D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Yep, please tell, always like to hear about stuff like this, especially if there is a lesson in it.
Do people bother with liferafts for coastal & cross Channel?
- Thread starter SolentBoat
- Start date
Yep, please tell, always like to hear about stuff like this, especially if there is a lesson in it.
SolentBoat
New member
Yes do tell.
However, all this talk about disaster is putting me off my summer trip. Wish I'd never asked now!
However, all this talk about disaster is putting me off my summer trip. Wish I'd never asked now!
laika
Well-known member
Yes, and perhaps more importantly I carry a liferaft to make the crew feel better. Most of us here know how unlikely it is for us to need a liferaft and the lessons that have been learned from others about the safest place being the yacht, even if badly damaged. Less experienced crew (as mine often are) might not be so aware of that. Having good safety kit reassures people. People don't have such a good time if they don't trust the skipper and trust the boat (even if both are actually perfectly sound). The "safest place is the boat" thing is most convincing if you actually have a liferaft to get the "step *up* into the liferaft" phrase into the safety briefing.
armchairsailor
Active member
I assume you think you can swim that far
I have a life raft and hope I never get to see whats inside of the case. IMHO if your out at sea you should have a life raft. I will however say that I cant remember the last time I wore a Lifejacket
Tom
PS Im an ex long distance swimmer.
Maybe I should have said that we towed our tender... Most of the time!
Seajet
...
Solent Boat,
well I've crossed the Channel 24 times and still seem to be here.
In the good old days of the 1970's - 80's we used to rely on a half inflated dinghy on the deck, which was the French regulation then; I'd still go for this personally - with a high speed inflator for the rest of the tender and a good battery - though I'm sure someone from the RNLI / RSPB/ ROSPA / League Against Cruel Sports will be along any second to say otherwise
well I've crossed the Channel 24 times and still seem to be here.
In the good old days of the 1970's - 80's we used to rely on a half inflated dinghy on the deck, which was the French regulation then; I'd still go for this personally - with a high speed inflator for the rest of the tender and a good battery - though I'm sure someone from the RNLI / RSPB/ ROSPA / League Against Cruel Sports will be along any second to say otherwise
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CoVianna
Well-known member
A true Gentleman goes down with his command!
Ripster
Active member
We carry one, poised and ready to launch on the rail. We also have a dinghy (kept deflated though), life-jackets on all the time we sail, epirb, vhf x3 etc etc. Our view was that in the very unlikely event something dreadful did happen we want every chance and every tool there is to stay alive. We sail manly coastal but like others do venture offshore now and again. We thought about the dinghy instead of LR but then quickly realised that trying to stay in it in any sort of breaking sea has got to be very difficult. If we are really honest I guess it's more peace of mind than anything else.
Poignard
Well-known member
Do people bother with liferafts for coastal & cross Channel?
I don't but if I was forever reading about yachts sinking and their crews drowning then I would think again.
I don't but if I was forever reading about yachts sinking and their crews drowning then I would think again.
BAtoo
New member
Coastal - No; Cross N Sea -Yes (always hired from Suffolk Sailing........)
LONG_KEELER
Well-known member
If you have any first class passengers they will expect you to have one.
As owner, chief stoker, helmsman and pensioner I will probably go down with my Adnams.
As owner, chief stoker, helmsman and pensioner I will probably go down with my Adnams.
Coaster
Active member
We thought a lot about this subject when buying our current boat four years ago and decided against carrying a liferaft. To date our longest single passage has been Milford Haven to Kinsale, about 130M. We felt the equivalent cost of a liferaft was better spent on other safety equipment. Ours includes good lifejackets with PLBs, radar, two separate GPS nav systems, radar and AIS. We also carry an inflated tender, inverted on the foredeck and ready for rapid launching.
I've asked for examples of the deployment of liferafts having being essential for the crews of well found boats sailing British and Irish waters in good weather but, as far as I can remember, there have been none.
One factor I was particularly influenced by is the difficulty of personally checking the proper functioning of a liferaft, except of course by using it. I prefer to have kit that I'm properly familiar with, so far as that's possible.
However I strongly believe in people making informed individual decisions on this subject and would certainly not criticise someone who considers a liferaft necessary.
I've asked for examples of the deployment of liferafts having being essential for the crews of well found boats sailing British and Irish waters in good weather but, as far as I can remember, there have been none.
One factor I was particularly influenced by is the difficulty of personally checking the proper functioning of a liferaft, except of course by using it. I prefer to have kit that I'm properly familiar with, so far as that's possible.
However I strongly believe in people making informed individual decisions on this subject and would certainly not criticise someone who considers a liferaft necessary.
Hadenough
Well-known member
Very good point about the functionality of a pre-packed life raft. Certainly for coastal I am more confident that my ready to use RIB in davits will give me more options than a "pop the liferaft, hope it works" alternative. As to the comments about the "shelter" factor of a liferaft. Coastal, I would prefer to be in a controllable dinghy, tender, inflatable, RIB, than a liferaft and before you ask that is with experience of both. Offshore, certainly you need the "hunker down" capability of liferaft.
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capnsensible
Well-known member
I sail for a living. Every yacht Im on will have an in date liferaft. You can doing rocks outside the marina or hit a container in mid Atlantic.....
result is the same. If you want, cancel your insurance on the car, house, travel, whatever, Im gonna go with liferaft, lifejackets, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, yada yada.!!
result is the same. If you want, cancel your insurance on the car, house, travel, whatever, Im gonna go with liferaft, lifejackets, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, yada yada.!!
John 32i
Active member
We only do river/coastal sailing so have never bothered with a life raft, however we have been offered one for £250 but as you would expect it needs a service.....I don't know how much a service is but guess that this means its probably not a bargain?!
sailorman
Well-known member
>£200 for a service & if its a seago dont bother
nortada
Well-known member
I do! Fire on a yacht at sea is a great decider.
John 32i
Active member
Seago raftg6
2009 but due for service 2012 !
2009 but due for service 2012 !
sailorman
Well-known member
cheaper to buy a new seago or try to get a better / lighter one from the forum or talk with Graham at Suffolk Sailing, Gt Blakenham
Sans Bateau
Well-known member
Ours is a Seago, if I remember correctly Force 4 quoted me sub £200 for a service.
sailorman
Well-known member
how much is a new one
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/6-ma...SeaGo~1414973628~32025078994~seago liferaft~b
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