"Liferaft" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

[knewboater]

\"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

My liferaft will cost half of new to service, instead of buying new thought I would rent for next trip across English channel and not bother to buy one for coastal cruising, what do you all do ? I`d be very interested to know.
RGH

 

[bendyone]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

Buy a new one and put the old one on ebay, should break even.
Having one is nice but like any safety gear only needed if you have problems. thats the gamble. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[johnalison]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

It depends a bit on what you mean by "coastal cruising" and what seasons or weather you go out in. I would not criticise anyone for not having one, having sailed abroad with half a dinghy on deck for many years.

 

[Loginname]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

Coastal: No
Channel: Preferably
Further afield: Yes

 

[alan17]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

If ever you reach the time when you need to take to a liferaft you would hopefully survive to kick yourself for not having bought. They are expensive but so are most safety devices.

 

[David_Jersey]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

Only "Needed" if you sink / catch fire.

I would never recomend that anyone not have one.

Me on the other hand am always happy to do what I want.........

 

[Loginname]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

Of course, but I suspect that the vast majority of coastal cruisers and a large minority of channel cruisers don't have one.
We were asked what do people do, not what is ideal.

 

[Tranona]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

Don't know whether the search engine works, but about 3 months ago there was a long series of threads on this subject with over 300 posts. They displayed all shades of opinion. If you want to know whether liferafts are any good for your situation read the MAIB Leisure craft accident reports and form your own opinion.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

[ QUOTE ]
Of course, but I suspect that the vast majority of coastal cruisers and a large minority of channel cruisers don't have one.

[/ QUOTE ]I agree with much of the commentary above, but not sure I agree with that observation.... I think that a significant percentage of boats nowadays have a liferaft onboard.

 

[Loginname]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

The RYA booklet "Safety at Sea" (I think) also lists their recommendations. My copy is on the boat, so it's not much help mentioning it is it?
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Gludy]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

I would make sure you get a self righting one - if you ever need it there is a 50per cent chance a norrmal one will inflate upside down and they are not easy to right is a rough sea.
Viking ones are very good.

 

[Chrusty1]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Of course, but I suspect that the vast majority of coastal cruisers and a large minority of channel cruisers don't have one.

[/ QUOTE ]I agree with much of the commentary above, but not sure I agree with that observation.... I think that a significant percentage of boats nowadays have a liferaft onboard.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would think that a more than significant number do not.....they are too expensive to just sit on the deck as a bit of boaty bling, You will probably see more of them if you frequent the posher boaty areas, and Marinas.....but there are thousands of boats up and down the UK, that are not kept in Marinas, in fact I would venture to suggest, that there are more boats in the cheaper end of the price range where a life raft is not seen as top of the list when it comes to parting with ones hard earned.....From a safety point of view, people who are sailing on a tight budget, make different arrangements for their safety.

 

[homa]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

What I have done, my father before me and most of my sailing friends:

Coastal sailing - half inflated dinghy on deck, or towed dinghy astern.

Cross Channel - half inflated dinghy on deck or occasionally have hired a liferaft for the trip.

Now I have a young family my priorities have changed a bit, last year I bought a liferaft & fitted it on deck with a hydrostatic release.

 

[RivalRedwing]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

If you overnight sail along the coast then I think it becomes more important, likewise if you sail out of season. There have been a couple of instances in the last few years when a yacht has suddenly capsized or been severely holed and sunk at night due to striking a submerged / invisible object - one incident in the Thames and one to the south of the Isle of Wight as I recall. The Thames incident prompted me to go and buy one. If all you do is sail in crowded waters where rescue is close by then the need diminshes, likewise if you are prepared to tow a fully inflated dinghy

 

[alant]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

I would rent for next trip across English channel and not bother to buy one for coastal cruising, what do you all do ? I`d be very interested to know.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just think about it.

Is the English Channel deeper than the Bristol Channel?

Is the Bristol Channel deeper than the Solent?

Is the Solent deeper than the Serpentine?

Is the English Channel colder than the Bristol Channel?

Is the Bristol Channel colder than the Serpentine?


I only know that all 3 are a bloody sight deeper than I am tall, when on tiptoe to my statuesque height of 6' (ok I exagerate a bit).

I also know, that I wouldn't want to be swimming in any of them for hours at this time of year!

So YES, I'd prefer to have a liferaft, should the proverbial hit the fan!

Also, unless you are sailing SOLO, YOU are responsible for the lives & welfare of all the others on board.

You cannot order one from e-bay when you are up to your neck in cold deadly water, so consider the consequences, not the cost!

 

[michael_w]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

Depends on how much you sail. If you treat your boat as a country cottage and rarely head out to sea, a liferaft is an expense you can do without. Hiring will suffice for the annual holiday cruise.

If you use your boat lots and passage make on a regular basis, your needs will change. Even very close to home it might take an hour for you to be picked up should disaster happen. It's a long time to be treading water...

A chum thought it would be OK for him, his SWMBO and his three children, all under the age of six, to rely on the soggy dinghy. I'm pleased to say, I managed to beat some sense into him.

Offshore racing and you must have one on board anyhow.

When I sailed from the Hamble I decided that we'd have one onboard if we were headed out of The Solent. After a couple of races it was cost effective to go for long term hire.

Then I bought one for our Atlantic circuit as we were away for two years.

On my current boat, a cheapo liferaft came with the inventory. This will do us for the next year or two in the North Sea. When SWMBO and I head off in a year or two a new SOLAS raft is on the shopping list.

Sorry for waffling on.

 

[homa]

exposure

Something to consider....

Of the MOB in the N.Sea, I suspect more deaths have been caused by exposure rather than drowning.

So for that reason alone I would consider an enclosed liferaft to be better than an open dinghy.

Just a thought.......

 

[Tranona]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

Do you have details of the incident in the Thames? have not come across that one. The capsized yachts were both extreme racing machines where the keels fell off. Not representative of typical cruisers, although good lessons to be learned from the "Hooligan" incident - well covered in the press.

 

[Chrusty1]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

I just had a look at your Bio......and yes, I can see why you think as you do.....

I think though, that you are ignoring the fact that a lot of people just simply cannot afford a liferaft, and make do with other arrangements.

We see this a lot on these forums, and it's understandable enough I suppose, because it's probably the case that most contributors are shall we say fairly comfortably off? This being the case, I think it's understandable that they don't relate to the needs and financial constraints of thousands of sailors in the UK..........£500 ish, for a 4 man liferaft is about half or a third of the value of some peoples boats. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RivalRedwing]

Re: \"Liferaft\" is it needed for coastal cruising in UK

both incidents involved cruising yachts (not Hooligan); both reported in YM, neither due to a keel falling off, afraid I cannot recall when but trust me I'm not making it up.