should a Liferaft be float free

[Kelpie]

I work on a coded boat. This year we were instructed to fit weak links to the liferafts. Makes sense really.

 

[GrahamM376]

He was correct that the painter should not be tied to the cradle if a hydrostatic release is used, it should be tied to the weak link. If manually launched or float free then there's also a case not to have the painter tied on as the raft could go down tethered to the boat.

 

[Uricanejack]

Mine is not float free. It is in a canister but stowed in the cockpit locker. Not the best option but fits the layout of my boat and current budget at the time of purchase. I chose a canister instead of a valise intending to fit properly later.

I think the Chap from the MCA might be out to lunch.

I've always heard a fixed canister raft should have the painter secured to a strong point on the vessel. With a weak link and a hydro static release.
This allows the raft to be depolyed and inflated if the vessel sinks quickly and the crew are unable to release the raft.
Two things have to happen. The hydro static release allows the raft to float free.
The secured painter is pulled by the raft floating and this pulls the pin on the Co2 bottles inflating the raft.
The increased buoyancy of the inflated raft breaks the week link leaving the raft floating inflated on the surface.

Sorry thats 3 things.

There will always be unfortunate circumstances where this feature is not enough or does not work.
For example the boat capsises and the raft is trapped.
or the boat sinks in 10 ft of water with a 20 ft painter.

In addition to the week link. A feature of a SOLAS raft. the painter is attached to the raft by a week link. usually a glued patch.
This serves two functions. A week link for self deployment and inflation.
And more importantly under normal manual use.
You tie the painter. Chuck in the Chuck, Pull and inflate.
If you don't tie it it might bugger off without you.
You all jump in.
If you can't find the knife and the boat sinks.
The patch will tear free without puncturing the raft.

PS best not to use your sailing knife. Idid during a course. It worked a treat on the painter but was followed by an emmbarasing hissing sound. The instructor hissed quite a bit as well.

 

[prv]

I presume an uninflayed raft will just sink - taking the painter with it?

No.

Out of interest, do you carry a raft?

A liferaft in its canister will float.

For manual launching, you throw it into the water, where it floats, and pull the painter until it inflates. The end of the painter should be attached to the boat to prevent accidental loss (though you shouldn't be trailing the thing around on ten or twenty metres of painter, but keeping it close at hand and boarding immediately). To depart from the boat, you cut the painter with the knife stowed in the doorway.

If rigged for automatic launching, after sinking a couple of metres the hydrostatic release will cut the lashing. The raft will then float towards the surface. The end of the painter stays attached to the boat via the weak link, so the full length of it is pulled out and then the raft activated. Now the buoyancy of the raft is greater than the strength of the weak link, so it breaks free from the sinking boat.

Because a raft rigged for automatic launching might also be used manually, it's important that the painter is correctly attached. Assuming a Hammar unit, it should be through the loop of white rope that the release cuts, and also through the red or green plastic link. This gives a strong connection when the unit has not fired (for manual launch) and a weak connection when it has (automatic launch). This will be what the MCA surveyor was checking for, but either he or the OP is mistaken or confused. I reserve judgement as to who.

Pete

 

[Monique]

Mine is fitted vertically to the port rail. Mechanical launch but definitely tied to a hard point. I may fit a weak link....

 

[lw395]

If it just floats free, you're going to have to swim rather fast to catch it in any breeze.
I think you might want a weak link to stop it being dragged under.
And a knife handy.

 

[KellysEye]

The deployment instructions for our Avon life raft was keep the painter tied to the boat , deploy the life raft, keep pulling the painter until the life raft inflates. We also had a serrated dive knife by the painter in case we had to cut it when in the life raft. I can't believe the coastguard said untie the painter.

 

[Ripster]

If it just floats free, you're going to have to swim rather fast to catch it in any breeze.
I think you might want a weak link to stop it being dragged under.
And a knife handy.

I agree, if you sever the link, what is to stop the raft drifting/being blown away from the ship. My understanding is that should the ship go down and the try to take the raft with it on the supplied painter, it will break under the strain, once the raft is inflated and not drag the raft down. But, like others, I have a blade as part of the emergency kit next to the launch station.

Our LR falls out of its cradle on the pushpit (manual launch) straight into the water under its own weight when released. The Painter would then be pulled as the raft (which is supposed to float in its canister) sits on the water and then inflates (hopefully).

 

[sarabande]

If the painter is not tied to the boat, then your chances of grabbing it and giving it a hard enough yank to trigger it is minimal. I presume an uninflayed raft will just sink - taking the painter with it?

Rob.

Uninflated rafts have positive buoyancy, whether in a valise or a case.

 

[TQA]

In addition to the week link. A feature of a SOLAS raft. the painter is attached to the raft by a week link. usually a glued patch.
This serves two functions. A week link for self deployment and inflation.
And more importantly under normal manual use.
You tie the painter. Chuck in the Chuck, Pull and inflate.
If you don't tie it it might bugger off without you.
You all jump in.
If you can't find the knife and the boat sinks.
The patch will tear free without puncturing the raft.

I guess that explains why two boats that I heard of this year deployed their rafts in windy conditions, watched the raft inflate then blow off downwind when the painter connection ' failed'.

 

[duncan99210]

The weak link as part of a hydrostatic release makes sense, as the release mechanism will only trigger as the boat sinks. In theory, any survivors will already be in the water adjacent to the raft as it inflates above the sunk boat. A weak link as part of a manual launch setup is not, IMO, as simple an issue, as it may well break under the strain of towing the raft behind the still floating boat, thus leaving survivors without a raft. The MCA thinking is, I suspect, based on hydrostatic releases and does not take account of manual launch setups. Perhaps a rethink is called for.