I seem to remember reading about a new range of slimline cannister liferafts in MBY or MBM in the past year but can't find the details now. Anyone got a clue as to who makes such a thing?
You get what you pay for with liferafts. Slimline and lightweight is great for stowage, but if you really need to use it, you will quickly wish you had spent the extra money and accepted the weight penalty of a decent raft with insulated floor made from robust materials and with the necessary safety kit inside. Suggets that you talk to the liferaft hire companies initially, and also look at them when they are inflated. The cheap ones seen on a lot of boats frighten me, I would rather get into my tender than them!
Just idle curiosity,but having viewed the piccies of your new boat,why slimline? I would have thought space would be the least of your problems!(or maybe it's for the tender).
PS Looks fantastic!!!! even from a raggie perspective.
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Just idle curiosity,but having viewed the piccies of your new boat,why slimline? I would have thought space would be the least of your problems!(or maybe it's for the tender)
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There are plenty of places it could go, but not many places where it would look right.
A - on it's back would get in the way and on it's edge would show above the sides of the flybridge and spoil her lines.
B - favourite option at the moment but needs to be slim to allow access to ....
C - where the tender is kept. The space under the radar arch is filled by a crane.
Can't find any detailed info on the net regarding this Ocean safety Slimpack. I'll call them tomorrow and get a brochure sent.
Hmm they are tricky to stow if you want to avoid spoiling the looks. I think you're right to put them on the f/b - I figure that if the boat got holed or on fire it would likely sink the right way up, so the f/b is the place to be. We put ours in the lockers under the benches around the table - 1x 8man and 1x 6man. We had to get them valised not canistered, and have separate grabbags, to get them to fit ok. I'm pretty sure they are Avon but would need to check to be sure. Does the p67 have lockers under those seats around the table?
Yep, lots of lockers under the seats but I was thinking of having 2 liferafts - a 4-man valise to chuck in and a 6-man cannister on a hydrostatic release for those rapidly sinking moments.
I now have information on the Ocean Safety Slimpack and the Avon Modula Super - both of which are sold as slimline units.
<u>Ocean Safety Slimpack</u>
This is a very high spec liferaft complete with SOLAS A or B emergency pack. Although it is slim it's also heavy.
6 Person SOLAS B Pack - 790x555x255mm - 50KG
6 Person SOLAS A Pack - 790x555x340mm - 67KG
Wouldn't fancy mauling one of those overboard on my own in a big sea but can be fitted with a hydrostatic release.
<u>Avon Modula Canister</u>
Looks like a well made raft from a reputable manufacturer but is not to SOLAS standards being supplied with an ORC pack. As a result it is smaller and considerably lighter than the Ocean Safety.
6 Person - 590x380x210mm - 26.5KG
It also has a very nice feature. Up to 2 additional containers can be attached to the ends of the cannister with a security line linking them to the raft after deployment. Spare VHF and GPS spring to mind and would potentially reduce the need for a grab-bag. The optional bracket expands to accomodate.
Empty container - 130x380x210mm - 3.4KG
However, there is no hydrostatic release available with the Avon unit although I'm sure it could be fitted into a universal style cradle with one.
As with much in life, pros and cons of each. Any comments?
You need to think about where you are going to cruise, most of us mobo's are not blue water cruising. The most important points for us are:
1) We can launch it easily.
2) We can board it
3) We can keep warm, so double floor.
4) We can raise an alarm
We are probably not going to be too far offshore and should be rescued in hours not days. So we do not need all the paraphernalia that comes with some of the liferafts.