Life Rafts for Coastal Sailing - Are they ever used?

[Dockhead]

A life raft came with our boat. It's in a canister, mounted on brackets on the top of the aft cabin. However, we always sail with our Avon Redcrest, fully inflated, resting on its side on the sidedeck. In order to deploy the LR, we would have to throw the dinghy over first. I know and trust the dinghy, and so would need a lot of persuasion to use the LR. Was it the Pardeys who used both?

A big difference between an inflatable dink and a liferaft is stability in rough weather. Beyond probably F7 or so a regular inflatable dinghy becomes untenable - you will not be able to stay inside it.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

£650? Cheaper than a funeral, even from the Co-op.

 

[Talulah]

Boat sinking, cold squally, F""" wish I had bought a Life raft!

Now who can come up with some alternatives?
Boat sinking, cold squally, F""" wish I had brought the wife.

 

[johnalison]

We have done coastal and Channel cruising since the 70s and always relied on a dinghy on deck for sea crossings. I'm sure that this would have been of benefit in many scenarios but is obviously far from ideal. I bought what was then a cheapish liferaft in 2001 on the grounds that for the kind of sailing we do, it only had to keep us alive for 12-24hrs in summer weather. I believe there may well be better things for the occasional sailor to spend money on, which might include sailing courses, but we already had radar and DSC radio so something that could be deployed quickly in case of fire (say) seemed to be a sensible purchase.

I wouldn't criticise someone venturing along the coast or up to 100nm offshore without a raft, assuming they had taken sensible precations in other respects.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Your dinghy might do if you are able to launch it (??)

This is one reason why I tow a rigid dinghy.

 

[Vara]

Liferafts have also been used to recover crew from the sea. A 31' yacht in the Royal Escape race was knocked down by a breaking wave, 3 of the 4 crew in the cockpit were lost over the side. The skipper successfully returned to his crew who were all wearing lifejackets and clipped together. However attempts to recover them directly from the sea were a failure resulting in one of the crew being injured by the rolling of the boat. The solution was to launch the liferaft into which the those in the sea were able to enter and then climb safely back on board. Things could have been very different without that liferaft.

Peter.

What year was that, not shown on records?

 

[pvb]

I usually only sail in coastal waters, but I have a liferaft. Why? Because the coastal waters I'm usually in have huge amounts of container traffic, and I'm terrified of what would happen if I were to hit a submerged container.
.

 

[LadyInBed]

A big difference between an inflatable dink and a liferaft is stability in rough weather. Beyond probably F7 or so a regular inflatable dinghy becomes untenable - you will not be able to stay inside it.

We are talking Coastal Sailing! You must ask yourself 'Would I be out if that was a possibility', 'Do I feel lucky?' :dread:

 

[Simondjuk]

I suppose it depends on what you call 'coastal'. I'd call, say, Falmouth to Brest coastal, which puts you about 60 miles and at least 10 hours from anywhere at the mid-point. Conditions can change substantially and in a manner the forecast didn't predict in that time.

I'm not suggesting that weather is a likely cause of liferaft deployment, just pointing out the variation in people's use of a term.

 

[LadyInBed]

I suppose it depends on what you call 'coastal'. I'd call, say, Falmouth to Brest coastal

Try arguing that one with your insurance

 

[Tranona]

Those who think an inflatable boat is any kind of substitute for a liferaft should read the reports of when liferafts have been deployed for real and imagine what use a dinghy would have been instead! There are cases where yachts have foundered in benign conditions and a dinghy might have worked, as well as cases where dinghies have been used in addition to a raft, but they are a very small minority.

However the vast majority have been used in extreme conditions where a dinghy would have been no use at all. Indeed in many cases the liferaft also proves to be less than adequate. Recovering an MOB is a possible use, again in benign conditions, but suggest you try boarding an inflatable when fully togged up and with an inflated LJ beforehand. Can be of some value with somebody else in the dinghy helping the casualty in the water.

One of the major issues with liferafts, highlighted in this month's PBO review of Coastal rafts is boarding, even with the steps and greater stability of rafts. Best to think about an inflatable as a big life ring - something to help keep you afloat rather than a viable rescue vehicle.

 

[Tranona]

Try arguing that one with your insurance

What has that got to do with it? The key distinction from the rescue point of view is whether you are in range of VHF communications and rescue services. On both counts that area is well covered.

 

[Simondjuk]

I've never asked about a 'coastal' cover policy, so don't know the insurer's definition of the word. What is it please?

My descriptions work along the lines of Falmouth to Brest = coastal, Biscay crossing = offshore, ocean crossing = erm, ocean.

 

[fisherman]

Main point about the liferaft over a dinghy is in a closed L/R the atmosphere becomes saturated after twenty minutes and you stop losing heat. I was in and out of the water for twenty minutes or so during a regatta dinghy race, buoyancy failed, climb aboard and suffer the wind or stay in the sea, not enough rescue boats, it was July, I was done for through cold and ceased to function. Some of you seem to picture yourselves bobbing about languidly trailing a hand in the balmy waters.

 

[Adonnante]

What year was that, not shown on records?

2006, is that significant?

 

[Vara]

2006, is that significant?

Only in the sense that the use of a life raft in such circumstances would be a useful tool in the armoury, and some more detail would have been handy.

 

[KellysEye]

>I've never asked about a 'coastal' cover policy, so don't know the insurer's definition of the word. What is it please?

Most insurance companies have coastal sailing policy 12nm off the coast, an offshore policy which covers a Biscay crossing for example and an ocean policy which increase as you move up with ocean the highest. For example an Atlantic crossing will have a premium on top of the offshore policy cost.

 

[LadyInBed]

What has that got to do with it?

I was commenting on the definition of Coastal Waters in answer to the post:

I suppose it depends on what you call 'coastal'. I'd call, say, Falmouth to Brest coastal, which puts you about 60 miles and at least 10 hours from anywhere at the mid-point. Conditions can change substantially and in a manner the forecast didn't predict in that time.

 

[Adonnante]

Only in the sense that the use of a life raft in such circumstances would be a useful tool in the armoury, and some more detail would have been handy.

Sorry, I wasn't there, I just know one of the crew well and recall him relating the tale. I seem to remember that the raft had to be abandoned as they found recovery impossible, presumably due to the water ballast.

Maybe the Seago Resue Platform would be a suitable compromise for inshore sailors, see here....http://www.seagoyachting.co.uk/rp500-system-p-53.html


Peter.

 

[Tranona]

>I've never asked about a 'coastal' cover policy, so don't know the insurer's definition of the word. What is it please?

Most insurance companies have coastal sailing policy 12nm off the coast,

Not sure that is correct for a cruising boat. Much more common to have Brest/Elbe limits as standard and then specific supplements for extending. I have just looked at going to the Baltic and insurance would be extended temporarily at no additional cost. As you say Biscay crossings etc usually specific additional premium.