More Liferafts

[awol]

The FAI report on the sinking of the Louisa is out with various conclusions some of which refer to the liferaft which failed to inflate. 3 men died and the Sheriff considered that had the liferaft inflated they would probably have been saved. From the MAIB report the gas bottle was cracked and contained saline water. The hired raft was manufactured in 1990 was last serviced in April 2014 and the Louisa sank at anchor in calm conditions in April 2016.
I am guilty of regarding my own raft as a sop to the racing rules (2 Cat 3 races with raft per year) and to reassure my wife. Others I know having either purchased one, or got one with their boat, just leave them to fester year after year.

 

[Tranona]

The FAI report on the sinking of the Louisa is out with various conclusions some of which refer to the liferaft which failed to inflate. 3 men died and the Sheriff considered that had the liferaft inflated they would probably have been saved. From the MAIB report the gas bottle was cracked and contained saline water. The hired raft was manufactured in 1990 was last serviced in April 2014 and the Louisa sank at anchor in calm conditions in April 2016.
I am guilty of regarding my own raft as a sop to the racing rules (2 Cat 3 races with raft per year) and to reassure my wife. Others I know having either purchased one, or got one with their boat, just leave them to fester year after year.

There is much to be learned if you are able to find statistics on the deployment of liferafts (and EPIRBs/PLBs) from yachts. First is that even allowing for under reporting such deployments are extremely rare, second liferafts in particular are unreliable, and third the events that lead up to deployment or potential deployment are easily avoidable. So, nothing wrong with your views - entirely rational!

 

[PilotWolf]

Probably not relevant but I recently had a 'discussion' with some one on a cruise company forum about how life rafts were launched on board,

He called me a liar and said I didn't know what I was talking about until I posted a training video. Said he could throw it over for the passengers to embark and they weren't inflated and boarded at the boat deck...

FYI and probably preaching to Granny and Eggs but they are heavy AF even at leisure levels let alone ship sizes. In the UK ours were 12 man and we used the crane to get on board after service. 35 man and yeah good luck with that and now also 3 decks down.

PW

 

[fisherman]

I would invite anyone to look at section 1.9 of both reports, concerning the liferaft in each case.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/597867e5e5274a402b000004/MAIBInvReport17_2017.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.g...0241000077/LadyHamiltonBlitheSpiritReport.pdf

 

[Tranona]

Both of those incidents illustrate the unreliability of liferafts (or at least liferaft servicing) and don't give much confidence to those who spend large sums of money on an ultimate lifesaver. However given that 99.99% (or something like that) are never used in anger is it anything to worry about! Difficult to get figures but an alarming number of rafts that are actually deployed seem not to do the job.

 

[Graham376]

Our last one wouldn't have done the job after being repacked by authorised manufacturer's service station. At next service, both inflation valves found to be cracked so it wouldn't have inflated plus some items missing or not replaced at time expired.

 

[fisherman]

it increasingly looks like you need to be present.

 

[fisherman]

I spoke to the chap at Survitec who used to service mine, and described the failure of mine after servicing by Inflatable Boat services in Falmouth. He said, "Well anyone can set up to do it in the leisure sector, even I could but I wouldn't."

 

[Denek]

We don’t carry one. I’ve argued with myself for a while. Should I have one or shouldn’t I. We do usually carry an inflated tender and rarely venture far of the coast or go out if there is any chance of heavy weather. This thread has swayed me into the let’s not bother camp but I’m sure I will come up with a good reason to ague the other way.