Problem with Plastimo XM life raft servicing

[catmandoo]

I got a local contractor in Gouvia to service my Plastimo XM life raft in February . During the service they found that the valves had cracked so they contacted the manufacturer via the agent in Athens to get replacements under warranty . Two months later ie as of Friday last week they had still not had a response from BFA (or rather from Zodiac which is the parent company)

Can any one advise whether they have had similar problems and whether there is a direct route to Zodiac get some action.

Perhaps others with similar 6 man XM liferafts should also beware /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[kengill]

I would guess that'a because (IMHO) they want you to buy a new liferaft. Bear in mind after they fit the new valves - if available - they'll have to repeat the entire pressure test again which is going to increase the costs to you as that will use another fill and relace of the firing triggers and the gas.

After Zodiac increased the pressure tests so much that my raft was destroyed on test by the increased pressure - Allegedly above the original design limits - I resolved to never again buy a Zodiac product.

You have just re-confirmed that i took the right decision.


Best of luck

 

[awol]

Having had the pleasure of watching my liferaft (RFD) being condemned by a cheerful and apparently professional team, I can report that they used an airline for pressure tests, not the CO2 bottle, and pressure was limited by the blow-off valves on the raft. Unfortunately one of my pressure relief valves had become brittle and broken and replacement was going to be a possibly futile long-lead process.
I guess the problem of spares is not confined to Zodiac but personal intervention with part numbers and telephone calls can work.

 

[Jonny_H]

I had my XM 4 man raft serviced in February. We had inherited it with the boat, the raft was bought new in 2000 and had never been serviced.
The chap who serviced it noted half of the raft's contents were missing (it had never been opened) - and that these must have been missed out when it was made. Some things were quite serious (throw line, flares, knife!)

Quite scary how these things can get missed out - glad we had it serviced - well worth it for the piece of mind.

He didn't note any problems with the valves though ...

Jonny

 

[Fr J Hackett]

The problem seems to be universal I am waiting for my Avon Ocean LR to be serviced delivered in February to a main service station that services for the offshore industries etc. First the CO2 cylinder was out of test ( 5 years after purchase) then the external canopy light was found to be faulty replacement sourced from France and now guess what the batteries need replacing again sourced from France. For avon read Zodiac I think most leisure LR are now made in Hungary wether they are Zodiac or Avon badged and it would seem Plastimo also. Next time I will almost certainly choose a different manufacture.