Economics of liferafts

[Champagne Murphy]

Always a subject which raises blood pressure, partly because most of us are lucky enough not to have to resort to using one. Bit like insurance, if you don’t use it you resent it but when you do use it you’re relieved.
So, a 6 year old 4 man raft, £350 service.
A brand new Seago is £659 delivered and I might get £125 on ebay for the old one. That said I’ve heard some say that companies like Ocean Safety do chop in deals on the old one.
Anyone know of any ‘deals’ going at the moment?

 

[pvb]

Liferafts are "insurance" and, just like insurance, you get what you pay for. If you ever need to use a liferaft, I think you'd be happy if you'd paid a bit more for a better product. However, if you don't ever expect to use it and are perhaps owning one through marital pressure (reckoned to be a prime mover in liferaft purchasing) then there are cheaper ones around. You can get an Ocean Safety 4-man valise from Cactus for £636 delivered. I'd rate Ocean Safety higher than Seago in the quality stakes.

 

[ashtead]

I feel I might now be better off buying a new one rather than having mine serviced which is Seago before our trip to France this year so any others to consider apart from Ocean safety?

 

[MoodySabre]

Mine is being serviced right now. £160 at ADEC Barking. That's for 3 years - I made the last service last 4 years as there were no big trips planned. To Holland shortly - if I do that twice in a service period then it's cheaper than renting.

When we doing a MOB recovery practice weekend two years ago we launched a 15 years raft that had been considered out of date for servicing again. It went off just fine.

I asked ADEC how long mine would be regarded as serviceable and they said forever. I wish I was in that category.

 

[Kelpie]

I'm leaning towards Seago because they publish servicing costs (although perhaps you would still get stung for unexpected problems like corroded gas bottle). This works out at £99/yr over 12yrs, assuming the rest is worth nothing after this time. Seems reasonable to me.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I let off my old one last summer without any problem,it was last serviced 2000.

 

[pvb]

I asked ADEC how long mine would be regarded as serviceable and they said forever. I wish I was in that category.

Liferafts aren't "forever" items; the fabric eventually becomes porous and they fail the inflation test. I had a "top quality" Autoflug liferaft which was condemned after about 20 years.

 

[MoodySabre]

Liferafts aren't "forever" items; the fabric eventually becomes porous and they fail the inflation test. I had a "top quality" Autoflug liferaft which was condemned after about 20 years.

I didn't believe him. I think he was just trying to say that there is no fixed age at which they stop servicing.

 

[colind3782]

However, if you don't ever expect to use it and are perhaps owning one through marital pressure (reckoned to be a prime mover in liferaft purchasing)

Funny you should say that!

 

[dslittle]

I'm leaning towards Seago because they publish servicing costs (although perhaps you would still get stung for unexpected problems like corroded gas bottle). This works out at £99/yr over 12yrs, assuming the rest is worth nothing after this time. Seems reasonable to me.

I spoke to Seago last week about their new ISO Liferaft. It comes with an 18 year service life with services at 3,6,9 and 12 years and then annually. They also discount the first three services. Hoping never to use it, I think it's not a bad deal.

 

[jac]

I spoke to Seago last week about their new ISO Liferaft. It comes with an 18 year service life with services at 3,6,9 and 12 years and then annually. They also discount the first three services. Hoping never to use it, I think it's not a bad deal.

Having done the Sea Survival course a couple of years ago, do not underestimate how difficult it is to get into with the standard ladder from the water - you really need help to get in - ideally 2 and one to stay on the otherside of the raft to stop it capsizing. SO give MASSIVE consideration to one with the ramp arrangements rather than the ladder, especially if you're not hugely fit or sail with single of double handed. In such case - make sure you get INTO the raft rather than try and climb in from the water.

 

[Malo37]

Having done the Sea Survival course a couple of years ago, do not underestimate how difficult it is to get into with the standard ladder from the water - you really need help to get in - ideally 2 and one to stay on the otherside of the raft to stop it capsizing. SO give MASSIVE consideration to one with the ramp arrangements rather than the ladder, especially if you're not hugely fit or sail with single of double handed. In such case - make sure you get INTO the raft rather than try and climb in from the water.

Hence the old rule 'Always plan to step down into your life raft'. Once in the water your chances of survival reduce dramatically.

 

[Kelpie]

Hence the old rule 'Always plan to step down into your life raft'. Once in the water your chances of survival reduce dramatically.

Funny,I was told by two different instructions on two different sea survival courses that it was step *up* into the raft, I.e. You are better off staying with the boat right up until it is about to sink. The point about staying dry is valid though.

 

[jac]

Funny,I was told by two different instructions on two different sea survival courses that it was step *up* into the raft, I.e. You are better off staying with the boat right up until it is about to sink. The point about staying dry is valid though.

DItto. Also a lot more comfortable. The raft was pretty horrible in just a pool. Being in even a flat sea would be bad. I can imagine that being in one in a gale would leave one in two minds about whether or not survival in the raft was better than just drowning.

 

[penberth3]

Funny,I was told by two different instructions on two different sea survival courses that it was step *up* into the raft, I.e. You are better off staying with the boat right up until it is about to sink. The point about staying dry is valid though.

Step down over the inflated tube, as opposed to climbing in out of the water?

 

[Sybarite]

Liferafts are "insurance" and, just like insurance, you get what you pay for. If you ever need to use a liferaft, I think you'd be happy if you'd paid a bit more for a better product. However, if you don't ever expect to use it and are perhaps owning one through marital pressure (reckoned to be a prime mover in liferaft purchasing) then there are cheaper ones around. You can get an Ocean Safety 4-man valise from Cactus for £636 delivered. I'd rate Ocean Safety higher than Seago in the quality stakes.

I wrote in a May 2015 YM article that a French yachtsman nearly died when his Ocean Safety raft failed to fully inflate (not yet due its first service). I contacted OS and asked them for their comments and gave them indications who to contact for the raft. Not being fully inflated meant that the floor always sagged so that it was impossible to pump dry.

Funny. They never came back to me on it.

In French tests Plastimo come out clearly on top and have extended their effective lifetime to 18 years.

 

[Saguday]

In French tests Plastimo come out clearly on top and have extended their effective lifetime to 18 years.

But... French products always come out on top in French tests

 

[pagoda]

DItto. Also a lot more comfortable. The raft was pretty horrible in just a pool. Being in even a flat sea would be bad. I can imagine that being in one in a gale would leave one in two minds about whether or not survival in the raft was better than just drowning.

I have done offshore (oil&gas) liferaft training several times- with the aviation rafts, which are appreciably heavier than yacht style rafts. In tanks - with wind/ wave machines - sometimes dark, sometimes with evil course assistants playing cold hoses on us. We learned how hard it is to get in / right a raft, do the close/cover maintain routine. It's not remotely trivial, even with a crew who have been trained. It's horrid in a full raft closed down, but better than drowning. You can't be inverted easily once it's loaded!

 

[Sybarite]

But... French products always come out on top in French tests

But... perhaps they are the best...???

 

[Sybarite]

I have done offshore (oil&gas) liferaft training several times- with the aviation rafts, which are appreciably heavier than yacht style rafts. In tanks - with wind/ wave machines - sometimes dark, sometimes with evil course assistants playing cold hoses on us. We learned how hard it is to get in / right a raft, do the close/cover maintain routine. It's not remotely trivial, even with a crew who have been trained. It's horrid in a full raft closed down, but better than drowning. You can't be inverted easily once it's loaded!

It has been suggested that if you have a large raft in comparison to the number of people eg 3 - 4 people in an 8 person raft - that it it is easier for it to capsize.