wetline life raft servicing: when to replace/

chubby

chubby

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Mar 2005
Messages
1,108
Location
hampshire, uk
www.flickr.com
We have a 4 man wetline liferaft, in a canister, never used and serviced on schedule. It is due it`s third service and last time the service centre said that it would need a more expensive service as the firing head needs replacing? this would put the cost of the service, previously £308 in 2015 to close to the cost of a new one, with the possible benefit of improvements but in something I hope never to use. So service or replace and flog the old one "as is" on e bay? have they materially improved in three years?
 
chubby said:
We have a 4 man wetline liferaft, in a canister, never used and serviced on schedule. It is due it`s third service and last time the service centre said that it would need a more expensive service as the firing head needs replacing? this would put the cost of the service, previously £308 in 2015 to close to the cost of a new one, with the possible benefit of improvements but in something I hope never to use. So service or replace and flog the old one "as is" on e bay? have they materially improved in three years?
Click to expand...
Personally, I would find it immoral to flog it on ebay when you knew it was dodgy.
 
Where did the idea that this is three years old come from???

Who mentioned deterioration after two years?

How about we read posts???

Tony.
 
Jabs said:
Where did the idea that this is three years old come from???

Who mentioned deterioration after two years?

How about we read posts???

Tony.
Click to expand...
OK: The OP says "have they materially improved in three years?" Which I take to mean since original purchase as no improvement could be expected between services.
OTOH last service was 2015, so must be asking "has a firing head improved since three years ago?" Yes?
 
Last edited:
fisherman said:
OK: The OP says "have they materially improved in three years?" Which I take to mean since original purchase as no improvement could be expected between services.
OTOH last service was 2015, so must be asking "has a firing head improved since three years ago?" Yes?
Click to expand...

This is not a commercial/fishing vessel raft which has, as I understand it, to be service annually. It's a leisure raft so has a three year service interval, making it nine years old. Therefore, the firing head needs replacement, probably according to the makers service instructions. It'll also need a hydrostatic test on the game cylinder in a year's time (10 year point). For those reasons alone, I'd be considering replacement now, rather than servicing a nine year old raft.
I don't think rafts have changed dramatically over the past decade or so but I wouldn't replace a raft to seek improvements, rather I'd be replacing it because it had become uneconomic to keep servicing it.
As to selling the old raft, provided the op sells it 'as is' (that is, needing a service and mentioning the age of the raft) then I see nothing immoral In that whatsoever. Putting it on eBay saying it was good to go for another x years and didn't need a service would be a different question.
 
Quite so, when the raft needed a £300+vat service and new was £600 inc vat, no brainer really. I posted on here about my 20 year old Plastimo, last serviced 2007, pulled in 2017, no go, but only due to faulty packing, all components OK and bottle fired once we got inside the canister.
 
As duncan99210 says, it's most likely the cylinder which need hydrostatic test. Can't understand why that should be so expensive as my dive cylinders cost < £20 each last time I had them done. Selling is an option provided it's advertised as "due for 9 year service". OTOH, there's no law which states a cylinder has to be tested so, if it's in good condition and weight, he could service the raft himself and keep it. A service station won't certify the raft without test.
 
fisherman said:
Quite so, when the raft needed a £300+vat service and new was £600 inc vat, no brainer really. I posted on here about my 20 year old Plastimo, last serviced 2007, pulled in 2017, no go, but only due to faulty packing, all components OK and bottle fired once we got inside the canister.
Click to expand...

The six year service was £308 incl VAT so I was anticipating the nine year service with replacement of the firing head and cylinder would be another £150? so about 450? Once that gets to about 75% of new seems better to go new. I wonder if a service station would take in part exchange for spares or use as a demo?
 
chubby said:
The six year service was £308 incl VAT so I was anticipating the nine year service with replacement of the firing head and cylinder would be another £150? so about 450? Once that gets to about 75% of new seems better to go new. I wonder if a service station would take in part exchange for spares or use as a demo?
Click to expand...

Paddling pool!
 
A sailing school might want it as a demonstrator. Good for inflating in a pool to show folk what a liferaft looks like inflated, what's in it, how you get in it, deploy the drogue etc...
 
Just some feedback on my dilemma whether to service or replace:

Full marks to the very helpful guys at Universal safety in Swanwick (no connection), apparently the price of gas bottles has come down, the firing head doesn't need replacement after all, by taking out surplus contents the price was further reduced to £233 and the raft was perfect inside when serviced and is now back aboard and good for another three years at least.

My main trips are Solent to Cherbourg especially for Scuttlebutt rallies and my chances of ever being in the raft for long are slim compared to even say a Fastnet and it is better to keep things in a grab bag.

Anyway 233 is much better than say 650 for a basic new raft!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top