very light liferaft - any experience

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saab96

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Has anyone used one of these Aero Compact 2 Man Liferaft with canopy. Having sailed with a 32kg raft that I no longer want to try dragging through the aft cabin hatchway, this 7kg raft sounds good. I tend to make my long offshore trips singlehanded (so 2 person is fine) and so far have never needed to use a raft. But when I do I hope to still be unruptured when it splashes.
 
I've never used the liferaft on any of my boats, but I reckon that if I really had to, the weight of it wouldn't be a concern! I'd prefer robust to flimsy if I were going to spend any time in it.
 
Simple answer to your question, does it meet the SOLAS requirements for a liferaft? If it does then it should be fine, if it doesn't, your choice.
 
I need to replace my old/heavy Canister liferaft and I am seriously considering one of the lightweight ones (e.g. 9kg for a 4 man). To me the advantages of the lighter weight and easier storage / deployment more than outweigh the fact it only has a single tube and so on.
 
bedouin said:
I need to replace my old/heavy Canister liferaft and I am seriously considering one of the lightweight ones (e.g. 9kg for a 4 man). To me the advantages of the lighter weight and easier storage / deployment more than outweigh the fact it only has a single tube and so on.
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Hopefully you will never have to use it and if you do you will live not to regret your decision.

Liferafts for yachts that make reasonable offshore passages need to comply with the SOLAS specification for very good reasons. I know they are an expensive pain in the arse but if one ever needs one I suspect you would be thankful of spending the money. Mine was always stored in front of the mast with a hydrostatic release under a canvas cover and at the end of the season brought inside.
 
Fr J Hackett said:
Hopefully you will never have to use it and if you do you will live not to regret your decision.

Liferafts for yachts that make reasonable offshore passages need to comply with the SOLAS specification for very good reasons. I know they are an expensive pain in the arse but if one ever needs one I suspect you would be thankful of spending the money. Mine was always stored in front of the mast with a hydrostatic release under a canvas cover and at the end of the season brought inside.
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Actually rather cheaper than the Aero Compact which the OP is considering!

Oh, and the Aero Compact needs annual servicing after the second year, whereas most liferafts have a 3-year service interval. It also only has a 5 year warranty, versus 18 years for many regular liferafts.
 
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I agree with the OPs thinking which was on weight not cost. We on our cornish boat have the luxury of stern rail deployment, but I have wondered with our Bristol Channel boat how i or more importantly my wife could get it in the water at need. Hydraulic release is all very well once boat has sunk but not that useful if you want to get in liferaft before the boat sinks, say when boat is taking a pounding on a bar and about to break up not sink.

I must also say that I think foredeck mounting is seriously sub optimum from a safety point of view - do you really want to struggle from cockpit to foredeck if in danger in a storm? So ability to stow at stern or in cockpit area is another consideration
 
oldmanofthehills said:
........ Hydraulic release is all very well once boat has sunk but not that useful if you want to get in liferaft before the boat sinks, say when boat is taking a pounding on a bar and about to break up not sink. I must also say that I think foredeck mounting is seriously sub optimum from a safety point of view - do you really want to struggle from cockpit to foredeck if in danger in a storm? So ability to stow at stern or in cockpit area is another consideration
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Our raft is in a cradle on the aft cabin coach roof where very easy to reach from the cockpit.

Hydrostatic release should be mounted with a manual quick release clip, such as the one shown here - What is Hydrostatic Release Unit in Life raft, Its Parts and Working | marinersgalaxy

.
 
Graham376 said:
Our raft is in a cradle on the aft cabin coach roof where very easy to reach from the cockpit.

Hydrostatic release should be mounted with a manual quick release clip, such as the one shown here - What is Hydrostatic Release Unit in Life raft, Its Parts and Working | marinersgalaxy
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Sorry I did not explain fully, I meant that only relying on hydraulic release due to leaving liferaft less accessible, was an unwise decision. The liferaft on our Pentland is on the aft cabin roof and I still think it not as readily deployable manually as the external stern rail mount on our LM. A smaller liferaft in smaller container might give benefit by being easier to deploy manually, in situation where space was very confined. The items in question are mainly for aeronautical use and are not cheap, and obviously if a full size raft is practical that is better.
 
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Fr J Hackett said:
Hopefully you will never have to use it and if you do you will live not to regret your decision.

Liferafts for yachts that make reasonable offshore passages need to comply with the SOLAS specification for very good reasons. I know they are an expensive pain in the arse but if one ever needs one I suspect you would be thankful of spending the money. Mine was always stored in front of the mast with a hydrostatic release under a canvas cover and at the end of the season brought inside.
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No quite correct - there is no requirement for me to carry a liferaft at all - let alone one that conforms to SOLAS requirements. In fact it certainly used to be the case that expert advice was that one wasn't necessary at all for say a cross channel hop.

SOLAS requirements for liferafts are really over-kill for the average channel yachtsman - I am not sure in what way you regard the light weight variety as posing a significant increase in risk over a SOLAS one in such circumstances.

The only thing I am not sure about is if they can auto-inflate - so if it is secured to the boat and that sinks if they deploy and break free the way a SOLAS one would.
 
pvb said:
I've never used the liferaft on any of my boats, but I reckon that if I really had to, the weight of it wouldn't be a concern! I'd prefer robust to flimsy if I were going to spend any time in it.
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Agreed. ISO 9650 rafts with deep ballast pockets was brought in some years ago after (IIRC Fastnet?) many rafts were found to be not fit for purpose. Light weight with single tube sounds a bit like clutching at straws to me and I wouldn't buy one. Container on deck or preferably taff rail ready for use is best bet.
 
bedouin said:
SOLAS requirements for liferafts are really over-kill for the average channel yachtsman
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ISO 9650 is the standard. Many can be purchased with or without the Solas B pack such as - Self Righting Life Rafts - SeaSafe Systems Ltd

What is the difference between the average Channel yachtsman and one who sails elsewhere? Channel waters can be positively evil and that's when the raft is most likely needed.
 
bedouin said:
No quite correct - there is no requirement for me to carry a liferaft at all - let alone one that conforms to SOLAS requirements. In fact it certainly used to be the case that expert advice was that one wasn't necessary at all for say a cross channel hop.

SOLAS requirements for liferafts are really over-kill for the average channel yachtsman - I am not sure in what way you regard the light weight variety as posing a significant increase in risk over a SOLAS one in such circumstances.

The only thing I am not sure about is if they can auto-inflate - so if it is secured to the boat and that sinks if they deploy and break free the way a SOLAS one would.
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I was thinking that offshore meant something a little more distant from land than a cross channel trip where an inflated dinghy would be adequate.
 
Fr J Hackett said:
I was thinking that offshore meant something a little more distant from land than a cross channel trip where an inflated dinghy would be adequate.
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I was using it in the sense of "Yachtmaster Offshore" or Offshore racing - as opposed to Ocean. With the assumption that you are not further than say 100miles from the nearest port of refuge and/or lifeboat station.

As soon as you are going further and are more than a few hours from rescue then I would certainly agree you needshould have an ISO/SOLAS liferaft.
 
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