Liferaft service costs....

[NotBirdseye]

Have you actually read the document you quote?

This database lists MCA accepted (UK approved) service stations of SOLAS Standard Inflatable LSA. The list of products for which the station is authorised to service is only indicative and may change between annual MCA inspections. It’s the responsibility of the vessel owner / operator to ensure that SOLAS Inflatable LSA is serviced at a competent, approved servicing station which:- - is authorised to service the particular product make/type, - is accepted by the MCA which demonstrates compliance with IMO Res. A.761(18) to maintain proper servicing facilities, - uses only properly trained personnel (evidence of personnel authorisation certification by the original Equipment Manufacturer). The operation and maintenance manual will also include a list of authorised service station where the ship operator can request relevant services. Further details are contained in MGN 548 available by searching in www.gov.uk

ISO 9650 also states -

A liferaft manufactured and maintained in accordance with this part of ISO 9650 should provide:

• — a reasonable service lifetime, provided a user meets a manufacturer’s clearly specified recommendations on stowage and maintenance.

Yet the sale of goods act remain in force and at no point does it require the individual to have their liferaft maintained by the original manufacturer or their agents. A competent, approved service station means one that has the relevant training and experience to deal with such a liferaft. Check with the service station that they are competent and authorized to maintain lifeboats and you're golden.

In short, if you want to be scammed you are welcome to do so.

If they pay a penie or two pence more for the reddinesse of them..let them looke to that, a foole and his money is soone parted.

The renting idea is a good one if you only need for a short duration. I suppose it's your own risk any other time.

 

[ithet]

Thanks all. It seems that £500 is a top end cost and is what Ocean Safety is charging. It seems there are cheaper alternatives around the £350 mark. I will be more careful where I send it next time.

But it all depends what the cost was for, do you have a breakdown? If was a lot of kit that had to be replaced because it was going out of date prior to next service, then much could be added to the "service" estimate. I had my Plastimo Cruiser downgraded to the lowest spec, so minimum equipment was replaced (i.e. no flares, these are in grab bag) which saved much of the service cost. Universal safety did this, issuing a Plastimo approved certificate for the new spec.

 

[Lightwave395]

But it all depends what the cost was for, do you have a breakdown? If was a lot of kit that had to be replaced because it was going out of date prior to next service, then much could be added to the "service" estimate. I had my Plastimo Cruiser downgraded to the lowest spec, so minimum equipment was replaced (i.e. no flares, these are in grab bag) which saved much of the service cost. Universal safety did this, issuing a Plastimo approved certificate for the new spec.

This was my invoice, also from Universal:

 

[Tamar]

Thanks all. It seems that £500 is a top end cost and is what Ocean Safety is charging. It seems there are cheaper alternatives around the £350 mark. I will be more careful where I send it next time.

I hire mine, 10 man £350 pa from norwest marine. They just change it when it needs servicing

 

[grandpaboat]

I have a 6 man Avon which has on recent occasions been serviced by Ocean Safety.
Although I don't recall the costs and I'm locked down 2,000 miles away from the invoices. However as the raft is now over 20 years old they would only certify it for 2 year's from it's last service.
Now I'm going out on a limb here and will put my hard hat on as soon as I post.
I used to service it myself for a number of years and intend to revert to that regime.
The process being to carefully unpack photographing each stage so that I can repack in the same manner. Inflate with a foot pump and leave for 24 Hours to ensure no air loss. Replace time expired items such as flares batteries etc. Weigh the CO2 cylinder to check for gas loss. Carefully repack sealing up the inner bag with gaffer tape instead of the welded seam.
Do not be tempted to inflate using the CO2 as this is quite aggressive and will shorten the life of the raft.
I guess it's a bit like packing one's own parachute. It also has the added benefit of allowing the crew to become familiar with the inflated raft and contents when they sit in it in the living room.
So far as I know this is all legal in the UK so long as you aren't carrying fair paying passenger's. I would also add that you should also feel that you are capable and confident to do it.
As a post note:
I once recall seeing a brand new MES slide explode when being demonstrated on a passenger vessel because it had been incorrectly packed.

 

[magicol]

Ocean Safety in Greenock have just completed a service on my standard 4 man life raft. It was 6 months overdue. The cost was about £350. It’s not cheap but it gives me some peace of mind.

 

[Kwik Decision]

Can you recommend an particular company for rental? PM me Sandy if you prefer!

I rent life rafts from Suffolk Marine Safety, as a commercial operator of coded boats, but they rent to private individuals as well. Excellent service at reasonable prices.

 

[[2574]]

Ocean Safety in Greenock have just completed a service on my standard 4 man life raft. It was 6 months overdue. The cost was about £350. It’s not cheap but it gives me some peace of mind.

Interesting as I too used OS Greenock for my 4 man raft also 6 months overdue - £550 or thereabouts.

 

[dunedin]

Interesting as I too used OS Greenock for my 4 man raft also 6 months overdue - £550 or thereabouts.

Which version of raft did you have? A lot of the service cost is often for the contents. If you have the “over 24 hour” version then more sundries get replaced and the costs goes up. I recently sold a 6 man over 24 hour liferaft and replaced with a 4 man under 24 hour as better suited our usual crew, and saved service costs.
If doing ARC or coded offshore race, would add the extra over 24 hour stuff in a separate grab bag

 

[Daedelus]

I had a Viking 4 man rescyou and although it wasn't up there with £500 it wasn't far off.

However, it is fairly labour intensive as they inflate it, leave it check the seams etc etc. vacuum it pack it up again and put in new everything.

It is possible that as everything has to have a minimum life of 3 years (if that's the service interval) then it has to be new so there wouldn't be advantage in bulk buying.

I went to get a hydrostatic release and went to a well-known chandlery on the Hamble and found it was about £10-£15 more expensive than Viking. However, I didn't want to go right down to Hamble village if I could help being short of time so thought I would take the hit until I read the expiry date and instead of 2 years (IIRC) it had 6 months left. I suggested a massive discount but they would only offer 10% so went to Viking after all where I got one which had a full 2 years life - and was a lot cheaper!

 

[Graham376]

May have been even cheaper for one with 3 year life. - Seamate Hydrostatic Release Unit for liferafts, 3 year life

 

[Beneteau381]

Plastimo liferafts generally have a 3 year service interval. Did you exceed that, and perhaps incur extra costs?

Ive been doing an article on them, and if you do the math, for a Seago, over its 18 year life, it’s cheaper to buy a new one every 3 years!

 

[NotBirdseye]

Linky?

 

[pvb]

Ive been doing an article on them, and if you do the math, for a Seago, over its 18 year life, it’s cheaper to buy a new one every 3 years!

Interesting. So it's cheaper to buy a new Seago every 3 years than pay for servicing? As a Seago costs say £700, how much does Seago servicing cost??

 

[Graham376]

Ive been doing an article on them, and if you do the math, for a Seago, over its 18 year life, it’s cheaper to buy a new one every 3 years!

How do you work that out? Spending £700 - £800 at 3 years old and again 3 years later must be a hell of a lot more expensive than servicing. If it drops to annual servicing a few years later then it may be cheaper to replace then.

 

[Beneteau381]

Interesting. So it's cheaper to buy a new Seago every 3 years than pay for servicing? As a Seago costs say £700, how much does Seago servicing cost??

Seago have a fixed service cost every 3 years to 9 years, bottle test at 7 years, Then every year plus fixed delivery cost every time to service centre, then it goes to yearly service.
Seago Servicing - Seago
So roughly, total cost over 18 years, £4575, 5 new liferaft every 3 years at approx £650 is £3250 Plus some daft bugger on Ebay will give 2-300 pounds for a 3 year old one!

 

[awol]

As my liferaft has reached 12 years - ~£1200 new + 3 services @ ~£320 = £2160 and still worth ~£200 on Ebay, I do not see your logic. Entering into the yearly service until 18 years old ~£300 x 6, I agree makes no sense when a new raft + 1 service is cheaper.
The DIY service option has a lot to commend it.

 

[pvb]

Seago have a fixed service cost every 3 years to 9 years, bottle test at 7 years, Then every year plus fixed delivery cost every time to service centre, then it goes to yearly service.
Seago Servicing - Seago
So roughly, total cost over 18 years, £4575, 5 new liferaft every 3 years at approx £650 is £3250 Plus some daft bugger on Ebay will give 2-300 pounds for a 3 year old one!

That's a rather improbable scenario; nobody in their right mind is going to pay for yearly servicing! Just buy a new one immediately before its first annual service is needed.

 

[grandpaboat]

As my sailing is UK coastal at the present time, well at least it will be when sailing resumes, I plan on going the DIY route.

 

[awol]

That's a rather improbable scenario; nobody in their right mind is going to pay for yearly servicing! Just buy a new one immediately before its first annual service is needed.

Scenario for yearly servicing after 12 years - boat sell in next 4 years and cheaper than hiring. With my 12 year old raft I think I've gone through every combination of buying, servicing, renting. If I could only retrieve the thing I'd be passing my lock-down time trying to service it - after all I would have nothing to lose - but it is 70 miles away and it's a bit heavy to carry on my daily cycle ride.