Liferaft stowage, Beneteau 40.7

[Twister_Ken]

Spotted a 40.7 (like Cheeky Rafiki) parked, so thought I'd take a look at the liferaft arrangement.

This is also a 12 man raft. Stowage looks entirely sensible to my eyes, and even in abnormal conditions you'd have thought it was accessible, so whatever happened to CR must have been very sudden and incapacitating. Only thing, if it was fitted with a Hamar type release, is maybe it tried to float free but was trapped by the helm seat, so couldn't self launch.

 

[Shorn100]

HRU is designed to operate when it gets to a depth of 4 metres. Since the boat had not sunk it would not have released the raft. All this, of course assumes that an HRU was fitted.
Shorn

 

[prv]

All this, of course assumes that an HRU was fitted.

I believe they're mandatory on charter / school boats, aren't they?

But as you say, irrelevant if the boat doesn't actually sink.

Pete

 

[Twister_Ken]

HRU is designed to operate when it gets to a depth of 4 metres. Since the boat had not sunk it would not have released the raft. All this, of course assumes that an HRU was fitted.
Shorn

I think you might have spotted a fatal flaw. Can we expect SOLAS (or MCA) to amend the spec?

 

[sailorman]

Spotted a 40.7 (like Cheeky Rafiki) parked, so thought I'd take a look at the liferaft arrangement.

This is also a 12 man raft. Stowage looks entirely sensible to my eyes, and even in abnormal conditions you'd have thought it was accessible, so whatever happened to CR must have been very sudden and incapacitating. Only thing, if it was fitted with a Hamar type release, is maybe it tried to float free but was trapped by the helm seat, so couldn't self launch.

My Oyster 37 is very similar but no hydro release

 

[Elessar]

I believe they're mandatory on charter / school boats, aren't they?

But as you say, irrelevant if the boat doesn't actually sink.

Pete

No hydro release needed if raft in dedicated locker on mine. Ocean code may be different.

 

[onesea]

I think you might have spotted a fatal flaw. Can we expect SOLAS (or MCA) to amend the spec?

I doubt it yuou could end up with the life jacket thing of it going off when you do not want it to...

 

[burgundyben]

SO to deploy the life raft that helm seat has to be removed? How is it fixed to the boat? Some catches or do I spy a pull out pin?

It looks to me that even when the helm seat has been removed, the cannister is inside the backstay?

 

[prv]

SO to deploy the life raft that helm seat has to be removed? How is it fixed to the boat? Some catches or do I spy a pull out pin?

I've been on a similar boat where it just lifted off vertically. The "pin" you can see is actually a plunger catch for the adjacent locker (think it's the gas locker) in the port quarter.

Pete

 

[snooks]

SO to deploy the life raft that helm seat has to be removed? How is it fixed to the boat? Some catches or do I spy a pull out pin?

It looks to me that even when the helm seat has been removed, the cannister is inside the backstay?

The top seat above the LR has two flanges (or just tapered outwards) IIRC, and the seats (one of which hinges on the right) closed down over flanges / taper.

So open locker (one push button release on each side) and remove the liferaft lid, remove liferaft.

The backstay is hydraulic and has nout to do with the system.

 

[burgundyben]

The top seat above the LR has two flanges (or just tapered outwards) IIRC, and the seats (one of which hinges on the right) closed down over flanges / taper.

So open locker (one push button release on each side) and remove the liferaft lid, remove liferaft.

The backstay is hydraulic and has nout to do with the system.

I realise that the backstay is nothing to do with the life raft. If it was me crossing an ocean I'd have the life raft mounted outside of all rigging and guard wires.

I imagine that if a boat was on its side or upside down that liferaft in that position is impossible to get out.

 

[flaming]

I realise that the backstay is nothing to do with the life raft. If it was me crossing an ocean I'd have the life raft mounted outside of all rigging and guard wires.

I imagine that if a boat was on its side or upside down that liferaft in that position is impossible to get out.

This is all true. And very relevant with the current hot topic.

However it's perfectly possible to imagine a situation where a breaking wave has just knocked the boat down past 90, dismasted it, filled it with water and at the same time ripped a pushpit mounted (or similar) liferaft from the boat. Then if the mast knocks holes in the boat and it starts foundering a liferaft that was hidden under the helmsman's seat and wasn't ripped bodily from the boat would seem like a good idea...

I guess you have to decide which scenario you consider more likely on your boat and plan accordingly. Or if you consider both to be equally likely have two...

Or in other words perform a risk assessment and work out what level or risk you're happy with, and what steps you want to take (and crudely how much money you want to spend) to mitigate it.

 

[bedouin]

This is all true. And very relevant with the current hot topic.

However it's perfectly possible to imagine a situation where a breaking wave has just knocked the boat down past 90, dismasted it, filled it with water and at the same time ripped a pushpit mounted (or similar) liferaft from the boat. Then if the mast knocks holes in the boat and it starts foundering a liferaft that was hidden under the helmsman's seat and wasn't ripped bodily from the boat would seem like a good idea...

Not only is it possible to imagine - there are documented cases of it happening.

There is no reason to suppose that the liferaft location had anything to do with the loss of the crew of CR. Had they been in contact with the upturned hull after the capsize you would have expected them to have been found with the hull. The fact that they weren't means it is pretty unlikely that would have been able to deploy the liferaft whereever it was stored.

 

[KellysEye]

The thought of lifting that monster out and getting it over the stern doesn't bear thinking about. Also I'm really surprised that a 40.7 has ten berths, that's Beneteau 52 territory.