Rhylsailer99
Well-Known Member
For small crossings ie IOM, France, Scilly isles would purchasing just a normal leisure life raft suffice. I've seen the price difference is around £250 more for the off shore raft.
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Offshore life raft or Leisure
- Thread starter Rhylsailer99
- Start date
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
You would not expect to be in a liferaft in the channel for more than 1 hour if you managed to get a decent mayday off, which was acknowledged. There are a decent range of ISO LRs for reasonable prices. I have a Seago 4 man & the spec is equal to most, for the price.
However, there are considerations to which price should have no influence.
. I suggest that you read up on LR use & decide what you want from it first.
Iso stnds
However, there are considerations to which price should have no influence.
. I suggest that you read up on LR use & decide what you want from it first.
Iso stnds
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rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
Depends on how far off shore you are considering going and how meny people on your vessel thus how long you need to be in the life raft
We do not need any life raft within 40 nm offshore
We do not need any life raft within 40 nm offshore
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Why? Will you not drown within 40 NM? The crew of Morning Cloud was within 40 Nm of shore & they found the LR very useful.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
So how does the number of people affect how long you will be in the LR? Are you saying 1 will be in it for a different period than, say, 3 or 4? I would like to hear the logic.
dunedin
Well-Known Member
Check carefully what the differences are between the specs. One thing I specifically did NOT want was extra supplies of flares, water etc within the liferaft. This just adds substantially to the servicing costs and waste, as all binned each service.
For most coastal sailing 24 hour supplies are plenty. And if going further can add an extra waterproof pack outside the liferaft which can be supplied and replenished as you see fit, not at liferaft service intervals and prices.
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
rThis is what is specified by out safety authority
I agree with you but their view is you can call for help.
I much prefer to be self reliant and be able to save my self and all on board
L have been in a life raft and tin my view the bigger the better within reason.
I have a 6 man but normally only have 2 or 3 on board may be 4 max
also the more people on board the more supplied you need to lat longer before rescue
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Tranona
Well-Known Member
You won't ever need it but if it makes you feel safer then get the cheapest one available. They all look the same perched on top of the boat which is where it will spend all of its life except when you take it off for the winter.
Rhylsailer99
Well-Known Member
I will be solo or at most one more with myself. At the moment I'm not straying too far from the coastline with a dinghy onboard just incase. I feel if I go further it might be reckless.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Why? Thousands do such things all the time. What makes you think you will ever get into a situation where you need a liferaft. Such statistics as there are show that it is almost unknown for a small boat sailor to need a liferaft in UK waters. When did you ever hear of one?
Based on what data is available over the last 25 years for small yachts that have foundered where a life raft was or might have been deployed in UK waters (total numbers just in double figures) show 3 underlying causes. Extreme weather, collision and structural failure - the last mostly keel failure on racing boats.
So if you have a sound boat, don't go out in extreme weather and keep away from big ships as most of us do you do not need a liferaft.
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
I take it you are UK based.
I sail on the East Coast of Africa whre he water is alot warmer than the UK waters.
If you mainly sail alone Ihave on board a refurnished North sea survival suit got from E Bay.
The main equipment I would go for are items to call for help until you do venture further afield
I sail on the East Coast of Africa whre he water is alot warmer than the UK waters.
If you mainly sail alone Ihave on board a refurnished North sea survival suit got from E Bay.
The main equipment I would go for are items to call for help until you do venture further afield
Tranona
Well-Known Member
The temperature of the water is largely irrelevant. Read accounts of what happens when the liferaft is the only option and you will appreciate what survival is about. Sure more benign climates may allow survival for longer but the real trauma is in the immediate aftermath.
Best to avoid getting into such a situation in the first place which is easy in the type of sailing the OP is doing.
Best to avoid getting into such a situation in the first place which is easy in the type of sailing the OP is doing.
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
True but you in the UK have much better rescue services than us on the wilds of East Africa. and a good method to call for help is important.
Yes if the OP get run down by a big ship like what happened with that ferry off IOW a life raft wont help much a quick call for help may do.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Interesting .... especially that a LR gains stability from two factors ....
1. Water pockets underneath
+
2. Properly laden with number of people.
One of the worst decisions you can make with regard to what LR is not what category - but in choosing a LR too big for your usual number on board. LR's insufficiently 'loaded' can flip over in high waves / wind ... this is one of the reasons the Igloo type were phased out on ships.
I suggest that a 6 man on a boat that usually 2 - 3 are on board is not ideal size ...
I say this from many years looking after safety gear on ships ... and the training rec'd.
Tamar
Well-Known Member
My experience of life rafts is go for the biggest one you can get. A six man raft Will take 6 people only just and only if you almost lie on top of each other and intertwine legs. Ok for a short time but very uncomfortable
Refueler
Well-Known Member
There is good reason for the closeness inside a LR ...
1. To help generate warmth and keep from suffering hypothermia,
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2. The specific matter I mentioned in previous post - stability.
Having suffered hypothermia in an insufficiently loaded LR in Plymouth Sound ... I can tell you straight - its a serious matter.
Comfort ?? We are talking about saving life ....
Tamar
Well-Known Member
I never said it's not a serious matter.
You can still huddle together even if there are two people in a 12 man raft!!
Overloaded life rafts are dangerous. As I said in my earlier post, 6 people in a 6 person life raft for any length of time is not recommended and potentially dangerous.
I don't want to get into a spat about this with you.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I am not interested in a spat about it ... just simply stating fact.
An UNDER,loaded LR is the dangerous one ...
It is a key fact taught to every Cadet / Officer / Seaman - its a fundamental fact.
Tamar
Well-Known Member
We are talking about small leisure craft not big ships. But let's agree to disagree.
