How many coastal cruisers have a life raft?

[MoodySabre]

When I bought my boat 15 years ago it came with a life raft. A 6man offshore that was so heavy my wife and I struggled to lift it (strapped on roof not in a cradle). It needed a service. I rang round and Adec said it was £250 to service but they would give me a new 4man as a direct swap. I took it and have carried one since. Service £120 every three years is a pain. Comfort factor in the middle of the North Sea is worth it. In a canister on the pushpit it does not get in the way. When I stop doing long trips in a few years time I shan’t bother with it.

 

[Never Grumble]

Some UK places are a bit more remote and I bought one for initially crossing Cardigan Bay in March. I reckoned that it worth the peace of mind to have it just in case, also sailing with family means there is a need to be well prepared. The only time I can see me getting into it is in case of fire or catastrophic flooding caused by hitting something pretty big. I bought a valise one and it lives ready to deploy underneath the helmsman seat when out.

 

[capnsensible]

No one needs a liferaft until the day they need a liferaft.....

 

[Laser310]

I'm still in two minds about the liferaft. I don't sail in extreme conditions if I can avoid it, and with modern forecasting it's rare to be completely caught ou

I think bad weather is one of the least likely factors to lead to needing a life raft for a coastal sailing boat. Anything that happens due to weather, including damage, is likely to leave enough time to get rescued from the boat.

As others have mentioned, things like fire - where you might have only have minutes to get off the boat - are far more likely to cause abandonment. Once you are in the water, even near to shore, the risk of death rises dramatically. Hypothermia can lead to trouble very quickly - particularly for smaller or older people.

another not uncommon cause of water ingress is rudder loss - people have abandoned boats because of uncontrolled flooding after a rudder has fallen out.

 

[RupertW]

I know three people who have used their liferafts in anger.

The first person hit rocks in fog off the N. Brittany coast and quickly sunk.

The second was delivering a boat across the Atlantic and the keel fell off, causing the yacht to invert.

The third was dismasted to the north of Jersey and the deck-stepped mast drove down through the hull, creating a void that was unable to be staunched before the boat sunk.

Excellent - some real facts to learn from.

So I can look up the reports and lessons learnt what were they or their boat’s names and what years did each happen?

 

[Bi111ion]

Probably, but the question was how many have actually used them in anger.

I don't have any statistics but my guess is almost zero

Just try searching the RNLI website for "liferaft" or the MAIB reports. Interestingly mainly you find fishing boats sinking and abandoning ship to rafts. I suppose they have to go out in rougher weather. and fishing nets can cause sudden capsize. One feature is that if a yacht is sinking slowly in coastal waters and they put out a Mayday (or DSC distress message) they often get rescued before abandoning ship, by the RNLI, a fishing boat, a pilot launch or a wind farm tender etc. Just as an example of abandoning to raft though for example this St Ives launch to 70ft yacht sinking | RNLI .

Here is an example in the Humber where they were rescued just as they were getting in to the raft Cleethorpes and Humber RNLI respond in fog to sinking motor vessel | RNLI

Also if yachts go down fast due to a sudden catastrophic collision, unless they have their life raft or dinghy on a hyrdosatic release (I have both!) they are more likely to have the boat sunk underneath them. I can think of a few incidences of this in the English channel, some fatalities and some picked up.

 

[Gary Fox]

j

No one needs a liferaft until the day they need a liferaft.....

Which is a vanishingly rare scenario, balanced against a huge, heavy, but delicate obstruction on the coachroof, and having their debit card raped at regular intervals by shysters.
I used to think it was essential, now my boat sails better (top hamper, windage) and I have £100's to spend on primary safety rather than an illusory comfort blanket.
Each to their own. I wonder if liferafts encourage less cautious passage plans, as cycling helmets are said to encourage reckless riding?

 

[dunedin]

Some UK places are a bit more remote ..........

That is certainly a big factor. There are other boats close by in the Solent and South Coast, and lifeboat travel times in 10-20 minutes perhaps.

Salutary looking at the likely lifeboat arrival times in some places on the West Coast of Scotland - one was several hours just to get 25 miles south of Stornaway. West side of the Outer Hebrides is going to be a very very long wait, even in calm weather.

PS. We carry a liferaft

 

[NorthRising]

I do, but. It is oversized valise, 6 persons; never have more than 4 on board. Ten years beyond last service due date. I am thinking of renting on a 6 month per season basis. But would prefer to spend my pennies on a PLB first.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I have hired them for cross channel but otherwise (if I remember), half inflated dinghy on foredeck.

It would be interesting to find out if many yachts have one in a holdall down below as you don't see too many above deck.

Small boat, over seventy skipper, budget yottie, had a wonderful life, single hander, wife will probably still get 1/2 pension - does it really matter ?

 

[Sandy]

I hire when needed.

 

[Gary Fox]

I hire when needed.

If it flies, floats...

 

[Ningaloo]

Mandatory on boats greater than 13.7m when more than 3Nm offshore?

 

[rogerthebodger]

Mandatory on boats greater than 13.7m when more than 3Nm offshore?

Mandatory on boats that go more than 30 nm from a safe harbour and 15 nm from shore Unless the boat i proven to be unsinkable.

 

[[178529]]

It would be really interesting to get some reliable figures on the percentage of leisure yachts and motorboats that have liferafts. Is it 5, 25 or 65 percent??

 

[Gary Fox]

Mandatory on boats greater than 13.7m when more than 3Nm offshore?

Not round here, maybe in more totalitarian regimes?

 

[doug748]

I do, but. It is oversized valise, 6 persons; never have more than 4 on board. Ten years beyond last service due date. I am thinking of renting on a 6 month per season basis. But would prefer to spend my pennies on a PLB first.

Same here, in fact it has just reminded me to put the liferaft on the For Sale section.

.

 

[JumbleDuck]

No one needs a liferaft until the day they need a liferaft.....

And even then they might not have needed the liferaft if they had spend the liferaft money on something else.

 

[Ningaloo]

Not round here, maybe in more totalitarian regimes?

Where are you? I am referring to UK.
I believe that we are one of the few countries that have no (legal) mandatory safety requirements on vessels below 13.7m (other than lights etc). Above 13.7m there are more stringent requirements for life raft, life jackets, life buoys (4 required!) And flares.
I believe France requires all boats to carry a life raft.

 

[capnsensible]

And even then they might not have needed the liferaft if they had spend the liferaft money on something else.

Did you have a parachute in your gliders?