PhillM
Well-known member
Liferaft for a Coribiee, sailing up and down the channel, perhaps over it France and CI's. 2 people on board. Very limited space. What would you stow, where and why?
Recommend me a life raft
- Thread starter PhillM
- Start date
Tranona
Well-known member
Nothing. Chances of needing a liferaft in those circumstances are zero.
fisherman
Well-known member
FVs over 7m must have a liferaft and EPIRB. Wonder why. Somewhere between them and you is a happy medium. Very few people have actual use experience.
Tranona
Well-known member
You only have to read MAIB reports on FV founderings to understand why.
Very different to a small yacht pootling up and down the coast or even cross channel in conditions of choice for maybe 40 or 50 days a year.
Problem is that there is really nothing "in between". If you get in a situation where you need to abandon your little yacht then only a liferaft (and an EPIRB and/or a PLB) will do. The issue is whether you are ever likely to be in that position.
Alex_Blackwood
Well-known member
How do you know that?
ashtead
Well-known member
Why don’t you hire one for next x channel trip and see where it fits for your set up .
Tranona
Well-known member
Find me recent data that suggests otherwise.
Alex_Blackwood
Well-known member
Reminds me of the chap who said " That movie is the most realistic depiction of the future I have ever seen"
Corribee Boy
Well-known member
I sometimes carry a 3D tender tied on the 'boot lid', but I wouldn't want to have to inflate it in an emergency so I was wondering about a Fladen Flotation Suit.
Anyone tried one?
Anyone tried one?
fisherman
Well-known member
The point about a liferaft is exposure. Even if you are not in the water, you may have a short time before exposure sets in even in benign conditions. In a closed liferaft the atmosphere becomes saturated after twenty minutes and you stop losing heat to evaporation.
Like most things, seat belts, helmets, smoke alarms, you don't ever need them until you do.
Corribee Boy
Well-known member
Yes, that's understood ,I realised it would be a compromise but there's not much room on a Corribee for a real liferaft - let's see what the forum comes up with.
Tranona
Well-known member
Modern version of the half inflated Avon Redcrest - but never any real evidence that such things were ever used in anger.
As pointed out in post#10 if you are in a situation where a lferaft is the only option, then you need a proper one, or at least the stripped down single tube ones like this
force4.co.uk/item/Lalizas/Compact-Liferaft-Leisure-Raft/29SY
which is less than half the size and weight of a "proper" liferaft (but more expensive!). It is aimed specifically at coastal sailors in smaller boats.
However the point I am making (and have made over and over again on this subject) is there is no reliable evidence that liferafts have been deployed in anger by small yachts sailing in UK waters in recent years. The reasons for this are obvious - sailors are more aware of the potential dangers and strive to avoid getting into situations where abandoning ship is the only alternative.
fisherman
Well-known member
When my bro needed one it was instantaneous. About 1983, yacht Revolution, 34ft (was it the same model as one of Heath's?). The engine room exploded, he went for the Avon on the foredeck and never got there. The others tossed the raft over.
To be fair they might have survived as there were boats about, daylight, off Salcombe, but some of the crew were on in years, and of course no lifejackets worn in them days.
To be fair they might have survived as there were boats about, daylight, off Salcombe, but some of the crew were on in years, and of course no lifejackets worn in them days.
Buck Turgidson
Well-known member
I got a :
for my trip to the med. It's worked perfectly so far
It does need its first service now but at 300 quid per 3 year service I'm not going to bother.
Sea Cruiser ISO9650-2 Liferaft
for my trip to the med. It's worked perfectly so far
It does need its first service now but at 300 quid per 3 year service I'm not going to bother.
harvey38
Well-known member
Brave or foolish statement, better to have and not rather than need and not have.
Can you also tell me next Saturday nights lottery numbers as well please
Buck Turgidson
Well-known member
I think that's a bit harsh to be honest because if you look at the statistics then you can see that really isn't required for coastal cruising around that area. A device like an EPirb emergency beacon is much more useful than carrying a 30+ kilogram Life raft around on a small boat. If you're gonna make a safety case you need to really make the case because otherwise you might as well just argue that the safest course of action is don't go sailing because then you'll never need rescuing and of course statistically that's correct.Brave or foolish statement, better to have and not rather than need and not have.
Can you also tell me next Saturday nights lottery numbers as well please
Tranona
Well-known member
Only if you have your rabbits foot in your left pocket.Brave or foolish statement, better to have and not rather than need and not have.
Can you also tell me next Saturday nights lottery numbers as well please
Lots of things MIGHT happen - but don't. Being aware of the copious evidence concerning when liferafts are use help one to identify how to avoid, and if done diligently learn from the past and will lead to the conclusion that in the OPs pattern of use there is zero chance of him ever needing a liferaft.
Of course if his usage pattern varies he may find that the chances of needing one also change.
Tranona
Well-known member
Plus one, many times over.
bedouin
Well-known member
I have been thinking about something like these:
Ocean Safety Aviation Liferaft
There are a couple of similar models on the market.
Much smaller and lighter than a conventional liferaft - and while it is probably not as robust to me the benefits in terms of ease of storage and deployment more than make up for that in a small boat.
Ocean Safety Aviation Liferaft
There are a couple of similar models on the market.
Much smaller and lighter than a conventional liferaft - and while it is probably not as robust to me the benefits in terms of ease of storage and deployment more than make up for that in a small boat.
boomerangben
Well-known member
The OP will I am sure get a life raft if they feel sure that is what will make them feel comfortable. Personally, I would spend the money on a couple of Typhoon or similar dry suits or maybe Fladen work suits, good life jackets and a pair of PLBs plus day night flares worn on the life jacket. If you are coastal or channel hopping April to October and end up abandoning ship, you will almost certainly live long enough until help arrives. And sailing in small boats, a dry suit makes the experience much more pleasant.
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