Liferaft - valise vs. canister

[Gazza]

I'm in something of a quandry about a liferaft for my newly acquired Hunter Pilot 27. I'd usually go for a canister for a four person raft, but deck space is restricted and I'm now considering a valise.

It would, of course, sit on deck during passage making, and I wondered how durable the valise would be over extended periods in the open (say a couple of weeks). Would a cover help,perhaps?

If anyone has worked through this problem, I'd be grateful for any experience.

Thanks in advance,

Gary Miller

 

[Pincoya]

We have a Viking valise life raft and the whole thing is vacuum sealed by the manufacturer/service centre before it is placed into the valise. I believe that most modern life rafts are similarly sealed these days. It seems to me that the vacuum sealing would protect the raft until deployment.

Paul

 

[roly_voya]

I used a valise raft on deck for some years on a folkboat and when it was serviced saw no deterioration. The recomendation was that valise rafts ,even with vacume sealing should be carried in a lkr. So what we did was to put the whole thing in a lightweight drybag and attach a rescue knife. If you need the raft in a hurry it takes only seconds to slit the bag but it gets the extra protection. A much greater issue is attaching the raft to the deck during passages, lashing it dow makes it slow to deploy, not doing so risks loosing it overboard unless it can live somewhere like the cockpit.

 

[oldsaltoz]

G'day Gary (Gazza),

I found a raft in a valise a right pain, we had a 30 footer then and the only stowage area was the forward 'V' berth. Needless to say it was always in the way and was shifted between deck when sailing, 'V' berth when away and cockpit when 'V' berth was required by the crew.

I understand your problem with deck space being a premium, but if you can find a spot and give it some extra protection I would be looking very hard at it.

At one stage I considered building a small fibreglass cover extending from the forward end of the saloon, with a handle grip at the rear and opening up and forward.

We have a lot more more space now and the 4 man has been replaced with a 6 man raft that sits on deck and never needs to be shifted.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[dombuckley]

How about getting a canister type, and mounting it in a bracket on the port quarter pushpit (assuming boarding ladder on stbd quarter)? Easy to deploy in an emergency, close to the ladder, and the pushpit can act as a strongpoint to tie the painter/inflation line.

 

[Tidewaiter2]

We got a 4 man valise, put it forecabin in harbour, strap it with a long stainless steel ratchet strap to pushpit when passage making.
Boat knife just inside companion way and one in cockpit cove locker if needed.
Like the idea of a "disposable" dry bag from earlier thread reply- what size fitted the raft- ours is a Seago x4 man?

Toying with the idea of an s/s basket for it on pushpit with retaining cover- but cost an issue.

 

[arth_tumbleweed]

We always used to carry a valise on the deck, just forward of the sliding hatch stored in a purpose made dry bag, not a problem as every one on board carried a knife so could cut the lashings if ever required, but would have been a pain to deploy...also bit of a sod f you wanted to see where you were going!

Personally I'd go for a pushpit mounted canister now-easy to fit (make sure you don't drop it when putting it in the craddle though) and very easy to deploy...failing that if only coastal cruising carry a pair of fins for each person on board n swim like crazy!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[alan]

I don't have the solution, as it's a real problem on most boats but I have considered/tried the following for a six man raft:

(1.) Valise with cheap vynil cover mounted in stainless "brackets" on sugar scoop stern: protection seemed to work O.K., weight all aft; impedes bathing platform. But was an OK solution on a Ben311.

(2.) Rigid mounted as above. Comments as above.

(3.) Valise in deep locker: better protected; difficult to get out in emergency but usually has lots of carrying handles so not impossible for two people or one strong person, or one weak person with a handy-billy attached to the boom.

(4.) Rigid in cockpit locker: worst solution of all; weighs a ton and no handles to use to get it out; takes more room than necessary.

Due to bathing ladder and portlight locations on current boat, I have a six man valise in the cockpit locker: not ideal!! but I can get it out on my own and it is well protected and being "soft" it is easier to fit in the locker.

I would be wary of these mounting arrangements for the pushpit, although I have seen boats using them for their rafts; there is a lot of weight in a raft and the forces exerted in a seaway must be pretty big; I personally would be concerned by this arrangement even if the raft is partially supported by the deck.

Sorry, don't have a solution as each boat is different and depends on your space available. I believe that new CE directives are being considered (??) to insist that manufacturers have a dedicated, suitable (!!) location for liferafts.
On my Ben343 the space indicated by Ben for the raft (a shelf inside the cockpit locker) is a joke ...... you just might be able to fit a kiddies blow-up swimming pool there!!!!!

Just a few thoughts .......
Alan.