Jon Bouy EVAC

[Jodel]

It looks like the sort of 'liferaft' normally carried by light aircraft where weight is usually the most important factor.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Did you see any of the MOD issue Grey Laser dinghies (for RnR purposes) that they sometimes carry strapped to the topworks?

I remember those, did mean to post something about them on this thread

 

[ducked]

Before buying my new Seago 4 man liferaft I saw this but it's still more expensive than I paid for the Seago which came with 18 years warranty

Lalizas Coastal Compact Liferaft - Leisure Raft

Seems to be a possibility that if you need to claim on liferaft warranty you wont be able to due to no longer being alive

 

[seeSimon]

Before buying my new Seago 4 man liferaft I saw this but it's still more expensive than I paid for the Seago which came with 18 years warranty

Lalizas Coastal Compact Liferaft - Leisure Raft

I physically picked up one of these in the chandlers in Falmouth (Macsalvors), it's as compact and light as they say in the blurb.

Common sense says that this might be ideal for my smaller (often singlehanded) near coastal boat, but local sailing committee REQUIRE WS ISO approved rafts, which this will not comply with.
Common sense in short supply hereabouts...

 

[Lightwave395]

I physically picked up one of these in the chandlers in Falmouth (Macsalvors), it's as compact and light as they say in the blurb.

Common sense says that this might be ideal for my smaller (often singlehanded) near coastal boat, but local sailing committee REQUIRE WS ISO approved rafts, which this will not comply with.
Common sense in short supply hereabouts...

There's an allegedly brand new one of these for sale here on the South Island for £450... might well have bought it if I hadn't spent £800 on my Seago a few months ago...!

 

[Cerebus]

Has anyone seen these in person? Or even better had an opportunity to play with one in a pool etc?

Jon Buoy Evac: Compact life raft for coastal areas

It’s a concept I wondered why nobody had built previously.

I’m waiting to hear from Crewsaver whether my liferaft can be services or is now end of life. There are well rehearsed arguments on these pages whether a liferaft is needed for the sort of coastal cruising we do (rarely out of sight of land, but often over an hour from from a lifeboat station, and not unusual to sail for an hour or two without seeing another boat) but LETS NOT GET INTO THAT DEBATE.

If my existing crewsaver raft is end of life it will be replaced with something because psychologically removing safety equipment from the boat is going to be too hard for my wife to consider.

But the existing raft (canister based mounted ahead of the sprayhood) is a heavy beast - I can lift it over the rails. Mrs Y would struggle, but probably manage if the boat was on fire! She’s short and when helming it obscures quite a lot of forward view.

It’s very unlikely we would be hanging around in it for more than a few hours, and have no regulatory / rules requirement for an official life raft so it seems I might be the gap in the market they are targeting.

That said it’s far from cheap - costing similar to the price of a “real” raft. So wondering if people who have seen and maybe lifted one think it’s compactness and weight justify essentially a premium for a lower spec product.

I’m a bit surprised that I haven’t found a demo video? And I haven’t managed to find the service costs - at least getting it to Ocean safety would be more convenient than dealing with Crew Saver.

Light aircraft carry smaller liferafts than your post (and adequate… within provisions).

There are single man life rafts available too.

So it is it a case that has certainly been visited and solved previously.

 

[ylop]

Light aircraft carry smaller liferafts than your post (and adequate… within provisions).

Unless I’m looking for the wrong thing they cost even more than a marine product!

There are single man life rafts available too.

My wife might not be impressed!

 

[Cerebus]

Unless I’m looking for the wrong thing they cost even more than a marine product!

My wife might not be impressed!

I did not look up prices.

Pilots I know of (who fly from North UK overseas to nearby landmasses) have bought the cheaper lightweight life rafts because weight is an issue. They require 2 person life rafts at minimum.

I do not know the prices of two single person life rafts but do know that each raft takes up a tiny space and fits under an ejector seat, has an insulated floor (unlike many maritime ones) and is military grade (which means a lot better than leisure or even Commercial grade maritime grade)

I have two single person life rafts of different ages I a storage container. If would take me years to find them.

They pack up into the smallest space I have ever seen a liferaft packed into. That is why I bought them.

I own at least 5 different styles of liferaft. The designs and weights and packaging are intersting.