How to tell the age of a Plastimo Liferaft?

[C08]

I bought a new Plastimo Cruiser ORC liferaft 4 man at the end of 2004-I thought that it was made in 2004 but when I look at the valise markings and the booklet that came with it I cannot see any date. There is only a type number(28824), serial number which is the type number plus BO 002 added and what I think is the QC number 04 (which I had previously taken to mean 2004.)
I have just had a quote for servicing the liferaft at £230-£270 plus VAT. Apparently the cylinder needs "hydro testing" due to the age of the liferaft.
If the raft is older than 2004 it will not make sense to spend circa £300 getting it serviced.
I have tried Plastimo without a reply as yet-any ideas whether the serial number is intended to confirm the manufacture date? If it does contain 02 as the year of manufacure then it cannot really have a unique item identity with such a limited range of characters?

 

[wizard]

I bought mine in 2004 also.

Have you looked in the red service book - inside first page there is a section for the manufacturing date amongst all the type approval stuff.

 

[C08]

I bought mine in 2004 also.

Have you looked in the red service book - inside first page there is a section for the manufacturing date amongst all the type approval stuff.

Thanks for reply. The manufufacturing date box just has D/B printed in the space instead of a date. Any ideas what that may mean? The date of sale and dealers stamp section is blank.
Wizard-do you have your serial number to hand as this might shed some light on the date of my liferaft!

 

[GrahamM376]

I have just had a quote for servicing the liferaft at £230-£270 plus VAT. Apparently the cylinder needs "hydro testing" due to the age of the liferaft.

If the raft is older than 2004 it will not make sense to spend circa £300 getting it serviced.

Rafts need the cylinder testing every 5 years so the price isn't surprising but, why isn't it worth doing at only 10 years old? Our was 17 at it's last service but, we will be replacing it next year at 20 years old, just to play safe. Our service book by the way is dated from new.

 

[pvb]

Rafts need the cylinder testing every 5 years so the price isn't surprising but, why isn't it worth doing at only 10 years old? Our was 17 at it's last service but, we will be replacing it next year at 20 years old, just to play safe. Our service book by the way is dated from new.

Aren't Plastimo liferafts generally only rated for a 12 year life?

 

[C08]

Aren't Plastimo liferafts generally only rated for a 12 year life?

Yes my concern is that spending £300 on a liferaft that has only one year of recommended life left is not a good ideas, even less of a good idea if it is older than I thnk!

 

[pvb]

Yes my concern is that spending £300 on a liferaft that has only one year of recommended life left is not a good ideas, even less of a good idea if it is older than I thnk!

I think you're right. Replace it.

 

[GrahamM376]

Aren't Plastimo liferafts generally only rated for a 12 year life?

Plastimo guarantee on ours was 12 years and in some countries rafts have to be binned then or, other countries like Portugal require annual service, which we haven't done.

These rules predate vac packing and, provided the raft remains clean, dry and in the dark, it can last for many years. The service agent had no problems servicing and certifying ours but suggested we should play safe and bin when next service due. New raft will also require new cradle so that will add another £100 or so.

 

[Sybarite]

If you read French here are some useful data concerning life rafts.

http://www.plaisance-pratique.com/les-radeaux-de-survie

 

[C08]

If you read French here are some useful data concerning life rafts.

http://www.plaisance-pratique.com/les-radeaux-de-survie

Interesting reading what I could make out from the french text-still no further on dating my liferaft. On taking off the valise the ID panel on the raft itself has the date of manufacture entered as D/B. I find all this very strange, also an almost new raft advertised that I was interested in and when I wanted to confirm the date of manufacture the owner advised me that there was no manufacturing date on his either?
Come on; with the immense body of knowledge on here there must be someone who understand how these liferafts can be dated. Please.

 

[C08]

Finally sorted out the age- it had the date of manufacture SCRATCHED onto the CO2 bottle, just visible through the shrink wrapped packing. Date of manufacture 08/03.03 and I bought the raft in march 04. With the date so hard to ascertain there is plenty of potential to be sold an old liferaft-I wonder how many people have a raft much older than they think?