Life raft for the Caribbean

[pas63]

Life raft for the Caribbean? How many have one, how many consider it unnecesary?

[Zanshin]

I feel that, outside of the hurricane season, a dinghy that is either towed or floats from the deck with a grab bag (containing at least a VHF if not an EPIRB) is sufficient for the typical windward and leeward island cruising.

[AiniA]

There is also the question of getting there through waters that may not be all that friendly. My take is that raft is something that the captain provides for the safety of the crew.

[Tin Tin]

If it is just you on the boat - your call. However if you have non family crew, children, elderly etc aboard you need to consider the ramifications of a disaster at sea (fire, whale collision etc) and how the headlines might read and how the aggrieved family members would be wanting to sue you blind for not having a life raft and some one perishes.The fact that the life raft may not have made a difference is an argument you would need to win because it will be a big hole in your defense. Same could be said for any safety device that a "prudent" skipper might carry, some by law such as life jackets, fire extinguishers etc, others which are optional like MOB devices, life rafts etc.




The other thing to consider is that if you as the McGuyver skipper are injured and incapacitated, utilizing the dinghy may or may not be possible compared to a self launching life raft, depending on how fast the yacht sinks, what element of panic is at play and so on.

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by pas63

Life raft for the Caribbean? How many have one, how many consider it unnecesary?

Any legal requirements aside, Of course it is "unnecessary".
So is wearing your seatbelt in a car.
So is wearing a helmet on a motorcycle.
You make your choices for YOU based on what you think is best.
We are sending our liferaft in for its second repack next week.

I can not follow the logic of sailing between islands in the Caribbean being any different than crossing an ocean. Once you are far enough from shore you can't swim to the beach, what's the difference? It might make a difference in the KIND of life raft you chose, but for the basic need?

[Zanshin]

@SailingHarmonie - seatbelt and helmet laws vary by country. The life raft requirements are set by the flag country.

The difference in the Caribbean is that the dinghy is usually towed and is therefore accessible at short notice. And distances in the Caribbean are shorter so a rescue would be forthcoming quickly rather than the week+ that might occur in the Pacific or offshore in the Atlantic. Most of the cruisers that I've met here in the Caribbean have waaay out of date liferafts that may, or may not, deploy correctly.