to the cost of a service, and partly because I want to see whats inside.

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[VicMallows]

James,
You most definitely don't need any sort of licence in UK unless you are chartering in some form. (you don't have to have a liferaft, full stop). I believe Charles may be in the Med, and you know what the French can be like. Yes, cleaning the oven burner injector nozzle changes the flame from bright yellow (very attractive, lots of CO) to nice blue (efficient and relatively safe).

Vic

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[Manos_Greece]

Here in Greece I'm required to have my liferaft serviced every year. Also my insurance company wants me to have it serviced annualy too. Anyway for those who want to know what (an older) liferaft looks like and what it has inside, visit this page: http://www.sailingboatefaki.gr/Liferaft.htm
I took these pictures last year that I was also curius about the contents.

<hr width=100% size=1>Manos From Greece
S/Y Efaki, Mirage 28
www.sailingboatefaki.gr

 

[Gordonmc]

Gas boilers... NB

When I bought my flat I was told the gas boiler was past it's best and I should replace and sign a contract for annual servicing.
Gas boilers are hardly rocket science, so I have serviced it and fixed it myself. Since then its had a new boiler head thermostat, new primary gas valve, new water pump. Total cost £150 (approx). Servicing consists of an annual clear-out of the flue.
What is the saving on 15 years worth of servicing and a new boiler?

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[Heckler]

used to do them when i was in charge of maintenance in angola, biggest prob is folding them back to get them in the container. mostly common sense, weigh the C02 bottle and eyeball everything for rust or rot etc, recommend digi cam to picture the folding sequence.
stu

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk

 

[Deep_6]

When you open it out - keep a note of how its folded. When re-packing use plenty of french chalk powder or talcum to keep the fabric in good nick and use a vacuum cleaner to deflate and get 99% of the air out.
Also you can use a couple of temp ties when its folded which you can undo and recover once its back in its valise or container.

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[steve_cronin]

Re: Gas boilers... NB

Agree entirely. All they've got to do is prove that you actually connected the gas supply to it without a "dog" licence. All the rest of the pipes and wires (which for a combi come ready formed) are just plumbing.

I have no specific experience of the cylinders and valves of a liferaft but I'm sure that with familiarisation i would be able to do a satisfactory, nay proficient, job. My raft is too young yet for it's first service but having been the victim of "experts" in the past, I know which brain and pair of hands THIS Practical Boat Owner would choose to trust. In litigationland though, the absence of a validation sticker from some "approved" fitter might be embarrasing if the thing failed to inflate or the fabric was perished and your crew had to swim for it. No doubt though, there are people out there more than capable to do at least as good a job so it SHOULDN'T fail.

Yer pays yer money etc....

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[rex_seadog]

Another problem with DIY servicing is that it would surely invalidate the 12 year warranty offered by Plastimo.

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[robind]

Where is it possible to obtain water bags, liferaft knives etc in the UK
Regards
Rob

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rejuvanu.com>RejuVanu</A>

 

[peterb]

Re: Gas boilers... NB

Similar story. Had my boiler serviced by British Gas for years on a "Labour only" basis, with me paying for any parts required. Then a letter came informing me that BG would no longer be making "Labour only" servicing contracts; if I wanted a contract it would have to be a "Parts plus labour" contract. Next day another BG letter came, to tell me that because my boiler was old they could no longer provide parts for it; no offer to reduce the price, though. Since then I've serviced it myself.

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[Deep_6]

Try:
http://www.sailgb.com/sshop/prod_info.asp?Product=Sundry-marine-liferaft-survival-equipment&PID=1002

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