life raft life span??!!

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classacitizen

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Hi Guys

My life raft is due a service. It came with the boat and i've never had one serviced before. How much should i expect to pay for a service?(it hasn't been done since 2006). I've been told around 200 pounds. Taking into account that the life raft was manufactured in 2001 is it worth spending the money on this one?How long before they reach there best before date?

Would i be better advised putting the money towards a new one?

regards.

switlik 6 man life raft
 
The price you've been given is in the right ballpark. I suggest you have a service done and ask for them to open and inflate it in your presence. If they won't do that, go elsewhere.

You will be able to assess the condition of the raft when you see it erected but, unless it has been stored in bad conditions, it should be good for at least another 10 years. If it's in a hermetically sealed inner bag as for example Forties rafts are, it should be pretty much 'as new'.

While you're at it, look what equipment is included - it's probably less than you think.
 
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i kinda object to being charged 200 for this service plus the cost of replacement of out of date stuff like flares etc, which takes less than 2 hours. "you can't put a price on it when you need it" sounds like an insurance sales man to me. People who charge, not on the service provided but, on the fear it instils on the individual involved. I know u can't put a price on piece of mind but this is taking it too far! Maybe i'm being over zealous!I'm in portugal and have just been asked for 300 euros plus replacements.(back in the day when the euro was worth 1.5 pound this would've been almost justified)But for an extra 200quid i could go and buy a new one.Are these people pricing themselves out of the market? Or am i the one with the problem? there is a business opportunity in here for someone,surely!!?? Opinions!!!

Thanks for responses thus far.I've been wrong before!!
 
You have to get the new ones serviced just like an older one. Also depends how good yours is. I think Switlik is a pretty good one? I just had my 23 year old RFD serviced ahead of an Atlantic crossing. Looked better than a lot of liferafts half that age being inflated.
 
mixmaster said:
You have to get the new ones serviced just like an older one.
Click to expand...

The service frequency depends on the raft. My Forties raft is packed inside a hermetically sealed plastic bag within the canister. It only needs a service every 3 years. It's supposed to have an 'inspection' every year which just consists of opening the canister, checking the bag is still sealed and closing up again. That brings the cost down, especially as, after the first few years, it became clear that the inspection really isn't necessary unless the boat is coded.

I have to mention that, because the ARC wanted to see a certificate, I took my raft to an outfit in the Canaries for its inspection. They charged me for a full service, threw away the inner bag (at the next service the case was full of water), re-assembled incorrectly so pulling the line would not have inflated it and finally told me the warranty was now invalid as they weren't agents for that make of raft. Have a care!
 
classacitizen said:
Hi Guys

My life raft is due a service. It came with the boat and i've never had one serviced before. How much should i expect to pay for a service?(it hasn't been done since 2006). I've been told around 200 pounds. Taking into account that the life raft was manufactured in 2001 is it worth spending the money on this one?How long before they reach there best before date?

Would i be better advised putting the money towards a new one?

regards.

switlik 6 man life raft
Click to expand...

How long a lift raft lasts will depend on the material its is made of. The "expensive" ones (EG older Avons) were made of rip-stop neoprene. I believe that new "cheaper" variety are made a vynal material. The Neoprenes last a Long time.

If you are in the Portsmouth area, go to Mayday Marine. He took the time to inflate it in front of me, and explain every bit of kit inside. I had no idea at all what to do with some of the items! so well worth it. I have a 17 year old Avon 6 man - which weighs an absolute ton - he reckones it will last at least another 17 years. The cheaper ones - not so long...... he says he find a lot of faults.....

Here are his details
15 Fairway busimess centre
Airport service road
PO3 5NU
Bus: 02392 662990
E-mail: info@maydaymarine.co.uk
 
The people who repack the liferaft will tell you if it's knackered and show you why. On the price front the packers need to be trained by the manufacturer. Getting the qualification is not cheap and they have to retake the course every few years (I know that's true for Avon, don't know about others). Hence repacks are not cheap, it has nothing to do with trading on fear.

Always take a liferaft to a packer who who can show his qualification on the type (not just make) of the raft you have. The reason I say that is we have an Avon Modula which needs specialised packing unlike other Avon rafts.
 
snowleopard said:
packed inside a hermetically sealed plastic bag
. . . within the canister.
. . . It only needs a service every 3 years.
. . . 'inspection' every year!
Click to expand...

I don't rate that as good. I must admit, one of the things that sways me when looking at something is its service interval.
I would have thought that something sealed in a canister should be good for 5 years with a visual every 2.
Is it because items packed in the LR only have a 3 year life? If so, it's a good case for having them separated in a grab bag.

I also subscribe to the conspiracy theory ;)
 
>I would have thought that something sealed in a canister should be good for 5 years with a visual every 2.

When we were buying a liferaft most had a two or three year service period. The Avon Modula (vacuum packed) we bought had a four year period which was changed to three years for some reason. I suppose there's a good reason to have flares, water packs etc in the liferaft just in case you don't have time to grab the the grab bag, which would be really bad news - no handheld VHF or EPIRB. Shame you can't get those in the liferaft.
 
LadyInBed said:
I don't rate that as good. I must admit, one of the things that sways me when looking at something is its service interval.
I would have thought that something sealed in a canister should be good for 5 years with a visual every 2.
Is it because items packed in the LR only have a 3 year life? If so, it's a good case for having them separated in a grab bag.

I also subscribe to the conspiracy theory ;)
Click to expand...
I take your point. The cylinder has to go away for a service every 5 years so every other service it goes out of date by a year. Not sure about the replaceables (batteries, seasick pills & flares) I'm not sure I like the idea of them being outside the raft as there is a risk of them getting separated when the raft is deployed.

3 years is still a lot better than annual though.
 
thanks guys plenty to think about.I still think we're being fleeced. I agree that the inspectors have to do some training but these guys are charging £100 an hour maybe more. It takes 5 years to train to be a basic solicitor.£100 an hour is what they are charged out around our way anyway.

there's no way the liferaft inspectors can justify that price tag. Plus if they do a shoddy job no one survives to complain.Can't go wrong!
 
We had ours serviced by Norwest Marine, based in Liverpool- nice guys & experienced firm who do a lot of commercial work and a pretty fair price- £145 last yr for a 6 man valise 3 yr service including replacement cost of time limited items & shipping back to me in Oxon, tho I did deliver it to them as I was up near them for a few days.

No other connection etc


http://www.norwestmarine.co.uk/
 
fair one

Now that seems reasonable. £145. Thanks for the link. It would be cheaper for me to fly it back from portugal get them to do it and bring it back than the price i've been quoted over here!!!
 
hoiw much?!

Just had a raft serviced in the Seychelles .... €1700.00 !!!!!

There's only one guy who does it there, so he charges what he likes
 
Another plug for Norwest Marine:

Service on a 4 man Seago £138.46 incl. consumables, carriage back to me & VAT. Transport to them was free as they were in the area picking up a commercial liferaft.

Very helpful & pleasant people to deal with.

Andy
 
Chris_Robb said:
If you are in the Portsmouth area, go to Mayday Marine. He took the time to inflate it in front of me, and explain every bit of kit inside. I had no idea at all what to do with some of the items! so well worth it. I have a 17 year old Avon 6 man - which weighs an absolute ton - he reckones it will last at least another 17 years. The cheaper ones - not so long...... he says he find a lot of faults.....

Here are his details
15 Fairway busimess centre
Airport service road
PO3 5NU
Bus: 02392 662990
E-mail: info@maydaymarine.co.uk
Click to expand...


don't bother. they've unfortunately gone out of business and he's not answering mobile either!

out of interest, does anyone know what you need to set yourself up as a liferaft service provider? is it covered by any legislation or do the manufacturers of particular makes have to pass you to test them?
 
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