Liferaft service - how difficult can it be?
- Thread starter makingplansfor
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nigelmercier
RIP
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- 20 Jun 2007
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- Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
I had no idea that the cylinder was so big. Looks simple enough, I've even got a heat-sealer!
I think that if you shot a video, or took loads of pictures, you could figure out where everything went.
I think that if you shot a video, or took loads of pictures, you could figure out where everything went.
Rossynant
Well-Known Member
It's easy, at least for someone who services his boat 
One tip - never inflate a raft with it's bottle of CO2, freezing this rubber does it no good, it may crack on inflating ... interesting fact
Another - do not believe "professional service" much; once we tried a raft, not so old and serviced previous year, so legal: did not inflate properly, and what air it got was lost soon. Corroded valves on bottle - probably those cannot be tested actually, but perhaps taking a look would be enough - obviously no-one bothered... Taken from passenger craft, serviced by dealers previous season... There is a reason for requirement, SOLAS I guess, that actual inflating of raft be made at 10 years or so age (not that I can recall, long ago anyway).
Problem may be with buying the stuff to replace, though most of originals are carp really so perhaps using something better would be an idea. I was told replacement of water and food rations, batteries, even flares, is not really necessary, as they will last long time. Imho best idea seems to replace and leave originals as extra.
Another problem could be folding it back to the same size ... (indeed making pictures would help).
PS what is done: http://l-36.com/manuals/Triad-Marine---Liferaft-Servicing.pdf
and something more of interest... http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/ss-cd-procedures-mca-929.htm
One tip - never inflate a raft with it's bottle of CO2, freezing this rubber does it no good, it may crack on inflating ... interesting fact
Another - do not believe "professional service" much; once we tried a raft, not so old and serviced previous year, so legal: did not inflate properly, and what air it got was lost soon. Corroded valves on bottle - probably those cannot be tested actually, but perhaps taking a look would be enough - obviously no-one bothered... Taken from passenger craft, serviced by dealers previous season... There is a reason for requirement, SOLAS I guess, that actual inflating of raft be made at 10 years or so age (not that I can recall, long ago anyway).
Problem may be with buying the stuff to replace, though most of originals are carp really so perhaps using something better would be an idea. I was told replacement of water and food rations, batteries, even flares, is not really necessary, as they will last long time. Imho best idea seems to replace and leave originals as extra.
Another problem could be folding it back to the same size ... (indeed making pictures would help).
PS what is done: http://l-36.com/manuals/Triad-Marine---Liferaft-Servicing.pdf
and something more of interest... http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/ss-cd-procedures-mca-929.htm
Last edited:
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Where would you get a replacement cylinder if you needed one?
Rossynant
Well-Known Member
Well... tricky, ain't it? You're not supposed to do this. Why, would you want industry to lose profits from wealthy yachtsmen?
makingplansfor
Well-Known Member
I posed the question "how difficult can it be" well I can now report that if you are a complete moron it can be very difficult!!!
As the weather frustrated my plans this weekend I set about sorting the liferaft in the conservatory where the wife and cat were dozing. Things went well as I opened the valise, undid the painter, disconnected and removed the bottle. The problems started when the bottle operating head was not the same as the one on you tube.......... Much searching on google didn't reveal how this parted from the bottle but how difficult could it be? I found a plastic locking ring and carefully removed it and gave it a little twist, boom, 2kg of CO2 discharged in about 5 seconds - cue cat and wife to rebound off the ceiling and a few choice words, some of which I didn't know she knew!
So.........
Anyone know if these bottles can be recharged and whether the operating head (a Thanner DK88) can be rearmed?
As the weather frustrated my plans this weekend I set about sorting the liferaft in the conservatory where the wife and cat were dozing. Things went well as I opened the valise, undid the painter, disconnected and removed the bottle. The problems started when the bottle operating head was not the same as the one on you tube.......... Much searching on google didn't reveal how this parted from the bottle but how difficult could it be? I found a plastic locking ring and carefully removed it and gave it a little twist, boom, 2kg of CO2 discharged in about 5 seconds - cue cat and wife to rebound off the ceiling and a few choice words, some of which I didn't know she knew!
So.........
Anyone know if these bottles can be recharged and whether the operating head (a Thanner DK88) can be rearmed?
David2452
Well-Known Member
Ours is away for service at the moment, like antifoulig and hull polishing, its not a job I want to involve myself in, no matter how easy it looks on Youtube.
snooks
Well-Known Member
If only Peyton was still doing cartoons.....
As a side note I went around Plastimo's factory once, they have a vacuum pump to get all the air out and a hydraulic press to get the life raft into the shape of it's canister.
AndyJ76
Well-Known Member
Thanner sell a DK88 reset tool here: http://www.thanner.dk/Tools-_Accessories_and_General_spares-25.aspx
So, it would seem that they can be rearmed.
I probably would have left the bottle alone once detached. Worst case scenario is that it ends up discharging, but at least it wouldn't be because I was fiddling with it. (hindsight and all that)
cryan
Well-Known Member
This made me chuckle, I have a vision of the cat and wife being squished against the conservatory windows,
Give the makers a call but tell them that it went off in storage(to avoid the laughing down the phone) they might worry that its a fault with their product and have it serviced free of charge. Sound angry when you phone.
You Tube makes everything look easy!
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
Had!
makingplansfor
Well-Known Member
Liking your style cryan although I can only see much humble pie being eaten as I cannot deflate the bloody thing now. A big bag of limp plastic off to one of the service companies me thinks.......
cryan
Well-Known Member
I have seen several RFD training videos over the years and they used big vacuum pumps to suck all the air out before repacking. I'm guessing the You Tube video missed that part out.
. Ah well at least you've got a great story to tell down the yacht club/pub.
contessaman
Well-Known Member
this is amazing. I havent laughed so much for ages. why in heavens sake didnt you film it?! we'd all happily pay a few quid to watch your conservatory folly then you could have used the resultant to pay for a proper service. Thing is, there is genious in what you have done. I have always resented handing over a white box. then paying a few hundred quid to get the same back not looking much different. you on the otherhand will have no regrets paying for them to put it all back together! you are my new hero!
westernman
Well-Known Member
The foot pump for my tender can be made to suck. You could try doing that to suck the air out before folding again.
rotrax
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the link to the U-TUBE video. We inherited an almost new "Revere" Coastal Commander 6 man life raft with our boat. It is now out of service and no one in the UK wants to do it. I was thinking if doing it myself as it is a fairly expensive bit of kit. Its too good to chuck away and replace with what could be an inferior product.
makingplansfor
Well-Known Member
I think you need to read the thread all the way through - you will note that the video is made by a liferaft service company - I now know why!!!!! If you do proceed - take contessaman's advice and film it!!!
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Have you asked premium liferafts at burnham on crouch
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
First time our liferaft was serviced the wife asked of she could go along & see it inflated.
She took a video of the event & we now know what it looks like before we need to use it which we feel was useful
She took a video of the event & we now know what it looks like before we need to use it which we feel was useful
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Presumably if the cylinder is empty or needs refilling one could take it to a diving centre & have it refilled if the connection is a standard one.
Anybody into diving know if that is possible??
Alternatively there is a company that refills bottles somewhere in Basildon
( i know because premium liferafts told me they take their bottles to a place in Basildon)
Anybody into diving know if that is possible??
Alternatively there is a company that refills bottles somewhere in Basildon
( i know because premium liferafts told me they take their bottles to a place in Basildon)
