Liferaft or use the dinghy?

[Vagabond]

If you have a rubber dinghy then why not get a cover made and some sea anchors and use that rather than carry a liferaft as well.

What do you think?

Assuming that the dinghy is inflated all the time.

 

[dulcibella]

Belt and braces - we use a Tinker Tramp with the liferaft accessories but have a conventional raft in reserve.

 

[Sans Bateau]

We dont carry a liferaft, the only time we are likely to have to abandon ship would be in the event of fire. I have done everything I can to address that circumstance.

If we did have to leave the boat it would be in the dinghy.

 

[Scarboroughsloop]

Depends on what type of sailing you do. Does your dinghy have any special stability adaptations?

 

[tome]

[ QUOTE ]
the only time we are likely to have to abandon ship would be in the event of fire

[/ QUOTE ]

Collision?

 

[Vagabond]

"special stability adaptations?" No, but I can make some like the Liferafts have.

I'm sailing to Croatia this Spring in a Prout 37 Cat. The Cat has positive buoyancy and it's collision/fire that are the risks. Even collision there should be some large bits afloat that would be better to stay with rather than take to a liferaft.

So the question is do I need a liferaft or can I adapt the dinghy?

 

[tome]

Would hate to be stuck in a dinghy, liferafts are bad enough!

 

[Helina]

Hi,
I sailed my Outremer 40 catamaran last spring from US to Finland and I had same arguments and hesitation as you have. At the end I sailed with a liferaft.

 

[fluffc]

I understand that Tinker have stopped manufacturing their liferaft adaptated models as they couldn't pass the EC regs?

Sounds like you just can't have a satisfactory dinghy and liferaft all in one.

 

[Sans Bateau]

[ QUOTE ]
Collision?

[/ QUOTE ]

I suspect this to be a troll, but just in case.

ETAP Web site

Even with 'ordinary' boats its always better to stay with the yacht until the last minute.

 

[Sans Bateau]

[ QUOTE ]
Even collision there should be some large bits afloat that would be better to stay with rather than take to a liferaft.

[/ QUOTE ]

Whos to say that the liferaft wouldnt be damaged beyond use in a collison that caused the boat to break up?

 

[Goodge]

When sailing on my friends cat we used to sail long distances with the dinghy inflated.

Unfortunately the best place to store it was on the the trampoline, which was a shame as it got in the way.

He has now sailed to Kefalonia and for the trip he bought a life raft as having the inflated dinghy on deck for the entire voyage would have been a pain.

 

[Bajansailor]

When we go off sailing transatlantic in 2008 I shall have 4 dinghies on board - two homebuilt 2 part nesting fibreglass dinghies, a small 6' inflatable Wetline dink (kept inflated on deck), and an old Avon Redcrest (deflated). We do not have a liferaft, and I am not planning on getting one - I would prefer to have faith in my dinghies that are known entities.

The smaller (7'6", 4' nested) GRP dink will stow on the foredeck, while the larger (11', 6' nested) will stow upside down on the main cabin roof over the companionway, with the 6' inflatable forward of it.

James Baldwin has an excellent website about his sailboat Atom - here is a link to what he has done to the boat in an effort to make her as unsinkable as possible - http://www.atomvoyages.com/projects/UnsinkableBoat.htm

Lots of very good voyaging info here!

 

[Vagabond]

Must admit I'm going down the dinghy only route.

I can keep it easily on the aft deck.

That and plenty of auto fire extinguishers

 

[tome]

"You will never need to abandon ship; you can calmly tackle any technical problems and sail safely to the nearest port..."

Sorry, but with the boat sliced in half you'd wish you had a liferaft even if the various bits do stay afloat. Not a troll, just an opinion

 

[bigwow]

Even if my boat was "sliced in half" I would be left with what most people start with. Being foam sandwich every piece floats. I don't have, or intend to get, a liferaft.

 

[tome]

Fair enough, that's your choice. I'm a bit of a coward when it comes to sailing long distances

 

[trouville]

Next time is howling with huge waves try launching a dingy!!Its all but impossiable it just flys away even a ridiged one! First you have to get it on the water then it sticks but getting in its another matter!

Even a life rafts not easy to get in it depends as well whats happend if your laying beam to without a mast the hull may be rolling a bit?

Finger crossed you dont have to leave the boat!!I thought i would wiat untill the the last moment when it clear the boat will sink then as the water rises the boat stabalises?? Jump in the water attached to a line from the life raftand climb in??

A dingy?? Perhaps a bosten whaler type would do??But a rubber dingy????UmmmOn a nice calm day perhaps

 

[Sans Bateau]

OK, good point and I don't want to trivialise your valid comment, but, even with a life raft on board, if your boat is sliced in half, would you or your crew be in any condition to deploy or board a liferaft? Such an impact would surely render all unconscious?

Better not to get into a close quarter situation that could develop into such a catastrophe. Having a liferaft itself is no guarantee, ask Philip Watson who's Hanse Megawat sank in the Irish sea, his Zodiac life raft failed to inflate.

 

[franky]

When my friends Moody 47,Wahkunha,was sliced by the container ship the forward 10m sank immediatly,the mast and rigging came down and covered the reamining forward area so even if they had a dinghy or raft there it would have been unusable,they launched the liferaft which was transom mounted and the crew of five spent the next five hours praying that they wouyld not be run down by another vessel.Fortunately they were all rescued.
Definitely a canister liferaft transom mounted for me.