Liferaft suggestions for sub-40 feet sportsboat

stefan_r

stefan_r

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I am on the brink of buying my Tomahawk 37 and want to get a compact, lightweight liferaft.

I would normally sail with 4-6 people but suppose this could creep up to 10 with kids....

Any recommendations - and how many people is a sensible capacity on the basis I will probably have EPIRB, will be in coastal waters ?

Will a 4 man fit 6-8 for a little while? I know they are snug at the best of times...


Also....hard case or soft valise? I am mindful of weight....but does a hard case wear better in a boat going 30 knots, vibrating etc?

cheers
stef
 
I think a 6 person is ideal and doesn't add much to weight or cost over a 4 person. Advantage of a canister is you can mount it on deck to avoid using locker space.
 
We went for a 4 man Arimar in a Valise (I think that's what they call it) which on the Sealine S37 fits really neatly under the seat. The Arimar also has a 5 yr inspection period which was longer than the rest. Difficult decision on how many people to go for. 90% of short and all long trips we are 4 people max. I've heard that 4 people in a 6 is unstable but could be just hearsay.
Also consider the weight for manhandling (or womenhandling) of a 4 against a 6. My 4 weighs over 20kg
 
Very very simple, go on a sea survival course asap and you will learn and experience everything you know. Safety is of paramount importance DO NOT rely on rumours or others views in a case like this, I went on the course with swmbo two weeks ago and it changed my life, you MUST go on this course if you are serious about safety. You will see how much there is invloved in the choice, the course includes the minimum that EVERY skipper should know about survival at sea.

Buying one because it looks pretty is nonsense, go on the course and understand what is important to YOU.

Good luck.
 
GC, oh GC !

Just suppose that the views put forward are based on professional knowledge and experience, in the same way that you had professional knowledge and experience freely and cheerfully given before you went on your survival course (which I trust was professional and full of experience).

Does your well-meaning but blunt caveat mean that you are now restricting yourself to commenting solely on Forum questions which pertain directly to your own professional experience ? We would be much the poorer if you were to do that, so please don't knock it when people who HAVE used a liferaft in earnest (not just in an environmental pool) want to add their experience to the replies. There is no one single answer to this question, just as there is no single answer to buying the right boat first time, is there ?

Wtih best wishes, and please stay with us for a lot longer.
 
oh dear!! oh dear !!


words like bull & red rag spring to mind


cheers /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Yes, I'd feel a bit miffed if I were a liferaft specialist, and offered advice, then saw that the questioner was advised not to take any advice. (That's self-referential, in any case !)

Maybe we should have a legally-approved disclaimer on the Forum home page to the effect that advice and suggestions made on these pages are acted on only on the understanding that the giver cannot be held - oh bother it !, Keith can probably rattle off a few trenchant and mordant paragraphs from IPC Towers.

I'll add lots of /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifs in future !
 
Hi David, Sorry for the late reply, been at a forumites house for a party, fantastic food /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I have an XM 4 man liferaft in a valise, and yes this was bought prior to the course, lucky for me it has what I would want, but maybe not what someone else would want, it's personal choice as to how much you want to invest.

What I did learn was that there is a difference between liferafts, size is pretty important, we trained on an 8 man liferaft and righting it was pretty tough, this was due to it's design, even when going through the excercise I could see what very, very slight alterations would have mad it much better, these have now been incorporated on some newer craft. Examples of this are the steps to get in, one or two extra rungs make all the difference, if the ladder is for example in the liferaft how easy is it to reach in and grab it, or should there be an easily accessable way of pulling it out, trust me it looks very high to reach up and over to the inside floor of the craft when you are in full wet gear incl boots and inflated lifejacket, that is without waves seawater and sheer panic of being about to drown. The other points are the straps and handholds on the underside which are used to right the craft, the one we were in had them about 6" too far up, everyone had the same problem reaching the handhold, the liferaft I have now has a continuos strap all the way down which enables you to grab it from any height.

Go on the course, I guarantee you that you will never NOT wear your crutch strap again, without it your lifejacket is as good as a chocolate teapot. You learn tricks such as ONLY go into the liferaft as a LAST resort, you get very seasick in there, also eat as much as you can from your ships stores BEFORE jumping in, just grab and eat what you can, carbs are great, also keep a carbs cupboard aboard where you can grab stuff to add to your grab bag, also get as much water as you can drink some if you can't carry it. All this in the heat of the moment will be dificult, but at least we have had the training and know about it, even if I remember half of what I was taught I believe it will save my life, also great for swmbo to feel part of a survival team, she knows the same as me in relation to this and will understand reasons for doing things.

S I said it is personal choice but you need the tools to make the choice. Some posh liferafts have the food and water in them, some or most cheap ones do not, perhaps you would prefer to choose what to take with you, I do.

There is so much to talk about PM me for any specific detail, but well done for identifying the need for such a safety item and at least asking questions. What I did not see in any replies here was advice or details of what to look for, like the examples I have given, this is vital to YOU, and you need to learn the reasons for them and why.

I am no expert but have been trained, I just hope I never need to use the training but we will be constantly practicing and be as ready as we can be for the event if it ever comes.

Good Luck
 
wow, thanks loads for this detail.

I think the course is a definite for later this year, but still feel that unless i have "10" rafts in front of me, open, how will i be able to select the "best".

certainly the course might answer the 4-6-8-10 man question...but "best liferaft for typical cruising" question may remain unanswered?

will keep you posted on the course progress, though
 
The other key factor to remember is to consider where you do your boating. If you only coastal hop, then you do not need the same life raft as a transatlantic sailor. You are unlikely to be adrift for days or even hours if you are travelling around in the English Channel.
It would be interesting to know how many leisure sailors actually end up in a life raft in the Channel. As mentioned, the life raft is the last resort and it would need a major sinking scenario to necessitate that action. However it can happen!
 
If you can't even get into an upturned basic liferaft then it doesn't matter what coding it has, you will be dead meat.

As I said, do the course, learn VERY valuable lessons, and THEN you will realise that buying a liferaft has so much to it AND you WILL want to see close details of what you are buying e.g. the points and others I have mentioned. I must admit that I never did that when I bought mine, but I did see a similar one blown up in the shop. As with most things you get what you pay for BUT there are still pisstakers who will want to rip you off for everything they can. If you want expensive bags of water, expensive first aid kits that are dumped when serviced including 80% of the contents that could be re-used (well probably are) but you are charged a re stocking fee then go for it. I have made my mind up and have decided to buy a good basic one and then add my choice of options to the grab bag.

I think that when you have done the course and then go to LIBS or SIBS you will never look at a liferaft the same way again, you will be looking for those little things that will make your life easier when your hands are freezing and your legs numb with cold. "You see what you recognise and you recognise what you know". That is so true as I was oblivious before but have certainly had my eyes opened now.
 
I think you should be aiming for a 6 man minimum. If you all have to pile in, comfort will be the last of your concerns.

I work on the assumption that in a powerboat you are unlikely to be out so long that you getr caught in a storm, and you have adequate means of attracting attention. In this case stability of an overloaded raft is unlikely to lead to it being overturned by a breaking wave, and anyway, you will be rescued quickly as you are coastal cruising.

Canister definitely, deck mounted definitely, hydrostatic release definitely.

The following thread has plenty of arguments for and against.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/1202824/page/

My main argument would be avoid sticking it on the bathing platform. With doubtless humungous engines, the stern will sink first, so you should be stepping into the raft as the bows sink beneath the surface.

But fit a hyrostatic release just in case you don't get a chance of such luxury!
 
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