Liferaft or use the dinghy?

Thank you Michael for this advice - must admit that I have heard similar stories elsewhere..... I will perhaps try and get it serviced in Martinique, although I suspect that it probably should be condemned now - it has been in storage in the cellar for the past 8 years......
 
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I suspect that it probably should be condemned now - it has been in storage in the cellar for the past 8 years......

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Oh! Please dont use it! Throw it away and buy a new one.
 
Isn't the point of a liferaft being that it's round and so will be more able to ride out the storm? I considered rigging my porta-bote with a brolly but after much research on the topic, decided instead to go for a raft.
 
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the only time we are likely to have to abandon ship would be in the event of fire

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What if your boat is disabled (dismasted + engine out in sympathty) and you have an injured or sick person requiring evacuation to a neighbouring vessel in stormy conditions?
 
There are various reasons a proper raft is better than a dinghy-

- It has a canopy so you are protected from the elements, also in the event of a capsize you don't immediately lose your posessions and crew into the water

- It has provision for boarding from the water without tipping it over.

- The ballast pockets underneath reduce the risk of capsize (though it will still happen in big breaking seas

No dinghy I have ever owned was stable enough for me to want to be in it in a F6, let alone F9+

I would never consider crossing an ocean without a raft, even though I sail a multi and would expect to stay with the boat following a capsize.
 
Good point. One of the main reasons we have ours on the pushpit is so that if I went overboard, SWMBO could get the back to me one way or another. Then if there is any difficulty geting back on board, eg rough sea or injury, she could simply launch the raft and I might stand a better chance of getting into that for respite.

Then we could take a little more time to work out how to deal with the situation.
 
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Liferaft design now is much better than the stuff they had in 79


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Tome
It was BECAUSE of the Fastnet race that L/rafts were redesigned.

I find this post unbelievable, we have posters saying if the rigging fell down over the L/raft - or what if I was hit on the stern and had a transom mounted L/raft etc.

Maybe we should rename this post "Friday Funny"

We can all make up the end of the world doom and gloom scenarios where a L/raft wouldn't work or a tender would be useless. As for unsinkable boats being run down - lets just hope that the crew of this unsinkable boat don't actually see the ship that's about to run them down because I'd bet a pound to a pinch of pig shite that they wouldn't be able to resist the urge to jump overboard before the impending collision.

There is of course the situation where the mast comes down in a blow and crushes the 6 dinghies you have lashed on deck but never mind the 7th is still OK on the transom, unfortunately at the very point of going for it - lightening strikes it and melts into a large lump of rubber/grp!

Tenders are made for getting from the shore to your boat or visa versa - they can be cobbled into a L/raft of sorts but nobody/company can make one that's "approved" for use as a L/raft.

L/rafts are made "for purpose" and a large amount of time and technology goes into the manufacturing of them so that they can support a crew (for days, even weeks if necessary) in bad conditions and be seen by rescue services.

Tenders will "flip" over in a blow far quicker than a L/raft and in our part of the world holding on to a tender whilst you're in the water may keep you afloat but isn't necessarily a good idea.

I'm not going to criticize anyone that wants to use a tender as a L/raft - it's their choice, but please don't try and convince me that they are better than a purpose built L/raft and then try to justify that with wild mad-cap scenario's about being run down or the mast falling over!!!!!

Peter.
 
Yes the poor performance does concern me that why when I needed an 8 man I went for 2 x 4man liferafts.

You should not let what may be abnormal circumstances overide common sense.

If you look at any footage of the fastnet race or syndney hobart race and if you abandoned ship in those conditions your only chance would be a liferaft not a dinghy.
 
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lets just hope that the crew of this unsinkable boat don't actually see the ship that's about to run them down because I'd bet a pound to a pinch of pig shite that they wouldn't be able to resist the urge to jump overboard before the impending collision.

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....and those with a boat that relies on a liferaft, will their crew stay put? "It'll be OK the liferaft will save us".

....and if you have time to deploy the liferaft, you have time to get out of the way.

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I find this post unbelievable, we have posters saying if the rigging fell down over the L/raft - or what if I was hit on the stern and had a transom mounted L/raft etc.

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It had been suggested that the safest place to keep a liferaft is on the pushpit, its true this MAY be the case. Because in a particular incident the rigging had fallen forward, does rigging always fall forward? What happens when the forestay goes? Are you not likely to be turning to run in the same direction as the impacting vessal, turning to run to limit collision speed, but exposing the stern?

I do not dispute the safety benifit of a life raft over a dinghy. I have considered carrying a life raft incase of the event of fire. But no one can be 100% certain that their life raft will inflate properly when needed, I pray that no one is ever faced with that situation. But what I do say is that when in my boat I am surrounded by a safety device that is more reliable than a life raft, because it does not rely on inflation and has been working well for that last 13 years.

If a boat was hit by a bulk carrier, oil tanker, ferry etc, causing catostrophic damage, then it would make no difference what type of boat it was or if it was using a dozen life rafts or dinghies or if it were an Etap, as the crew would most likely be killed in the impact or thrown into the water to perish.

We hear all the experts tell us to stay with a stricken boat as long as you can, with my boat I have very good reason to stay with it. Dont knock it.
 
You are right - no one can be 100% sure that their liferaft will inflate. However, in a force 9+ can you be 100% sure a dinghy won't flip and blow away? To be honest, can you be 100% sure of anything? If the brown stuff did hit the spinny thing would rather chance a liferaft designed for the purpose than a modified dinghy. A futher thought, would you test a modified dinghy in the conditions you are liable to use it in?

A further consideration I would have is that although an Etap is unsinkable, surely the vessel will be swamped with no shelter for the crew fom the sea. Sure you can clip on to avoid being swept off, but that wouldnt really help with hypothermia would it......
 
Well said indeed. I can hardly believe that people could even think of using a tender instead of a liferaft, even though the latter is hardly the most enjoyable craft afloat. I suggest all the doubters sign themselves up for a survival course, where they will see video and first hand accounts that will totally convince them. One that sticks in my mind shows an 8-man liferaft rolling down the front of enormous waves. The occupants survived. Try that in your 2.3 metre tender.

Apart from stability issues, the most important reason for having a raft is resistance to hypothermia. Again, a video on a course I did showed an incident in the 1960s or 70s in which about 4 or 5 of a ship's crew managed to get into a liferaft before their vessel sank. Their canopy was damaged, the raft was half full of water and they all died, despite being afloat.
 
I have no fear of our boat sinking except following a serious impact or collision. My main worries are fire/explosion

Often wonder if "Unsinkable" is a clever marketing ruse to capture those with an over-fertile imagination?

Even if our boat were "unsinkable" I would still want a raft. After all, you couldn't take shelter below with all that water in the boat (perhaps batteries submerged and gassing away) so it's not providing much refuge as you huddle in the cockpit
 
Ok,

I just asked the Question as I have an Unsinkable boat and am heading for the Med.

Do I really need a liferaft or will the tender do considering the risks

thanks for all the advise.

I'll not be getting a liferaft, If I stop posting you'll know why .... it was the wrong decision!
 
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If the brown stuff did hit the spinny thing would rather chance a liferaft designed for the purpose than a modified dinghy. A futher thought, would you test a modified dinghy in the conditions you are liable to use it in?

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I agree with you I have never said that a dinghy should replace a life raft.
 
Just to add...

the thinking is that if it's a storm that wrecks us we'll be staying with the boat, and if it's fire (precautions being over engineered via LIBS) it's unlikely to be in storm where the dinghy is unsuitable. I'll get a cover and water anchors for the dinghy.
 
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Often wonder if "Unsinkable" is a clever marketing ruse to capture those with an over-fertile imagination?

Even if our boat were "unsinkable" I would still want a raft. After all, you couldn't take shelter below with all that water in the boat (perhaps batteries submerged and gassing away) so it's not providing much refuge as you huddle in the cockpit

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We are not talking Sadler type unsinkable, take a look.


Etap Yachts
 
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