Med Sailors - Do you carry a liferaft ?

[charles_reed]

They can, but you will be hard pressed to find many that have. Fire at sea is very rare. Communications and rescue services are generally good close to shore in areas of high habitation so situations that might develop into a foundering and need for a liferaft are resolved more readily.

Of course this changes the more extreme the conditions you are sailing in and the further you go away from habitable land and associated rescue services.

So a sensible strategy is first avoidance of situations where the chance of foundering is greater, ensure that you have a means of communication with others and then consider what equipment you need to deal with what is left. Founderings in coastal waters around Europe are very rare. The further you go away, the more you sail, the poorer the communications, the greater the risk and you adjust your equipment strategy accordingly.

I've seen 3 boats go up in flames - in one case he returned to the launch point and the local fire-crew put it out - one the anchored yacht's crew was taken off by another boat and the boat burnt out and foundered and the third (the most spectacular) was a mobo explosion - the owner was blown out of the flying bridge and the boat went down quickly.
In no case (supporting Tranona's point) was there time for a liferaft to be deployed.
However (and despite my ignoble experience in Cardigan Bay) I carry a liferaft but would be extremely loath to ever get into it, probably preferring to drown.
However, I am a devout coward.