Liferaft - Do I need a new one?

[blackbeard]

My current liferaft is now 12 years old (still "unused!"). It used to have a 3 year service interval, but the makers now say that, in view of its age, it should be serviced annually. The additional cost of servicing every year amounts, for a nominal 12-year life span, to a significant fraction of the cost of a new raft.

There's also a slightly throwaway comment in the RYA Boat Safety handbook that a 12 year old raft may be looked on with suspicion by some
"Rafts deteriorate with age ... Many agents will not pass a raft fit for service at this age" although my raft was fine when last inspected, and the agents I used do not seem to have any doubts about it.

I haven't really got as far as planning this years' sailing and, if it just involves a little coastal cruising, I may take the view that a new or recently serviced raft isn't really needed; anything more adventurous, and I would have to decide whether to get the old one serviced, or get a new one. I'm inclined to the view that a new one might be sensible; but is the view in the RYA book unduly pessimistic, and could I get away with the old one? or, alternatively, should anything over 12 years old be scorned? Does anyone have any information, or experience?

 

[superheat6k]

When I bought my boat in 2011 I took the raft to universal safety at universal marina on the Hamble.

They offered varying levels of service, and as I will only go offshore occasionally I opted for the basic level.

The raft was some 15-20 years old and the chap suggested my raft was built at a time when cost of (cheap) manufacture was less important, and as such was in his view a better raft than most cheap and some not so cheap new rafts.

Anyway I paid £300 for three years service life so that's £100 per year.

However, I am sure the vested interests of certain firms insisting your very life will hang on your 'poor' decision not to provide their profits each year, often need to be sensibly assessed.

The bottom line is your confidence the thing will open when you yank the painter on the day you need it. For my last boat I bought a 25 year old from EBay, for an offshore trip. I decided to test it on the lawn, and inflate it did.

 

[rosie]

The only thing that matters is the condition of the raft when serviced & a reputable agent should be able to carry out pressure tests accurately and give an honest view on the condition of the raft. They do get guidance from the manufacturers re condition of the raft . As an example my LR is an RFD Seasava4 built in 1980. The recommended service interval is 1 year but I have had it serviced 3 yearly since 1992. It is still assessed as serviceable- pressures & leak rates all within spec-and is assessed as being in good condition!

I don't think the RYA should be suggesting that agents would fail a raft on age alone unless they (the RYA) have carried out an accurate survey of the LR servicing industry. It sounds like uninformed speculative journalism & is of little help to those who buy their books for guidance (IMHO of course).

 

[westernman]

I am also interested in the service interval. The service interval on my liferaft has always been 1 year from new. The raft is a RFD Surviva from 1998 - i.e. getting on a bit now. The agent also said this was much better than any of the new ones, and expressed surprise that I should even dare to think of replacing it (or was he thinking of his profits as he would no longer see me every year??)

A new raft would have a 3 years service life. RFD Liferafts are very expensive to service down here as there is just one agent in the whole of the SOF.

I am reluctant to spend more money on this raft as the service costs each year are on average about half the cost of getting a new raft which would cost considerably less to service each time and would only need servicing once every three years.

I have heard that liferafts which are not vacuum packed need to be serviced every year - as to ones which are more than 10 years old. Does it really make a difference?

Last years service cost me 1600 Euros - for one year (double the average). And last year I was never out of side of land! Part of that was 120 Euros for a certificate (for a commercial vessel which I am not).

So what to do?

1) Just service every three years despite the sticker on the outside saying it is due after one year

2) Get a cheap new one which will need its first service in 5 years time then every 3 years thereafter

3) Pay up and the get the old one serviced every year

4) Is there anywhere else which will do a service on an old RFD liferaft but much cheaper than the RFD agent in Marseille/Sete?

 

[GrahamM376]

Our Plastimo Offshore will be 20 years old next year. At last service 2 years ago it was suggested that, as the next service will have to include a bottle test it will be more expensive so, thinking about cost and age, we should consider looking at replacement.