Which liferaft?

gravygraham

gravygraham

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Which liferaft? Help required.

I remember reading an MBM article on liferafts a few years back and the bit which stuck in my head was that there was no single authorative approval body. They were made to about three different standards as I remember - leaving Johnny shopper with little more than price alone as his determining factor. I've had a nose at the RNLI website and RYA member's website and for the life of me I cannot find anything vaguely useful to help with making an informed decision.

Have I missed something? All advice gratefully received.
 
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gravygraham said:
I remember reading an MBM article on liferafts a few years back and the bit which stuck in my head was that there was no single authorative approval body. They were made to about three different standards as I remember - leaving Johnny shopper with little more than price alone as his determining factor. I've had a nose at the RNLI website and RYA member's website and for the life of me I cannot find anything vaguely useful to help with making an informed decision.

Have I missed something? All advice gratefully received.
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I did a survey of what is on the market a couple of years ago Graham and bought a top if the range self righting SEAGO in canister. When you see the rafts inflated it's easy to see the different quality of materials used and I found these to be as good as much more expensive ones for far less money. Depends on the type of sailing you do but you can buy a "budget" SEAGO 4 man for about £4-500. Mine cost me a bit over £1000 if I remember right but its in my opinion as good as many rated SOLAS
 
I've got a seago 6 man jobbie. Had it serviced by Cosalt in Grimsby, service chap showed me the differences between the various makes, both professional and enthusiast levels and he thought the seago was by far the best and well made for private boats. I originally bought it because it was a good deal from mailspeed rather than knowledge.
 
How long do they last? I have one which is nine y/o and almost due for a service and am pondering whether to or just replace. (4 man canister sort).

I was thinking 'replace' but, on reflection, I can't see the point so I think I'll get it serviced one more time.
 
boatmike said:
. . . but its in my opinion as good as many rated SOLAS
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Trouble is Mike, I'm struggline to discern the benefits and neccessities of the different standards governing them, be it ISO, ORC, and MCA etc code of practice. It appears crazy that something as important as liferafts can be seemingly made to any standard.
 
GG, suggest you speak to an instructor on a sea survival course or, if you haven't ben on one, try one - good fun plus you get to see the rafts in action and the instructors will be able to tell you why one standard is better than another.

Please don't ask me because the information seems to have gone in one ear and come out of the other. :D
 
Liferafts!

Call me in the morning, number in link below, we run sea survival and I can talk you through the options - and no I dont sell them just look on sadly at what some people spend good money on!!
 
gravygraham said:
Trouble is Mike, I'm struggline to discern the benefits and neccessities of the different standards governing them, be it ISO, ORC, and MCA etc code of practice. It appears crazy that something as important as liferafts can be seemingly made to any standard.
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Yes I see that Graham, it,s a nightmare of different specs but I think unless you have to comply with specs for chartering or some other purpose my opinion (others may differ) is that the most important things are

1.The materials. Many cheap rafts are made from inferior thin PVC which over time tends to crack where folded. Seago appear to me to be superior in this respect when judged against others at a similar price.

2. The design. Some rafts have very small stabilisation pockets (these fill with seawater to keep the raft right way up)
3. Self righting. Most cheaper rafts can when launched float upside down. If you are young and fit you can probably jump in the oggin and turn it over OK but I would rather just jump in the raft!
4. What's in it? Here is the most contentious area and the main difference between Solas, ISO etc. Ask the manufacturer or dealer to SHOW you what is included and note the quality and quantity of things. Sometimes just to confuse things an ISO rated raft will have better contents than a SOLAS as compliance only means meeting the standard minimum so judge the content for yourself but don't forget you can always suppliment contents by having a "grab bag".
5. How is it packed? Has it been hermetically sealed or not? Obviously better if it is. Canisters are also better than valise if you have somewhere to stow it. Try to find a point where it can easily be deployed. Personally I would never stow a liferaft in a locker if I could avoid it.

As I say, its only my opinion but I bought a SEAGO ISO rated 4 man self righter taking all these things into account. There are others of course but at the price it did all that I felt one could ask.
 
Thanks Mike, Jon & Ben. A day's Sea Survival course sounds like fun and time well spent. Not this time of year though!

Where do peeps with valises keep them when under way? Or do they leave them stored in the same place at berth and sea? Our new boat has a liferaft locker built into the bathing platform and I'm wondering if to get a canister lr and mount it on the transom, leaving the generous locker for fenders and warps.
 
Does anyone have a view on Plastimo liferafts?

I'm looking at a 6 man Coastal ISO-9650-2 in a cannister.

One of the deciding factors is that I have a local service agent.

Any thoughts appreciated.
 
There was a new UK manufacturer displaying at LIBS - looked well made and the price was attractive. We decided to buy one, but then lost his contact details - ring a bell with anyone?
 
If you read the test in Yachting Monthly about two years ago - of the 5 liferafts tested - one failed to inflate and one only partially inflated. Take the advice of the MOD who buys a liferaft ,inflates it, dismantles it and then replaces the rubbish items with better quality fittings, quite an eye opener when you see some of the stuff being replaced........
 
+1 Plastimo

Hairy said:
Does anyone have a view on Plastimo liferafts?

I'm looking at a 6 man Coastal ISO-9650-2 in a cannister.

One of the deciding factors is that I have a local service agent.

Any thoughts appreciated.
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Just had my Plastimo serviced for the first time after 7 years (from new) - I watched it being opened - very well packed and both of the servce engineers were very complimentary about Plastimos at the "budget" end of the market. The raft was a valise that had been stored in a locker and was in perfect condition when opened apart from the expired items needing replacing. I understand that the service life interval for non MCA coded craft/non SOLAS is 3 years with the gas canister needing replacing at 10 years and the certificate I got had a 3 year date on it.
 
We have the Seago 6 man Valise. Its been all serviced once and all inflated fine. But the light unit was all broken and the battery box was crushed and damaged. We did what others have done and replaced them with better quality items and updated the flares/pills etc. We have questioned bothering to carry it several times in the past, knowing and understanding what it would actually be like to have to use it at Sea, but somehow its makes us feel better and at least we have the option.
 
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