Liferaft size

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classic jenny

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We have a 33ft yacht that can accomodate upto 7 people. As we will be looking to go long distance cruising possibly upto 6/8 weeks away at sea but it will only be the two of us do I get a larger liferaft as there is more supplies should we need it or with the possibility of friends on board for day outings a smaller one to save weight and room.
 
Is there a legal requirement in your country of registration?
My boat is 32 ft long and has 6 berths. However, since she was then registered under the Italian flag there was an obligation to carry a liferaft that could take ALL the persons who could be on board, which meant 8 persons, calculated as 6 in the berths + 2 in the cockpit.
Now I could hardly lift the raft off the ground, let alone deploy it. Worse still, I usually sail alone and I only weight 70 kilos, which means that there is no way that I could right it in the event of being blown over! Fortunately, my present register does not have that absurd requirement.
I would suggest that, in your case, a 4-person raft would be sensible. Should you have more people on board you could always rent an additional raft. Re the supplies on board, although there have been several stories about survivors being on a raft for several weeks, modern technology helps towards rescue within a couple of days in most cases. Invest in an EPIRB.
 
Get what you need for the oceans you plan to cross - if you are in say the western approaches I for one wouldn't want to be tossed around in a life raft meant for six or eight when there are only two. However in calmer/ warmer waters with far further/longer potential distance before reaching land I think I'd prefer more space. We've cruised from UK to the western Pacific with a six man raft for just the two of us.

More important is whether or not it can be serviced... Ours is now over a year out of date. Lots of crossed fingers that we never need it or that it works if we ever do.
 
If there are no legal constraints (as in the UK) then it is your choice. If you are going offshore with just the two of you then it makes sense to consider a high spec offshore raft for 4 people plus a grab bag for anything you think you may need that is not in the raft. A six man is extremely heavy and the general view is that an oversize raft is less usable in extremes.

The chances of needing a raft in coastal sailing are just about zero, so having more than 4 people on board for short passages does not justify having a larger raft. if you cruise long distances with 4 (bit if a squeeze on a 33'!) then a 6 man might make sense.
 
We carry a 4 person raft on a 7 berth boat as we sail 99% of the time just 2 up. If visitors are on board we are just coastal and a 4 person raft would hold 6 anyway for a short very cramped period.

Edit - Before buying a raft, check on service agents in the areas you will be sailing. Some rafts do not have "official" service agents in some countries and warranty requires you to use one. Postage abroad + service charge = new raft.
 
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Thanks for the replies. Yes an EPIRB is on the list. We plan to sail from U.K. Through the Panama Canal and onwards so will probably go the 4 man with extras in the grab bag.
 
I have a 35ft boat theoretically it sleeps 7. if raced crew might be 8 or 9.

I bought a 6 man life raft. instead of 4 man but I have a wife and three kids. And didn't like the idea of drawing straws

Now its quite simple. Max No people 6.

So for you what's the Max capacity you are happy with, 4 or 6.
 
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If you are crossing oceans you could be in the life raft for more than just a few hours. 4 man rafts are small inside and very difficult to lay down in, even for two. Try one out by laying down to sleep in one ashore. For 2 of us going RTW we went for a 6man ISO raft, self righting from Viking. They supply commercial rafts and have world-wide service stations.
ISO spec has improved the water ballasting so not nearly so unstable lightly loaded as for older models.
Sailorgirl is correct.
 
After doing a few sea survival courses for work I would ask wether I could even get into one. I'm fit but always hope that there is a young fit bloke to get in first and give me a pull up. If the bigger ones float higher then they are just expensive junk.
 
Chalker said:
If you are crossing oceans you could be in the life raft for more than just a few hours. 4 man rafts are small inside and very difficult to lay down in, even for two. Try one out by laying down to sleep in one ashore. For 2 of us going RTW we went for a 6man ISO raft, self righting from Viking. They supply commercial rafts and have world-wide service stations.
ISO spec has improved the water ballasting so not nearly so unstable lightly loaded as for older models.
Sailorgirl is correct.
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Bunk beds?
Liferafts are designed based on volume required per person rather than square feet or metres. You can forget lying down to
sleep if the raft is fully occupied. Good luck with trying to sleep in one ashore before buying.
The Ocean Safety ISO raft has water pockets that exceed the minimum required by the ISO standard by 27% A six man raft will be stable with two people in it without any problem.
 
I read that a smaller life raft is better than a bigger one. So for you that would make a 4 person or even a 3 person the best bet in EU waters. Else where, and local laws as mentioned will alter this.
 
Boathook said:
I read that a smaller life raft is better than a bigger one. So for you that would make a 4 person or even a 3 person the best bet in EU waters. Else where, and local laws as mentioned will alter this.
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"Local laws" are irrelevant as it is the state of registration of the boat that determines what equipment (if any) a boat carries. If the boat is British there are no legal requirements, so the OP should choose what s/he thinks is most appropriate. There is plenty of information available to make an informed decision - not least a recent article on the subject in YM.
 
Tranona said:
"Local laws" are irrelevant as it is the state of registration of the boat that determines what equipment (if any) a boat carries.
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Provided the vessel is on innocent passage that's correct but, once sailing in someone else's territory then they can (as technically is the case with boats in Portugal >6 months) insist on their equipment levels if they wish, Fortunately, most don't.
 
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