liferaft ?

[Masallah 04]

Looking to do one maybe two offshore races this summer (requiring Category 1 compliance) and wondering where.....preferably in the Pac NW....could someone rent a liferaft (6 person). Ultimately I'll likely buy one; any good sources for purchasing a raft would also be appreciated. Also, I'm considering mounting the liferaft in a canister on the deck, although I hate having anything on deck. What are some thoughts regarding where best to store / mount a liferaft.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Alan
Masallah...E35-2

 

[mark reed]

You might give Puget Sound Inflatables a call: 800-743-RAFT

The last I heard they only sell rafts, but they might know of a rental source in the area.

I didn't like the idea of a deck-mounted canister either, so went with a valise that we keep in the lazarette during passages; we store it below or at home to save space and weight if we're inshore and have the dinghy aboard.

We got a good deal on our Viking liferaft a couple of years ago at the Seattle Boat Show.

 

[Loren Beach]

When you Have to step Up to safety....

This raft rental company turned up with a quick Google search....
http://www.liferaftrental.com/surplusforsale.html
I have no personal experience with them.

A different approach might be to do what several friends of mine have done over the last decade. They know that I have an Avon Coastal valise raft that came with my boat, and have split the cost of a repack ($300.+) with me in return for borrowing it for a trip north or a use in the Oregon Offshore / Swiftsure races.
You might ask around your marina or yacht club -- this type of arrangement might be a long-shot possibility for you as well.

Plan "C" might be to do some raft shopping if/when you have your boat up to Vancouver BC. Some friends of ours sourced a hard-shell raft there for about half what it would have cost them in US $..... I do not remember the brand.

Best Wishes,

Loren in PDX

 

[jmoses]

Life rafts

If you do buy a life raft, it should be inspected/certified every year, over pressurized every 5 years (i.e. hydro'ed) and after 10 years they are usually recommended to be tossed out and replaced due to the harsh conditions they live in (Hot/cold, humidity, salt, etc.)....... Not to mention, if in a hard case on deck, you'd want a hydrostatic release with weak link because if the boat sinks in 30 seconds there is little time to be fiddling with releasing a raft or grabbing a 50 pound sack and deploying a raft (usually at night, in 40 knot winds in 15 foot seas). I've heard of a few cases where the valise raft was deployed but blew away in the high winds rendering it useless as it was not tied off before triggering (!).

Also, I heard of a valise raft stowed in a sail boat's lazzie that some how triggered. It took the guy a minute or two to figure out what in the hell was going on (loud hissing noise, cracking fiberglass), a minute to grab a knife and puncture the raft repeatedly. But by then it literally blew the back end of the cockpit and transom off!

Also, make sure you research the type of raft you buy (double inflatable bottom, double segregated tubes, canopy, type of supplies, etc) as when you need it, you'll REALLY be happy you picked a good one. Winslow now makes a raft that doesn't stink like rubber, which usually makes 90% of the occupants start pukeing, has a sky blue ceiling, tan tubes, and is a genuinely excellent raft (always highly rated by Practical Sailor and many other reviews I read). They modified their FAA approved (Aviation) raft for marine use which I saw at a boat show and was impressed with it (BTW, no affiliation with Winslow)

http://www.winslowliferaft.com/

Here in San Fran, raft rentals are quite common, check around, ask the commercial fishing guys or ferry operators...they know the good companies that do quality work. Here in San Fran it's Sal's Inflatables and Coastal Marine.

A quick check found this Winslow rep with rentals in Puget Sound:

http://www.westpacmarine.com/

John M.

 

[Chris Miller]

Check with Boat US

I know boat us rents all manor of off shore stuff. I'd check with them.
Chris

 

[Masallah 04]

liferafts....

thanks for all the good advice........
alan
Masallah 04

 

[Loren Beach]

Life Raft update

I thought this thread might be worth a revisit. Many of us like the security of having a raft aboard when making an offshore delivery, on our own boat or someone else's.

I just had our vintage Avon Coastal (valise) repacked last week. They were quite willing to throw it away if it failed the inflation test or the fabric was questionable, but it all passed.
The packer and I discussed our future options... he sez that when I return in a couple of years it would be best to just plan ahead for replacement at that time. This is an '88 model.
Evidently this brand and model has a long-lived reputation, and we keep ours in a dry basement except for the rare times I make a delivery up or down the coast.

In passing I asked about "used" rafts that I see in ads now and then and was told that they receive calls regularly about a prospective purchase of a used raft, and they always tell people to pass on any raft over ten years old. Granted these are deals from strangers and the buyer probably will not be able to really know the true condition of their "bargain" until they take it in for a repack.

No great epiphany here, but it seems desirable to share some up-to-date info from a professional that services and sells commercial and recreational life rafts.
( Vendor site: http://www.pacificmarinedist.com/home.php )

Fair winds,
Loren