Plastimo Liferafts, etc.

[poter]

Sorry to be a pain, but I am afraid there maybe a few of these questions comming up, after going ahead and getting an old Moody.
Note: on previous yachts I did'nt have some of this kit.

Ok so stuck on the back of Yacht is a Plastimo 4 man offshore liferaft, the only indication that its been serviced is an old invoice from 97.
Question is it worth servicing? or should I replace?
If service where/who on the south west coast?

Not forgetting I have a very limited budget & I will need to get her seaworthy ASAP to get her from Plymouth to Dartmouth.
Question: apart from a good survey which she will be getting next week, what would be your safety checklist to make the above passage?
I have already put aside dosh for standing rigging and an engine service.
The radio is in good nick and so are the sails.

Poter



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[Dave99]

What is your experiance??

... a good tool kit, f-aid kit, lifejackets and harnesses for everyone on board... enough food...flares...GPS(handheld possibly)...compass + handbearing...water...warm clothes/oilies...bilge pumps...fire extinguishers/blanket... dinghy or life raft (for most people)...fog horn... buckets...radar reflector and table of signals for solas requirements! hmmm no leaks... decent sea cocks and wooden bungs to fill the holes. Jackstays on deck. Sufficient storm canvass if no roller reefing... a good source of weather forecast....

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[poter]

Dave thanks........

I have been messing with boats some 25 years, from hobie's/prindles, mastercraft. up to an old Westerly centaur, mostly overseas, loads of bareboat hires & a couple of deliveries.

My raison d'être was to get some additional input on my own ideas, I am sure this has all been discussed before, but with the new MCA & SOLAS regs etc & the advent of epirbs & DSC VHF I thought it would be a good idea to get an up to date checklist. mine has still got 'lead line' etc. on it & I am sure my old oilies don't have the latest fashion colour.

The yacht is a 1976 Moody 30, nice and steady, she will have a survey this week and subject to that, its all go. I will have to move reasonably smartish off her current Marina mooring to get her down to a buoy on the Dart & as I said previously I will get the engine, an old 30hp petter, serviced and the standing rigging done. I am hoping that the running rigging is all ok but I will be doing some shakedowns in the sound.

She will be my first real cruiser so I will be treating her with kid gloves. There is a lot of equipment onboard that will need to be checked out, from the Radar to the electric windlass (I will become a real slob now) & the electrical systems, which look quite complicated with wiring and little black boxes, solar panels etc. and 2 lots of master switches. helllllp!!! Gone is my old parrafin hand lamp & starter handle.

"Old dogs" etc.

The champers is on ice for Thursday so fingers crossed.

poter

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[vyv_cox]

It seems to me that the quality of Plastimo equipment like liferafts and dinghies has improved considerably in the last 10 years. I suggest that you should have the liferaft serviced but make sure that the servicer agrees to have you present during the service. You can make your own judgement, hopefully with guidance from the servicer, as to whether it needs replacing. At the very least you should demand to see it inflated using the present cylinder before that is refilled. I believe that most decent servicers will agree to this. If they don't, I suggest you look elsewhere.

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[owen]

congratulations . subject to the survey you have got a good design, most of the moodys were very well built but some early ones were a bit suspect re the fibreglass . expect the surveyor to find loads of things to do ..I had the same worries bringing my m33 from southampton to west wales but i got all the things suggested previously had a half inflated dingy onn the deck- waited for a good forecast and it all went very well.it would help if you could negotiate bit longer in plymouth to make sure all is sorted rather than dashing straight off.

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