Safety Equipment

[KellysEye]

If you are sailing offshore then it's sensible to have all the kit specified by the Ocean Racing Council. It covers what type of liferaft, EPIRB etc. Quickest way to get the info is probaby to go to the ARC site and check their requirements for entry.

 

[homa]

Liferafts

If you are going cruising for a couple of weeks now and off into the sunset in a couple of years why not hire a raft for your holiday. So you can buy new just before you set off.

The cost of hire for 2 weeks should be less than the depreciation/servicing of a new raft over the next 2 years.

And if/when you do buy a raft make sure it has an inflatable floor. One of the biggest killers is hypothermia and the inflatable floor will insulate against the cold water in higher latitudes.

I would recommend you pay a visit to a local liferaft service station - they should be able to show you a few pointers and maybe even give some unbiased (and free!) advice on particular models etc. Better still do the basic sea survical course. It will help a lot when you come to decide on which raft to buy.