A Self-Service Liferaft Design - Interested ?

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by DisasterZone

I've sometimes wondered the same thing about certifications. They don't make you any less dead...

Welcome ..DVC

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Don1500

No, a diploma or certification only means you passed the test. I know many dim bulbs that have diplomas and certificates. I also know many brilliant people that never graduated high school.

Don; AS, BS, MS, PhD, FCC, FAA, LSMFT

Ditto.

[Moody Mike]

With the cost of serviceing getting prohibitive this is a great idea to throw around. Manufactureres need to come up with a more cost effective system. Look on Gumtree & you can buy a 10 year old LF for nothing because the service guys tell you its cheaper to buy a new one than service an old one every 12 months. I have a RFD 8 man it was made in 1986 it was last serviced in 2009.
Its not worth 1 cent. So im going to open it up & have a go at servicing it myself. There are some good videos on utube how to do it.

[Moody Mike]

This doesnt look too difficult to me you dont need to speak German but it does help.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DdpPBjyaA4c&autoplay=1

[Sandibar]

Originally Posted by Moody Mike

This doesnt look too difficult to me you dont need to speak German but it does help.

Excellent, thanks for this! And yes, I have an old liferaft that hasn't been serviced for a while. Will see if I can pull this of by myself.

[captain58sailin]

Me too, I just priced the cost of servicing mine and was quoted $1200, which is too much for my bank roll.

[Boatguy30]

I had a raft services by Viking in Miami several years ago. Was VERY impressed. In my opinion if you feel you need a liferaft, you should with buy a new one or observe your current one being professionally serviced and repacked.

[boatman61]

You can keep your liferafts.. to me this is the best thing around.. a motor/sailing tender and life raft all in one..
Tinker Class Owners Association

http://www.tinkerowners.org.uk/index_RayYoung.jpg

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

the first step needed is to come up with a good marketing name or axiom

Well as Lifejacked has been beggared around with silly PFD acronyms, how about PFV - Personal Floatation Vessel?

I have just been looking into 4 man Offshore Liferafts for the boat I am after, and as a result voted 'maybe' in the poll.

The Seago 4 man Offshore does really well in tests and reviews over here, and that's what I want, plus, a GOOD 3 year service on them can be had over here for about $150 equivalent.

In general, in studies of real uses of Liferafts, it does suggest that a new Liferaft that has NOT been serviced (even if it is out of date) is a far better bet than a serviced one.

A nice thing with Seago servicing is most agents will let you be there for its inflation and servicing, will give you instructions for its proper use, and you can keep an eye on things while it is repackaged.

I just posted a thread asking if I can get a Seago anywhere in USA. If not, I am very interested in something worthwhile enough at a reasonable price (for a one man PFV) to have on the way back, and then get a new Seago when I am here.

As the Seago seem great value, and work far better than most of the expensive ones, would it perhaps be a better idea to look into importing and distributing them?

Though that may mess up me getting my hands on something to tide me over . . . . . Lol!

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

Anybody got a set of dimensions for a two tube with canopy raft for 4 persons? Interested in overall size, tube diameter, canopy height, and ballast pocket size, number, and location.

Thanks,

There's specs here:

Offshore raft – Seago

[Ribbit]

Hmmmm. I think I can see why you'd be interested in a DIY personal Jump Off Yacht Device (JOY-D - lol).

I've just been looking for something sensible to tide me over, that I can obtain Stateside, and frankly I am significantly underwhelmed by the very poor designs available, and am DEFINITELY not amused at the chronic and inexcusable overpricing (such rubbish certainly explains the massive servicing costs, because who in their right mind would want to touch one, let alone use one in anger?).

I'll stick with the inflatable dingy until I get back (and shove some OKO tyre sealer in the tubes for self sealing - I've used it for over 30 years with no problems), then get a Seago, I think.

What on Earth do these people think they are playing at?

Seriously, if you are cruising over this side of the Pond, pick up a Seago.

[Rob Curtis]

I do not know of sail boats in the area with life rafts. I dislike hypothermia so for me a life boat and hand held radio is better than an EPIRB.

An EPRIB is attached to my life jacket which is firmly attached to me and jack lines at all times.

I made a decision to never sail on any boat that does not have a life raft with water. They get hot inside.

I purchased the following:

Life raft (20 years old). Never used condition.
Dive tank (200 bar 2.7 liters (200 X 2.7 = 540 liters) of compressed air)
Tank valve
Dive regulator (second hand)
Pressure gauge (attached to the regulator)
A couple of fittings.

It cost about NZ$550 or US$328. I could do this a lot cheaper now knowing what is needed.

My sail boat is set up for single handed boomless sailing in 10 knot variable winds, within 5 miles or so of land. This is not for ocean crossings.

It is packed so you open the carry bag and turn on the two air taps.

You really do need to be able to look after yourself for a few hours or days. It is unrealistic to expect people to rush to your rescue at the drop of a hat.

I understand my life boat, can maintain it, and routinely test my last means of living. Fear mongering life raft extortionists gone. It cost NZ $7.00 to fill a bottle.

[psk125]

Some people seem to have a plan to use their dinghy as their liferaft. They decide what goes in it and how it will work for them with flotation and covers and supplies. They check it as often as they think necessary to make sure it meets their requirements and is as ready to deploy as they need it to be. Does it sound like DOJ is looking to get these people to buy a different kind of dinghy?

[Island Time O25]

Came across this thread a week and half ago. Gave me the incentive to find a cheap expired liferaft to learn from. This weekend found one online for under $100. Whoopee!

Called my old salt friend for adivice. His bio - 45+ years of marine related experience from merchant marine school at 15 to captaining large ships at 30-35 to 25 years of liveaboard and 2 circumnavs in the meantime.

Anyway, he said that repacking is not a rocket science and that he had done it numerous times beginning when he was a student at that merchant marine school. Will help me out with the procedure when he gets back to town, hopefully in the Spring. And he confirmed that just like a lot of other manufactured goods, the lemons are found right away. Meaning if anything is wrong with the raft or other contents means it would be probably just as bad during the first year or two of manufacture. And if the raft seams/layers are OK the rest of the stuff is easily and less expensively replaceable then the cost of the service re-pack. And unless one is entering an official race it would be just as good as doing it for mucho denero at a service shop.

At a minimum and worst comes to worst (if the raft is toast) I like the thought of under $100 repacking lesson plus the price of a nice dinner with a friend.

[paralog]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Just kicking over the idea..........

Same old inflatable inner tubes with a tent on top .......except designed for ease of owner servicing (it's not rocket science).

For regulatory purposes may have to be termed something like a "Survival Raft" rather than a "Liferaft" and probably wouldn't meet any requirements (race etc) as a Liferaft. But nonetheless as the raft was designed and purchased for DIY servicing can't be criticised for doing so, unlike for a conventional (out dated ) Liferaft.

But my thinking is that a Life.....errr....I mean Survival Raft would be both more reliable from being serviced every year ("Safety" is a constant thing, not a 3 or 5 year event) and from the Skipper / Crew simply becoming familiar with the raft.
I think this is a great idea, the reason so many boaters don't have liferafts is because o
Given that a re-pack won't be measured in the hundreds of $/£ no reason not to kick it overboard to see what happens...........and to realise that any sort of emergency rubber ring should really be part of a Plan C when trouble strikes, not Plan A


Be aware that if you do NOT have a "SURVIVAL RAFT" you, your family (including those onshore) will all die in a ball of flame. twice (early marketing draft ).

I think this is a great idea, the reason so many boaters don't have liferafts is because of the expense (especially here in North America). Would it not be better to have access to a cheaper home serviced life raft that is carried by more boaters and maybe work 90% of the time when needed or to only have 10% of the boaters carry the current life rafts that work 99.9% of the time. How many life rafts that are carried actually get deployed.