What to do with old life raft?

westernman

westernman

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I have 2 old RFD 8 man solas commercial liferafts in GRP flat pack containers from 1998.
Last used/serviced about 12 years ago.

Any ideas what to do with them?
I have tried giving them away on the "Bon Coin" down here. But no takers.

It would be a shame to take them down to the dump. If I can get them into the car. They are 85kgs.

Obviously if any one wants them, they are welcome to come down here (Montpellier, France) and take them.
 
I part exchanged my old one for a new one from a local supplier.

They said they would use it for training asthey did when I did the STCW 95 course
 
As suggested above:

A training centre may be interested. When I was running STCW survival courses we used the contents of a couple of old rafts for demonstration. After a while we stopped accepting old rafts - though I still have two liferaft drogues on my boat on the basis they may come in useful for emergency steering or in conditions that do not require the full Jordan drogue.

Likewise a paddling pool is probably the only other practical use one can think of.
 
You can chop them up and the large pieces make waterproof covers for anything, like a roof rack. The cylinders should last for ever but maybe a lifraft servicing operation might take them off your hands.

Disposal of the pyrotechnics might be your biggest issue.

Jonathan
 
westernman said:
I have 2 old RFD 8 man solas commercial liferafts in GRP flat pack containers from 1998.
Last used/serviced about 12 years ago.

Any ideas what to do with them?
I have tried giving them away on the "Bon Coin" down here. But no takers.
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I'd say try the SNSM, but on the last couple of occasions I heard they already had all they needed, including out of date liferafts
 
I threw mine away. Sorry, but they are no use once they get to a certain age. A bit like people really.
 
Zing said:
I threw mine away. Sorry, but they are no use once they get to a certain age. A bit like people really.
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Rubbish

Liferafts can have a long life if stored correctly and regularly serviced. As long as this is followed and conducted properly life rafts will be reliable - totally different to adult people.

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
Rubbish

Liferafts can have a long life if stored correctly and regularly serviced. As long as this is followed and conducted properly life rafts will be reliable - totally different to adult people.

Jonathan
Click to expand...

So you're happy to ignore the manufacturer's service life?
 
Neeves said:
Rubbish

Liferafts can have a long life if stored correctly and regularly serviced. As long as this is followed and conducted properly life rafts will be reliable - totally different to adult people.

Jonathan
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No. You are totally wrong about that. They have to be thrown away at a certain age or you put your life at risk. 12 to 15 years is the lifespan of a modern liferaft.
 
The key words, carefully selected, were 'regularly serviced'.

If they are regularly serviced and certificated they are good to go, if they are beyond their service life they will not be certificated (unlike some adults who are never certified until it is too late - I can think of a few politicians who might fit the concept).

Jonathan
 
Zing said:
No. You are totally wrong about that. They have to be thrown away at a certain age or you put your life at risk. 12 to 15 years is the lifespan of a modern liferaft.
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These are "commercial".
I was told they are good for 30 years.

I stopped using them because the servicing needed to be done every year, and cost about 1/2 the cost of a new liferaft.
A new liferaft did not need to be serviced for 3 years.
 
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