Self-service Life Raft

Comrade Red said:
I take the view that while I could probably do the job myself, my life is worth more than a few hundred quid saved. A classic "the joy of a cheap deal soon fades".
Click to expand...

Paying someone doesn't mean it will work. Our previous raft was serviced by an authorised agent and at the next service we were called to view it. Both inflation valves were cracked so it wouldn't have inflated. As well as that, the insulated floor was missing and torch batteries and flares hadn't been replaced.

Any DIY job couldn't be worse than paying someone several hundred quid to f**ck it up.
 
Graham376 said:
Paying someone doesn't mean it will work. Our previous raft was serviced by an authorised agent and at the next service we were called to view it. Both inflation valves were cracked so it wouldn't have inflated. As well as that, the insulated floor was missing and torch batteries and flares hadn't been replaced.

Any DIY job couldn't be worse than paying someone several hundred quid to f**ck it up.
Click to expand...

Not quite my experience but when I asked - nicely - about an issue I clearly believed was out of order I was treated like a no nothing tosser.

Which, of course, pissed me off. I maintain everything I can manage on our boat. I could not afford to run it otherwise.

I have just had the cylinder head off, carried out the 1,000 hour service on the turbo, intercooler and heat exchanger.

After that, servicing a liferaft was a doddle.

AFAIK, only coded boats have to have authorised servicing in UK waters.
 
One tip for the op is to use a vacum cleaner when deflating and a vacum bag to help in repacking, (one of the under bed types for duvets with some ducktape to seal around the painter worked fine for me)
 
pandos said:
One tip for the op is to use a vacum cleaner when deflating and a vacum bag to help in repacking, (one of the under bed types for duvets with some ducktape to seal around the painter worked fine for me)
Click to expand...
vacuum bags & duct tape :eek:You do some odd things under the bed:unsure: Now I am beginning to understand why the greens want us all curfewed at 6PM:cry:
 
I wouldn't self-service a liferaft, even though I'm a consummate DIYer and avoid paying people to do stuff I can do myself. For years, I've been using Suffolk Marine Safety (previously known as Suffolk Sailing). They are professional people, who know what they're doing, and - in my experience - won't try to rip you off. They're very happy to show you your liferaft inflated during the service process too.

Marine Safety Supplies and Equipment | UK | Suffolk Marine Safety
 
Daydream believer said:
So perhaps that would be the RYA survival course then . Not the DIY, "work it how to pack it yourself & hope it inflates" -to save money course(y)
Click to expand...
On an SS course you will not see or use your raft so you are missing the point. As to saving money on course, as an RYA trainer and examiner in certain disciplines who does free lance work (out at the weekend on two exams) I would never advocate not doing the SS course, one of the most practical for anyone going off shore. This is after all the PRACTICAL Boat Owners forum, so please don’t disparage those that like being practical whether for financial or just ‘cause we want to.

Daydream believer said:
vacuum bags & duct tape :eek:You do some odd things under the bed:unsure: Now I am beginning to understand why the greens want us all curfewed at 6PM:cry:
Click to expand...
You’ve obviously no idea how some life rafts are packed from new? Maybe if you did a bit of DIY you’d find out.
:)
 
ctva said:
You’ve obviously no idea how some life rafts are packed from new? Maybe if you did a bit of DIY you’d find out.
:)
Click to expand...
Actually on my last one ( not this one as it has not been serviced yet) my wife took it to Premium Life rafts at Burnham & by special agreement she was allowed to watch it being unpacked & inflated. It then had to go on test. She did video the process & was able to show us all at home, so we knew what we had. We were able to see what to expect inside & what to expect re boarding etc.. So as far as packing- no we did not see that, but did video the bits we wanted to see. I wonder how many DIY owners put theirs on a 24( or whatever is required) hour inflation test & then deflate,
 
Last edited:
Daydream believer said:
Actually on my last one ( not this one as it has not been serviced yet) my wife took it to Premium Life rafts at Burnham & by special agreement she was allowed to watch it being unpacked & inflated. It then had to go on test. She did video the process & was able to show us all at home, so we knew what we had. We were able to see what to expect inside & what to expect re boarding etc.. So as far as packing- no we did not see that, but did video the bits we wanted to see. I wonder how many DIY owners put theirs on a 24( or whatever is required) hour inflation test & then deflate,
Click to expand...
Good stuff. I had mine up in the lounge for 48hrs, biggest problem was keeping the kids off it!
 
LadyInBed said:
I did mine a couple of years ago.
Advice- takes lots of pictures at each stage.
If you inflate the raft, use a pump or hair dryer (on cold).
Never blow by mouth into raft, it introduces moisture.
Deflate using a pump, if you don't get all the air out you won't get it in the bag, even then, you might have to use strap wrenches to squash it down.
Cairfully check the painter to gas bottle trigger to boat tether to ensure it will pull cleanly and not snag.
IMO items that date expire are best put in a grab bag, as said above.

A forumite wrote an article when he did his, I have put it online here
SEAGO 4 man Offshore Liferaft - Self Service : Monty Mariner
Click to expand...
Thanks for putting the video up-very informative.
 
Daydream believer said:
Actually on my last one ( not this one as it has not been serviced yet) my wife took it to Premium Life rafts at Burnham & by special agreement she was allowed to watch it being unpacked & inflated. It then had to go on test. She did video the process & was able to show us all at home, so we knew what we had. We were able to see what to expect inside & what to expect re boarding etc.. So as far as packing- no we did not see that, but did video the bits we wanted to see. I wonder how many DIY owners put theirs on a 24( or whatever is required) hour inflation test & then deflate,
Click to expand...
I left mine inflated for most of a week...topped it up and left it for a few more days...I was very happy that it was not leaking or had any issues when I repacked it.

My 30 year old one that I fired off lasted inflated for about 3 or 4 days before it began to sag but.

Your faith in new and or professionally serviced rafts is a matter that should fill you with confidence, enjoy.

My personal experience and knowledge of servicers does not fill me with such confidence. .

This is practical boat owner so probably comedy about bedroom antics is in the wrong forum.
 
pandos said:
I have paid to have my raft serviced only to find that it was wrongly assembled and would not have inflated, when I checked it myself...

Look at the investigation into Mega watt a raft that failed to inflate after being deployed.

Look at the Asgard the ass fell out of a raft after being launched, all serviced and in date!.

I fired an old (30 years with 16 since last service) raft last year which functioned perfectly...

There is no certainty with these things...only confidence...
Click to expand...

Add the MFV Louisa to that list. Went down in 2016 off Mingulay, the in-date raft failed to inflate (it had accidentally been fitted with an empty cylinder). Three lives lost, the fourth crew member survived by the skin of his teeth because against perceived wisdom he chose to swim to shore instead of staying with the vessel. An absolute tragedy and for us, very close to home

Anybody who thinks that having a reliable liferaft is simply a case of opening their cheque book is deluding themselves.
 
Kelpie said:
Add the MFV Louisa to that list. Went down in 2016 off Mingulay, the in-date raft failed to inflate (it had accidentally been fitted with an empty cylinder). Three lives lost, the fourth crew member survived by the skin of his teeth because against perceived wisdom he chose to swim to shore instead of staying with the vessel. An absolute tragedy and for us, very close to home

Anybody who thinks that having a reliable liferaft is simply a case of opening their cheque book is deluding themselves.
Click to expand...
Absolutely agree.
 
The advantage of pumping it up and seeing where everything is far outweighs any disadvantages of doing it yourself. Even if you've made a complete cock up and it doesent inflate you'll know how to open up the container and operate the valve by hand or in the really worst case be able to pump it up. It's far simpler than most maintenance jobs on a boat.
 
Daydream believer said:
Actually on my last one ( not this one as it has not been serviced yet) my wife took it to Premium Life rafts at Burnham & by special agreement she was allowed to watch it being unpacked & inflated. It then had to go on test. She did video the process & was able to show us all at home, so we knew what we had. We were able to see what to expect inside & what to expect re boarding etc.. So as far as packing- no we did not see that, but did video the bits we wanted to see. I wonder how many DIY owners put theirs on a 24( or whatever is required) hour inflation test & then deflate,
Click to expand...


Ours was inflated for four days in our conservatory.

Stayed up a treat.
 
The best life raft is the boat itself, and the reason for this forum is for Practical boat owners. So a life raft is a last defence item most of us never intend nor indeed need to use.

For good or bad we maintain the main raft ourselves, so I fail to see any reason why those who wish to should not service their own life rafts. As said above it isn't rocket science.

Although re-packing the bloody thing is not so straight forward !

Those who wish to pay others for a service that can only be challenged once they are dead is their business.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top