Lifraft service - packing your own parachute

[roly_voya]

There is a saying that if you pack your own parachute you will do it very carfully and if it fails there is nobody to blame but yourself. Applying this principale to boats has anyone tried servicing a liferaft? Looking at mine (which needs servicing) I realise I havent the faintest idea whats in it how to board etc so I was thinking that if I unpack it on the lawn we gan both have a good look, check we can use the steps, find the gear etc and then repack it with the gear we want in not the list the makers though they could get by on. Obviously the cylinder needs checking comercialy but other than that don't see anything I can't do? What do you folks reckon

 

[mandlmaunder]

Just as a heads-up: we had our liferaft serviced (XM Offshore) just prior to leaving yUK for ever. The licensed servicers contacted us to say that three quarters of the survival stuff that was supposed to be packed in there, was not.

We argued that it had never been opened since being bought brand new the year before and the company should take it up with the manufacturers, who should be responsible for supplying the included provisions/de-sal tabs/energy pills/fishing kit/ 1st aid kit etc.

The liferaft was returned to us all neatly packed and certified. However, two years later it threw a wobbler and decided to inflate itself - slowly at first, so we had time to get it in an open space. When fully inflated we thought we should check the stuff included - well, we would have if we could have found it. Yup, it was conspicuous by its absence.

We contacted XM to let them know (were tempted to tell them we had been adrift for a week in the darn thing), but we still have not heard from them 3 months later.

The cylinder, if nothing else, should be checked professionally (just like dive tanks), but would suggest that your 'grab bag' stuff takes into account that there may well be nothing at all in the liferaft.

As an aside and a tip - put a kite in the grab bag and tie a CD to the tail.........visible for more miles when the kite is flying than the liferaft is!

 

[gandy]

I used to pack my own parachute, as do most hang glider pilots.

 

[xstucker]

Having read your post, I have two suggestions:

1) Have your raft serviced by a proper, registered agent and if you really want to watch it inflate and see the stores then ask them if you can attend while they inflate it.

2) Attend an RYA Sea Survival course. We did one at the end of last year and it was great. We learned all about the safety equipment, set off flares and spent a pleasant afternoon in a swimming pool at Hamble. There is no experience to compare with taking a warm shower in full oilies /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[alec]

Provided we could get the instructions we would probably do as well or better by the sound of it.

Cant be worse than Ikea.

 

[owen]

It can be very instructive to un pack and repack your own liferaft.
It is not difficult but take lots of photos so you can see how it is all repacked. the difficult areas are;
1. getting the cylinder refilled / checked. you may have a dive shop who will do it but check before you start most have kidde valves but not all.otherwise a fire extinguisher firm may pressure test and refill. if you have to send it away to one of the big liferaft firms you will be lucky to make any savings.
2.some items may be difficult to source in small quantities such as sachets of drinking water.
3.it can be difficult to expel all the air from the liferaft and squash it all back into the canister. using a hoover can help
4.the sealing neoprene can be difficult to source . i located mine in a liferaft servicing company. they were very reluctant to sell it to me .
5 this little sequence may helphttp://www.sailingboatefaki.gr/liferaft.htm
6. would i do it again- no -its not worth the hassle of running around after the bits

 

[owen]

this may work

http://www.sailingboatefaki.gr/liferaft.htm

 

[roly_voya]

Some of the stories about stuff missing after servicieg does seem a good argument for watching when its done and it does give an opportunity to take a look at the raft but not to do any improvements, althoght the service centre may be willing to make changes to the emergency pack. Take the point about sourcing some of the specialist bits although I already now how to easily get most of it. I will have a chat with the service centre (which is just down the road) to see if they will do me a cylinder exchange.

 

[William_H]

As I understand it there are various levels of liferaft kit so it may have been supplied or resupplied to a lesser level of kit. Some people may prefer to rely on the grab bag for the extras which may not fit into the packed raft.
Cylinders and valves are serviced by specialist cylinder pressure testing companies. ie the place where dive shops send their tanks. The liferaft servicing people send the cylinders to these outfits for servicing. (at least around here)

As mentioned don't just pull the cord to inflate your liferaft but rather carefully unpack with photos or video so that you can repack the same way.
They are checked for leaks by leaving inflated for 24 hours while checking pressure drop. If you have leaks it might be best to take it to a liferaft servicing company.
Many items are replaced annually which perhaps don't need to be replaced. ie some parts of first aid kit. But some drugs torch batteries and flares should be replaced and you can keep and use the old stuff.
I would think it safe to rely on proffessional servicing companies. in my working life I did audits on 2 of these companies and fielded defect report complaints on L/R used in aviation. The only complaints came from valve defects and use of incorrect O rings. I would suggest the gas cylinder and valve are the most likely points of failure in a L/R. So check cyinder contents on an even more regular basis than annual servicing.

So yes go ahead with DIY servicing but of course you won't get a certification which perhaps doesn't matter to you. olewill

 

[Talbot]

If you do service it yourself, make up a proper serviceing certificate with a list of items renewed and receipts so that you can prove it has been done. IIRC there was a problem a couple of years ago with one of the french inspections picking this up ad trying to extract money under false pretences.

 

[TigaWave]

I used to pack my own parachute, and I always go along to the life raft service place to watch my Life raft being deflated and packed.

One concern over doing it yourself would be the amount of moisture packed with it, they should be unpacked and packed in a controlled dry environment. The cylinders are visually checked and weighed for gas content, but not inspected internally as dive bottles are.

It is a good idea to know what you have and what's in it.

 

[charles_reed]

Unpacking, test-inflating and re-packing are fairly simple, as is check-weighing the cylinder.

However the real test occurs when you have a leak (usually on the cylinder entry to the chamber).

I've seen mine done the last 3 services, amended the pack inside to suit what I need and am quite happy to pay the basic cost of £M45. That's £sterling75.

The canister sealing strip doesn't need replacing if one is careful about opening the canister.