life raft for yacht

How to Choose a Life Raft for Your Boat: The Complete Guide

When venturing out on the water, safety should always be a top priority, and one of the most critical pieces of safety equipment is a life raft. While you hope you never need to use one, having a reliable life raft on board can make the difference between life and death in an emergency. Choosing the right life raft for your boat involves understanding various factors such as the type of boating you do, the size of your vessel, and where you plan to use it. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key aspects of choosing the best life raft for your boat, including important features, types of life rafts, certifications, and pricing.

Why You Need a Life Raft

Life rafts are essential for offshore boating, where the risk of a vessel becoming disabled due to extreme weather, collisions, or equipment failure is higher. Unlike personal flotation devices (PFDs), a life raft offers shelter from harsh conditions, increased buoyancy, and supplies that can keep you and your crew alive until help arrives.

The right life raft provides peace of mind, ensuring you’re prepared for emergencies that leave you no choice but to abandon ship.

Types of Life Rafts

Life rafts come in various configurations depending on their intended use. When selecting a life raft, consider the type of boating you do and the specific conditions you might face. Here are the most common types of life rafts for recreational and commercial boating:

1. Coastal Life Rafts

Coastal life rafts are designed for boaters who stay within 20 miles of shore. These rafts are built for shorter-term survival in calmer, nearshore waters. While they offer some protection, they may lack advanced features found in offshore models.

Best For: Day cruisers, weekend boaters, and coastal fishing trips.

Price Range: $1,000 to $2,500.

2. Offshore Life Rafts

Offshore life rafts are built for longer journeys and harsher conditions. They offer better protection against waves and elements, include insulated floors, and come with emergency kits that contain essentials like flares, food rations, and water. These rafts are larger, sturdier, and more expensive than coastal models, making them ideal for open-ocean or extended boating trips.

Best For: Offshore fishermen, sailors, and long-distance cruisers.

Price Range: $2,500 to $7,500.

3. SOLAS Life Rafts

SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) life rafts adhere to strict international safety standards and are often required for commercial vessels. These rafts provide the highest level of safety and survival features, including multiple air chambers, insulated canopies, and extensive emergency equipment. While they are typically used by commercial ships, some serious offshore cruisers may opt for a SOLAS-rated raft.

Best For: Commercial boats, serious offshore adventures, and international travel.

Price Range: $4,000 to $10,000.

Key Features to Consider When Choosing a Life Raft

When selecting a life raft, it’s essential to look beyond the basic type and focus on features that can make a big difference in an emergency. Here are the key factors to consider:

1. Capacity

Life rafts come in different sizes, designed to accommodate a specific number of people. It’s important to choose a raft that can safely hold everyone on board, plus some margin for error. Life rafts are usually rated for 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 people.

Pro Tip: Always select a raft with a higher capacity than the number of people typically on your boat. In an emergency, extra space can be used for gear or help accommodate unexpected situations.

Example: A 6-person coastal life raft typically costs between $1,500 and $2,200.

2. Weight and Storage

The size and weight of a life raft can vary depending on its features and capacity. Consider where you will store the raft on your boat and how easy it is to deploy in an emergency. Life rafts are usually stored in either a hard, waterproof container (canister) or a soft valise. Canisters are typically mounted on deck, while valises are easier to stow below deck.

Weight: Coastal life rafts weigh between 50 to 80 lbs, while offshore and SOLAS rafts can weigh 90 to 180 lbs.

3. Deployment Mechanism

In an emergency, time is of the essence. Life rafts are typically equipped with manual or automatic deployment mechanisms. Automatic deployment rafts are equipped with a Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) that deploys the raft when submerged underwater, making it easier to use if the boat sinks quickly.

Manual Deployment: Pulling a lanyard inflates the raft.

Automatic Deployment: The HRU automatically inflates the raft upon water immersion.

4. Survival Equipment

Most life rafts come with basic survival gear, but it’s important to understand what’s included. Offshore and SOLAS rafts come with extensive equipment, including:

• Fishing kits
• Water rations
• First aid kits
• Hand pumps Tip: Ensure the life raft you select meets your specific emergency needs, and consider upgrading the kit for longer voyages.

5. Insulation and Protection

Some rafts come with insulated floors to protect occupants from the cold. If you’re boating in colder regions or offshore waters, this is a key feature to look for. Offshore and SOLAS rafts also offer canopies for protection against rain, wind, and sun.

Life Raft Certifications: What to Look For

Certifications are an important aspect of selecting a life raft, as they ensure the raft meets industry standards for safety and reliability. The most common certifications include:

• SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea): Required for commercial vessels and recommended for serious offshore sailors.
• ISO 9650: Covers non-SOLAS rafts, often required for international offshore sailing.
• USCG (United States Coast Guard): Life rafts certified by the USCG meet U.S. safety standards.

Maintenance and Servicing

Life rafts need regular servicing to ensure they will function properly in an emergency. Most life rafts require inspection and servicing every 1-3 years, depending on the manufacturer and usage. Inspections include checking inflation systems, survival gear, and repacking the raft.

Cost of Servicing: Typically ranges from $400 to $1,000 depending on the type of life raft and servicing location.

Tip: Make sure you keep up with service intervals, as expired rafts may not inflate properly or contain viable emergency gear.

Popular Life Raft Models: Specs & Price

Here’s a look at some popular life rafts for different boating needs, including their key specifications and price ranges:

1. Winslow 6-Person Offshore Life Raft

• Capacity: 6 persons
• Weight: 90 lbs
• Equipment: Includes first aid kit, flares, water rations
• Price: $4,200 – $5,000

2. Viking RescYou Pro 8-Person Offshore Life Raft

• Capacity: 8 persons
• Weight: 123 lbs
• Equipment: Includes HRU, double canopy, insulated floor
• Price: $5,500 – $7,000

3. Revere Coastal Compact 4-Person Life Raft

• Capacity: 4 persons
• Weight: 45 lbs
• Equipment: Basic emergency kit
• Price: $1,200 – $1,800

Choosing the right life raft for your boat is a vital decision that can save your life in an emergency. By considering the type of boating you do, the size of your boat, the number of people on board, and the specific features offered, you can select a life raft that fits your needs and budget. Always look for certified, reputable products, and stay on top of maintenance and servicing to ensure your life raft is always ready for action.

No matter where your boating adventures take you, having the right life raft ensures you’re prepared for the unexpected. Safe boating!

Happy Boating!

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How to Choose a Life Raft for Your Boat

Who needs a life raft? Chances are, you do if you’re planning to do coastal or blue water passage making. It’s an insurance item that you hope you don’t need and don’t want to spend much money on but don’t get tempted to go cheap, or worse, without.

A life raft serves as a floating platform to keep you out of the water in case your primary vessel sinks or catches fire. Some people choose to forgo a life raft and opt instead to use their dinghy or inflatable as a secondary source of buoyancy in case of disaster. These may work on lakes, rivers and in near-coastal areas where rescue may be imminent. They will allow you to stay out of the water to avoid hypothermia and possible shark attack, and they’re bigger targets in the water than your head, so they increase your chances of being seen and rescued. However, your tender isn’t likely to do the job on the open ocean in large waves and high winds and that’s where a life raft comes in. 

Life raft basics

Recreational life rafts generally have a four, six or eight-person capacity. They come packed in either a fiberglass canister that is mounted on a cradle on deck or in a soft-sided valise so it can be stored in a locker or below. Rafts are automatically deployed with a compressed gas cylinder. Cost depends on size and type but usually ranges $2,000-$6,000. Weight (typically 30-80 pounds for a valise and upwards of 170 pounds for canister versions) is a key issue especially for rafts that will have to be moved and thrown off the boat manually. 

Life rafts can be divided into two categories: inshore or coastal and offshore or ocean-crossing . ISO 9650 Type-2 rafts are designed for navigating in coastal and inshore waters where rescue is likely within 24 hours. These generally have a single buoyancy tube, they may or may not have a canopy, they come basically equipped and are they’re lighter and less expensive. 

Transoceanic life rafts are designed for more serious conditions and are more ruggedly built with additional and larger ballast bags and self-righting inflating canopies. They have an extensive equipment list including a drogue (sea anchor) to help with stability and to minimize drift away from your originally reported position. These rafts usually come with insulated inflatable floors for thermal protection and more comprehensive inspection ports so you can spot a rescue vessel on the horizon.

Choosing a life raft

Your choice of life raft will depend on several factors:

• Assess your cruising area and your overall needs. If you normally boat on small bodies of water in an open boat, a dinghy or inflatable may suffice. If you’re cruising or racing within a few miles of shore, consider a coastal life raft. They’re smaller and less expensive but also designed for more benign conditions and shorter stays. If you’re passage making, you’ll need an offshore raft.
• Your size and type of boat will come into play but not as much as you think. A small sailboat or day cruiser may not have much space for a canister life raft but again, it’s about where you boat more than what you boat on. If deck space is limited, choose a valise life raft that can be stored below deck.

• Don’t oversize . If you normally boat as a couple with occasional guests, get a four-person raft. USCG-approved rafts should have a minimum of four square feet per person, which isn’t much. Although it’s true that tempers flare when you can’t stretch out and get rest, bigger isn’t always better. You want to have a good weight/square foot ratio to keep the raft from capsizing in high winds and waves. Also, a tight fit ensures the preservation of body heat. 
• Consider your budget . If money is tight, think about purchasing a pre-owned life raft that has been recertified professionally by the raft manufacturer or specialized raft service station. Purchasing a used name-brand life raft will be better than going cheap for new. For intermittent use, consider renting. Depending on size, trip duration and rating, the cost to rent a life raft is about $500-$1000 and there are several reputable service organizations that will provide you a well-packed, certified raft for a crossing or an offshore race. 

A relatively small segment of the boating population truly needs a life raft. The rest can rely on their dinghy or inflatable but there’s no substitute for offshore safety so consider your needs, do your research, make a budget and make the purchase because if things go wrong, the reason to spend money on this piece of insurance is right in the name – life raft.

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Choosing the right life raft for your boat

Ensure the safety of your family and crew while sailing by choosing the right life raft for your boat - read our comprehensive guide to learn about the factors to consider and make an informed decision.

Choosing the Right Life Raft for Your Boat

As you embark on your sailing adventure, leaving the rat race behind and embracing the open sea, the safety of your family and crew should be your top priority. One of the most critical pieces of safety equipment on any boat is the life raft. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the various factors to consider when choosing the right life raft for your boat, ensuring that you are well-prepared for any emergency situation that may arise.

Table of Contents

Why you need a life raft, types of life rafts, capacity and size, life raft features, storage and deployment, maintenance and inspection.

While we all hope to never find ourselves in a situation where we need to abandon ship, the reality is that accidents and emergencies can happen at any time. A life raft serves as your last line of defense in the event of a catastrophic event, such as a fire, collision, or sinking. It provides a temporary shelter and survival platform for you and your crew, increasing your chances of being rescued.

In addition to being a crucial safety measure, having a life raft on board may also be a legal requirement, depending on the size of your boat and the waters you plan to sail in. Many countries and sailing organizations have specific regulations regarding life rafts, so it’s essential to familiarize yourself with these requirements before setting sail.

There are several types of life rafts available on the market, each designed for different types of vessels and sailing conditions. The main categories of life rafts include:

Coastal Life Rafts

Coastal life rafts are designed for use in relatively sheltered waters, close to shore. They are typically lighter and more compact than offshore life rafts, making them suitable for smaller boats with limited storage space. However, they may not be as durable or well-equipped as their offshore counterparts, and they may not meet the requirements for boats sailing in more challenging conditions.

Offshore Life Rafts

Offshore life rafts are built to withstand the harsh conditions of open ocean sailing. They are generally more robust and better equipped than coastal life rafts, with features such as insulated floors, heavy-duty canopies, and more extensive survival equipment. These life rafts are suitable for boats that venture far from shore and may be required for boats participating in offshore races or cruising in remote areas.

ISO 9650 Life Rafts

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed a set of standards for life rafts, known as ISO 9650. These life rafts are designed to meet specific performance criteria and are subject to rigorous testing and certification. ISO 9650 life rafts are available in two types: Type 1 for ocean use and Type 2 for coastal use. Choosing an ISO 9650 life raft ensures that you are getting a high-quality, reliable product that meets international safety standards.

When selecting a life raft, it’s essential to consider the number of people it needs to accommodate. Life rafts are available in various capacities, typically ranging from 4 to 12 persons. It’s crucial to choose a life raft with a capacity that matches or exceeds the number of people on board your boat.

Keep in mind that the stated capacity of a life raft refers to the number of people it can accommodate in an emergency situation, not necessarily in comfort. In a real-life scenario, you may need to accommodate injured crew members or additional supplies, so it’s a good idea to choose a life raft with a slightly higher capacity than the number of people on board.

In addition to capacity, consider the size and weight of the life raft. Smaller boats may have limited storage space, so it’s essential to choose a life raft that can be easily stowed and deployed. Some life rafts are available in compact, lightweight models designed specifically for smaller vessels.

Life rafts come with various features designed to enhance their performance and survivability in emergency situations. Some key features to look for when choosing a life raft include:

Canopy: A canopy provides protection from the elements and helps to maintain body heat. Look for a life raft with a high-visibility canopy that is easy to erect and has adequate ventilation.

Insulated Floor: An insulated floor helps to protect occupants from cold water and provides additional buoyancy. This feature is particularly important for life rafts intended for use in cold water environments.

Ballast Bags: Ballast bags are weighted compartments that fill with water, helping to stabilize the life raft and prevent it from capsizing in rough seas. The more ballast bags a life raft has, the more stable it will be.

Boarding Ladder: A boarding ladder or ramp makes it easier for occupants to enter the life raft from the water, particularly in rough conditions or when wearing bulky survival gear.

Survival Equipment: Life rafts should come equipped with essential survival equipment, such as flares, signaling devices, a first aid kit, and water and food rations. Some life rafts also include additional items like a sea anchor, fishing kit, or repair kit.

Proper storage and deployment of your life raft are critical to its effectiveness in an emergency. Life rafts are typically stored in either a hard container or a soft valise. Hard containers are more durable and provide better protection for the life raft, but they can be bulky and heavy. Soft valises are lighter and more compact, but they may not offer the same level of protection.

When choosing a storage location for your life raft, consider the following factors:

Accessibility: The life raft should be easily accessible from the deck and cockpit, even in rough conditions or when the boat is heeled over.

Protection: The life raft should be protected from damage caused by UV exposure, chafing, or impact.

Deployment: The life raft should be stored in a location that allows for quick and easy deployment in an emergency. Some life rafts are designed to be mounted on deck or in a dedicated storage locker, while others can be stored in a cockpit locker or below deck.

Regular maintenance and inspection are essential to ensure that your life raft remains in good working order. Most life raft manufacturers recommend that their products be serviced and inspected every three to five years, depending on the model and usage. This service typically includes a thorough inspection of the life raft’s fabric, seams, inflation system, and survival equipment, as well as any necessary repairs or replacements.

It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with your life raft’s operation and practice deploying it in a controlled environment. This will help to ensure that you are prepared to use the life raft effectively in an emergency situation.

Choosing the right life raft for your boat is a critical decision that can have a significant impact on the safety and well-being of your family and crew. By considering factors such as the type of life raft, capacity, features, storage, and maintenance, you can select a life raft that meets your specific needs and provides the best possible protection in an emergency situation. Remember, a life raft is an investment in your safety and peace of mind as you embark on your sailing adventure, so choose wisely and sail with confidence.

Choose the right liferaft

To select the appropriate liferaft for your sailing requirements, consider various important factors such as the capacity needed for all individuals on board, the regulations of your flag state, and the specific areas you plan to navigate.

Which VIKING liferaft is right for you?

Rescyou pro.

RescYou Ocean

RescYou Coastal

Liferaft features in detail

Discover the unparalleled features of a VIKING RescYou™ liferaft. Our design incorporates a comprehensive range of features to address all safety precautions.

Storage and installation

After selecting your VIKING RescYou™ liferaft, the next crucial decision is whether to opt for a valise or a container.

What's inside a liferaft emergency pack?

When you choose a VIKING liferaft, you’re selecting more than just a life-saving device. Our commitment to safety means that each liferaft comes packed with essential emergency equipment and life-saving appliances.

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• Boat Safety Equipment
• Everything you need to know about life rafts

Liferafts for sport boats and sailing yachts

Everything you need to know about your on-board life raft. Imagine the worst-case scenario: you are shipwrecked, your boat catches fire or is about to sink. If the unthinkable happens, your life raft will be a lifesaver for you and your crew. In the following guide, we give an overview of the different types, sizes and versions of life rafts used in sports boats, the international equipment regulations for carrying life rafts and what you should be aware of when storing life rafts on board, using them in an emergency and what to consider when servicing them.

Table of Contents

Regulations for life rafts on board, guidelines for the condition and specifications of life rafts.

• Which life raft to buy
• ISO 9650 basics
• ISO 9650-1 offshore & transocean
• ISO 9650-2 coastal areas
• ISO comparison table
• Emergency equipment

In an emergency

• Storing on board
• Boarding correctly

Maintenance of life rafts

• Maintenance interval
• Maintenance service includes

What are the regulations for life rafts on recreational craft and sailing yachts?

As a general rule, in Great Britain there are no on-board requirements regarding safety equipment items for recreational craft up to a length of 13.70 metres, as long as the yacht is not used commercially. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended for every skipper to have adequate life-saving equipment on board. The type and extent of equipment depends very much on the size of the boat and the sailing area. The international ISO 9650 standard from 2005, which we will explain in more detail later, serves as a guideline for the equipment and specifications of a life raft.

If you sail under the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, the equipment regulations which that are valid in Great Britain apply, irrespective of the waters sailing in. If you sail abroad under the national flag of that country, you must observe the national regulations. Below we have listed the applicable regulations in France, Italy and Spain for you:

In some countries, however, depending on the area, it is mandatory to carry a life raft and other safety equipment, such as life jackets or pyrotechnics.

France - What regulations apply for carrying life rafts?

The district is divided into zones, distance to the coast in nautical miles (NM) applies:

In France, the "Division 240" has been in force since May 2015, which includes the introduction of a new territorial zone - the "Semi Hautier" zone of 6 to 60 miles. For this new zone, boats flying the French flag must have at least one ISO 9650-2 certified life raft on board. If you sail under the French flag outside the 60-mile zone, your boat must be equipped with a Bureau Veritas certified ISO 9650-1 life raft.

Italy - What are the regulations for carrying life rafts?

The district is divided into mile zones, distance to the coast in nautical miles (NM):

Spain - When must a life raft be carried on board?

Find out about the respective equipment specifications in international areas.

Which life raft should I buy for my sports boat?

Before buying a life raft, it is important to consider your needs clearly and then determine the necessary features of the life raft. In short: Blue-water sailors have different requirements for a life raft than coastal sailors on the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

In addition to the required ISO type , the number of persons required should also be considered when purchasing a life raft. The bigger the better as a concept does not work here, as the life raft's buoyancy is based on the weight of the occupants. There is a risk of capsizing if the number of persons or the corresponding weight is exceeded or not reached.

What are the guidelines for the condition and specifications of life rafts according to ISO 9650?

In 2005, the international ISO 9650 standard for life rafts on sailing and motor boats was introduced. This standard specifies the technical condition of life rafts, the extent of emergency equipment and the materials that may be used in the manufacture of life rafts. However, compliance with this standard is not compulsory in all countries. Compliance is voluntary.

Details regarding differences can be found below in the comparison table for ISO 9650-1 life rafts & ISO 9650-2 life rafts.

ISO 9650 applies to sailboats and motorboats up to 24 metres in length and classifies life rafts according to two main categories:

ISO 9650-1 Life Rafts for Offshore & Transocean

• ISO 9650-2 Life Rafts for Coastal Areas

Life rafts of type 9650-1 are divided into two groups for different operating temperatures: Group A life rafts are designed for a temperature range from -15 to +65° Celsius and Group B life rafts for temperatures between 0 and +65° Celsius.

These life rafts are available in various configurations: For an estimated rescue period of less than 24 hours as a standard package and for an estimated rescue period of more than 24 hours with survival equipment, such as drinking water and emergency provisions.

SEAGO SEA MASTER ISO 9650-1 / ISAF, for unrestricted offshore use and for category 1 and 2 regattas. Available either in a robust flat container or packed in a bag. Additional equipment can be carried in a "grab bag". Make sure that the grab bag is waterproof and floatable.

ISO 9650-1 Life Rafts

ISO 9650-2 Life Rafts for Use in Coastal Areas

Life rafts of type 9650-2 are safe to deploy in temperatures between 0 and +65° Celsius and are configured as a standard package for a maximum duration of 24 hours.

If you only sail close to the coast, an ISO 9650-2 life raft will meet all requirements.

SEATEC by SEAGO life rafts. These life rafts are for 4, 6 or 8 persons and are suitable for sailing along the North Sea or Baltic coast for example, on big lakes and inland waters. They come as a standard package without drinking water but with 2 parachute flares and 3 hand flares and have the advantage that they are French Bureau Veritas approved and Italian RINA approved.

ISO 9650-2 Life Rafts

Comparison of ISO 9650-1 Life Rafts & ISO 9650-2 Life Rafts

What emergency equipment is found in life rafts?

How do I store my life raft on board?

The life raft is optionally packed in a handy bag or a sturdy GRP container. Choose an on-board storage location for the life raft that is always in view and can be reached quickly by the entire crew. A stainless-steel holder on deck is ideal for storing a life raft on board. The life raft is attached to the holder with a rip cord.

Storing the life raft on board

How is the life raft activated in an emergency?

In an emergency, the life raft and its container are thrown into the water. A crew member then pulls the rip cord, which is up to ten metres long, until resistance is felt. This point is often marked in colour on the cord. With a jerk of the hand, the release mechanism is activated and the buoyancy chambers of the life raft are automatically filled with air or CO2. The pull rope can now be tied to the side of the ship (manually or with the winch for sailing ships). The life raft should always be pulled to the ship's side, never to the stern. The stern will act like a guillotine in rough seas and could damage the life raft.

Alternatively, an on deck life raft can be fitted with a hydrostatic inflator . When the life raft is under water (water depth 1.5 - 4m), the hydrostatic inflator is activated by the water pressure and the life raft floats up and inflates automatically. However, hydrostatic inflators must be replaced every 2 years.

Practice dealing with an emergency at sea without getting into danger - this can bedone during safety training in Neustadt/Holstein, Info: www.kycd.de

Hydrostatic inflator

What is important to know when getting into a life raft?

The most physically-able person should enter the life raft first. This person can then help the other crew members into the life raft. Ideally, all persons should climb into the life raft directly from the ship without entering the water. If this is not possible, many life rafts have ladders or boarding aids that make it easier to access the life raft from the water.

Only when all crew members are in the life raft and the ship actually sinks (usually many hours later) can the pull rope be finally detached from the ship. All life rafts are equipped with a knife for this purpose.

Why a personal grab bag is a good idea and what it should contain

Check in advance the emergency equipment available on the life raft and replenish if necessary. A personal grab-bag makes a sensible addition to the accessories a life raft is usually equipped with. A grab-bag is a waterproof and floatable bag or container in signal colour. You can also carry important documents and personal items in a waterproof and floatable grab-bag that are essential in an emergency and must not be missing. This may include:

• Important medication
• Copies of important documents (Boat license, purchase agreement of the vessel, etc.)
• Passport & credit card to identify yourself after recovery & to obtain money
• Sunglasses & sun cream
• Handheld radio and/or satellite telephone for communication
• EPIRB or SART AIS transmitter for sending an emergency signal
• Water & additional food items

We recommend testing the bag or container after it has been filled to see if it can float before starting the journey. If this is not the case, you can either put a float in it or fill it with air. Not all items in a grab bag can be permanently stored in it. Handheld radios and credit cards, for example, are probably still needed during sailing and will be stored elsewhere on board. It is a good idea to put a sticker on the grab bag listing the items that need to be added in an emergency, so that you don't forget anything important, especially in stressful circumstances.

How often must a life raft be serviced?

A life raft can only function in an emergency if all relevant components are in perfect condition. Regular maintenance of the life raft is therefore essential. Each manufacturer has its own guarantee and maintenance interval regulations, which should be strictly adhered to (guarantee up to 18 years; maintenance usually every 3 years). SVB is a maintenance station for life rafts made by PLASTIMO , XM , ZODIAC , SEAGO und SEATEC . SVB is regularly trained, tested and certified by these companies. The maintenance carried out by SVB is fully documented for you in a log or check-book.

What does the SVB life raft maintenance service include?

• Checking the general condition of the life raft, e.g. ballast chambers, roof and bottom
• Replacing parts such as seals, masking tape, signalling equipment, etc.
• Inspection and replacement of emergency provisions and water for damage and expiry date
• Testing the function of the ignition head
• Pressure test and leak test of the individual air buoyancy chambers
• Testing of the regular opening and closing of the intake and pressure relief valves
• Packaging and sealing of the life raft in a vacuum bag and in its original packaging (container or bag)

Every life raft has a maintenance interval prescribed by the manufacturer, which should be strictly adhered to.

A life raft is a vital piece of equipment for your sports boat or sailing yacht! Before buying a life raft, make sure you know where you will be sailing and the number of crew you will need it for. After purchasing a life raft, take a closer look at how it works and the emergency equipment available, and add to this according to your personal needs. Have your life raft serviced according to the manufacturer's instructions. You will then be well prepared for an emergency that will hopefully never occur.

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Written by our SVB (technical) experts

Our SVB safety experts regularly carry out maintenance checks and tests on our safety products, such as life jackets, life rafts etc. They test products and base their recommendations on many years of experience and their own know-how.

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• USCG Coastal Liferafts
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9 Life Rafts Reviewed

• By Mark Pillsbury
• Updated: March 9, 2009

After a full day of climbing into, out of, over, and under a string of new life rafts, I couldn’t decide if it was my jump off the boat or the jump that followed mine that gave me the most pause for thought. The first came about as I stood amidships on Little Wing, the Passport 40 we’d borrowed for the day. It was August in Rhode Island, and I wore my foul-weather jacket and had a life jacket zipped tightly around me. Three feet below and a couple of feet from the deck, the gaping mouth of a Winslow ISO Global Star six-person life raft awaited me and my three colleagues lined up along the rail.

Streaming out behind us were seven more life rafts (a ninth was tested on another day), representative of the latest generation of safety equipment being built to standards now mandated by some offshore-racing and rally organizers. While we weren’t conducting a formal test, the CW editorial team had decided to review the features of each raft, spend some time using them, then pass along our findings to readers to help you consider the many options available.

No time being like the present, I stepped to the lifelines and made the leap. As I landed and slipped quickly to my knees, I felt cold water rush around my legs and up my coat as I scurried out of the entranceway. I’d always wondered how it would feel to abandon ship, and though this was but a drill, that first step from a solid deck to a watery, bouncy raft had been, well, different.

Then came the second jump. With a dull thud, heavy boat shoes hit the life raft’s floor. They came in fast and threatening. The floor pitched, and Doug Ritter, executive director of Equipped to Survive, tumbled into me as he slid out of the doorway and off to the side to make way for the others. Quickly, our consultant on this project, Steve Callahan, the author of Adrift, the chronicle of his 76 days in a raft crossing the Atlantic, and CW managing editor Elaine Lembo followed, with knees and elbows flying. And then there were four of us under the fabric canopy, sizing up the space and imagining what it would be like if we were really calling this home until rescuers arrived, what boarding might have been like if it were taking place at night and in heaving seas, and, most important, how easy, even in these controlled conditions, it would be for someone to be injured-when jumping or when being jumped upon-and for serious complications to quickly set in. Elaine, in fact, was about to get a too-real taste of trouble as we went through our planned assessment drill.

By day’s end, once we’d finished going through the inventory of safety equipment stored aboard each raft, Steve would conclude that, as with most things relating to boats, a lot of compromises had to be made on how each raft was designed, built, and equipped. As a group, we found notable variations in comfort, kit, and construction, but we also agreed that should we find ourselves on a sinking boat far from shore, we’d be pretty relieved to step aboard any of the rafts that we’d looked at.

First though, we had to put these puppies through their paces. As those aboard Little Wing let out our painter, we were pushed backward by the current that in a minute would make it hard for us to swim about in our foul-weather gear, life jackets, and other clothing. One by one we jumped into the water, then used the Winslow’s inflatable ramp and ladderlike webbing that runs across the raft’s interior to pull ourselves back aboard-a maneuver that took a surprising amount of upper-body strength and defied a graceful execution. Then we crowded to one side of the raft, used the strings hanging from the bottom to empty its ballast bags, and flipped it over, taking to the water again. We decided that Elaine, the smallest and lightest, would use the strap across the bottom of the raft to climb up its side and right it. It was hard work and took her a few tries, but soon the raft slowly rose and rolled back onto its bottom-landing on top of a disoriented Elaine. Though she was at the edge of the circular raft, her life jacket and wetsuit pushed her upward and into the floor. Quickly, Steve Callahan sized up the problem and pulled her, sputtering, free. Yes, these rafts are a serious business.

Gretchen Thor | | With 4 square feet per person, even a six-person raft is “cozy” when Sue Pillsbury (left), Mike Lovett, Steve Callahan, and a photographer are aboard. |

A Comparison of Features After consulting on the latest industry trends with Jim and Dan O’Connor, who run Life Raft & Survival Equipment, based in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Cruising World editors decided to take a look at some of the new life rafts being built to standards drafted by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Sailing Federation, commonly referred to respectively as ISO and ISAF. (See “A Discussion of Life-Raft Standards,” page 64.) These rafts are required aboard sailboats participating in certain offshore-racing events, and often such requirements trickle down to cruiser-based rallies, such as the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, which now mandates a life raft meeting International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), ISAF, or ISO 9650 guidelines. It’s likely, we felt, that this new generation of rafts could create a buzz at boat shows when customers inquire about new products.

The manufacturers that participated in our review included DSB, Revere Survival Products (the sole raft in our study that isn’t built to a particular set of standards but is intended for offshore work), Switlik Parachute Company, Viking Life-Saving Equipment, Winslow Life Raft Company, and Zodiac. In a separate session, we also took a look at a raft that Zodiac builds to specifications developed by West Marine.

Both manufacturers and safety experts on hand for our session were quick to point out that while there are valuable features in these standards-based rafts, there are some tradeoffs, too, primarily because these rafts tend to be heavier and more expensive. Unless one is planning to sail in an offshore race or rally, there may be no need to upgrade from your old raft or pay a premium for one of the models we looked at.

What was clear as the rafts were inflated, one after the other, is that there are a lot of variations to consider. Such factors as raft shape, tube construction, canopy height, floor insulation, door size, and ventilation can have a pronounced effect on comfort and performance offshore. Round rafts are thought perhaps to be more stable, rectangular ones more comfortable for stretching out, and high canopies may make it easier for tall people to sit up for long periods. But stability also depends to a large degree on the form and function of the raft’s ballast bags, while a high canopy that allows for headroom will increase windage, meaning you may drift farther afield from where your EPIRB initially signaled. Of course, if the emergency signal stopped broadcasting, that increased windage might help you drift to shore faster, too.

On the Water To get a look at the rafts, we launched most from a dock, but we saved one packed in a valise and one in a canister to deploy from the deck of Little Wing. Our learning curve began as we carried each raft down the dock to be thrown off. Those packed in hard-shell canisters, which outweigh valises by about 10 pounds, were heavy, and almost all were hard to grip. On a pitching deck, it would be tough work for a shorthanded crew to move one of these about. That said, most canisters sit in a deck-mounted bracket and wouldn’t need to be moved far to reach the rail. Still, some straps or handholds are needed; one offered only a fingertip grip where the two halves of the canister came together. The valises, with their hand straps, were much easier to handle, thought it was tough to imagine lugging one up from below in less than 15 seconds, which is one of the safety criteria cited by U.S. Sailing.

Once each raft was launched, the painter was tugged to fire off the inflating mechanism. Because rafts may be deployed in a wide range of temperatures, there’s extra gas in the inflation canister. We soon got used to the loud hiss of excess gas venting from the expansion valves. Callahan said that in the fury of an emergency, that hissing is often mistaken for a leak. But expansion valves are needed since pressure within the rafts’ tubes changes with temperature and must be allowed to vent.

With the launch of each raft, we witnessed many variations in features: inflatable boarding ramps, ladders made from webbing, fold-down fabric ramps, small doors, large doors, windows, observation hoods, and several different locations where painters might be attached. In the drills that would follow, we’d find that each variation had its pros and cons. Small doors make for good protection from the elements, but landing in such a hole when jumping aboard is harder. Webbing rungs designed for easy boarding can tangle legs. And a painter that keeps the door of the raft facing the opening in the lifelines can make boarding from the water all the more difficult. To me, the biggest takeaway from this preliminary assessment was this: Whatever raft you buy, you’ll be well served to find an opportunity to become familiar with it before you need to use it on some dark night. Dealers and manufacturers either run training sessions or can point you to a third party so you can at least experiment with a similar model. Or better yet, when your raft is due for servicing, your repack station can open it with you in a controlled manner that won’t add wear and tear to the raft.

A Look at the Rafts

Gretchen Thor | | DSB ISAF Standard |

DSB ISAF Standard: DSB provided a pair of four-person rafts built to ISAF requirements, its ISAF Standard and its ISAF Ocean XR Self-Righting. The Standard, roughly rectangular in shape, comes packed in a valise. At 55 pounds, it’s the lightest we looked at. Inflated, the canopy has a generously sized opening on one side that uses a zipper and hook-and-loop fasteners to seal out the elements; there’s an observation hood, or inspection port, across from it. Outside the entrance, a fabric ramp folds down on webbing, with a web ladder underneath it so you can get a knee up when climbing in from the water. In general, we found it more difficult to climb aboard rafts with fabric rather than inflatable ramps.

The inner floors of both DSB rafts are made from insulated material (think cellular foam) with a surface that reflects heat back into the raft. On these rafts, the floors were attached to buttons in the corners, and both liners came loose as we moved about. We also found that the emergency equipment wasn’t adequately secured and tended to clutter the entranceway as we climbed aboard. Both rafts had conical sea drogues, some of the better we saw, made from a mesh material that would let water pass through.

Gretchen Thor | | DSB ISAF Ocean XR Self-Righting |

DSB ISAF Ocean XR Self-Righting: Similar in shape to the Standard but with double arches, the self-righting ISAF Life Raft has an entrance on its longer side, which can be closed with a zipper and hook-and-loop fasteners, and a fold-down fabric entry ramp with webbing below. As in the Standard, there was a good ladderlike mesh of handholds running across the interior of the raft from the entryway, but unlike some rafts, this couldn’t be disconnected when everyone was aboard to get it out of the way. Once capsized, the raft needed only a little push to self-right; in waves it probably wouldn’t have needed help. While four could easily fit in either of the DSB rafts, quarters were tight, and all aboard concluded that if planning for a crew of four, a six-person raft would be worth the added expense. (DSB also manufactures 6-person rafts.) The extra space would also allow each crew to carry his or her own ditch bag, a practice recommended by safety experts. (Go to www.cruisingworld.com/1108ditch for more on ditch bags.)

Gretchen Thor | | Revere Offshore Elite |

Revere Offshore Elite: The six-person raft from Revere is built for offshore sailing but not to ISO or ISAF standards. Packed in a valise, it weighs just 63 pounds, making it relatively easy to lift. Inflated, the raft is square, with an ample doorway and a large entrance ramp that inflates with the raft. The raft’s canopy is relatively low and brightly colored for visibility. There’s a quilted inner floor that can be inflated to aid in the prevention of hypothermia in colder water, and a zippered window across from the opening serves as an observation window and provides cross ventilation. The exterior of the raft is well marked with reflective tape, but we found that when launching the raft, it was difficult to find on the valise the black patch secured by hook-and-loop fasteners that peeled off to expose the painter. We also found that the features of the raft itself weren’t as well marked as on some of the other models. Although the raft comes with an older, parachute-style sea anchor, a bonus feature is that it automatically deploys when the raft inflates. On the raft we looked at, safety gear wasn’t tied down well and, as on several of the rafts we capsized, tended to get strewn about.

Gretchen Thor | | Switlik MD-3 International Offshore |

Switlik MD-3 International Offshore: The Switlik six-person raft is built to both ISO and ISAF standards and came packed in a valise with lots of handholds that made moving the 97-pound package more manageable. When inflated, the octagonal-shaped Switlik has ample entrances on two sides and clear observation windows on two other sides. There’s a fold-down fabric ramp, with web steps below, in front of one entrance and a web ladder at the other entrance. When boarding from the boat, the Switlik’s main opening can be easily held in front of the lifeline gate because the painter attaches to a triangular bridle anchored to either side of the boarding ramp. However, when a swimmer enters the raft from the water while the raft is still tethered to the boat, this bridle gets in the way and makes it difficult for the person in the water to get a knee in place on the ramp. We found that good handholds made the second entrance an effective alternative for a swimmer. Inside, we found the canopy was well supported and had good headroom, and both entrances featured zippers to seal out the elements.

Gretchen Thor | | Viking RescYou |

Viking RescYou: Viking supplied two six-person rafts for our comparison, a standard model and a self-righting model; both are built to ISO and ISAF standards. The square-shaped RescYou standard raft was packed in a valise and weighs 77 pounds. Inflated, the tent-shaped canopy has one large opening whose flap can be sealed with a heavy-duty zipper; there’s an observation port/hood opposite for watchkeeping. At the entrance, there’s a rubber inflatable step with a webbing step that hangs beneath it. We found that this arrangement worked well when boarding from the water. The painter attaches to one corner of the raft, however, so we couldn’t hold the entrance square-on to the opening in the lifelines. The buoyancy tubes on both Vikings are made of two layers of natural rubber with a nylon core, which produces a tough, abrasion-resistant material. Inside both the rafts, the ladderlike handholds, made of webbing, can be untied and moved out of the way. We found well-secured gear bags in these rafts, with sea anchors lashed to them so the drogues could be found and deployed quickly after boarding, if needed. Moreover, Viking uses improved Icelandic-style drogues that have lines on their bridles so they can’t become tangled if they spin in the waves.

Gretchen Thor | | Viking RescYou Pro |

Viking RescYou Pro: The six-person self-righting raft we inflated came packed in a canister, which helped to make it one of the heavier we launched. The self-righting Pro model, rectangular in shape, has pointed ends that help increase buoyancy, and a well-supported arched canopy. Inflated, it has two large openings that can be sealed tight by flaps with heavy zippers. Like the standard RescYou, the Pro has an inflatable inner floor. All of the rafts we looked at rely on ballast bags that hang below the raft for stability. On several of them, it took two or three people leaning on one side to tip them over, but neither Viking could be tipped without a swimmer in the water to manually empty the ballast bags. Once up-ended, the Pro righted itself unassisted immediately, thanks to the large tubes that support the canopy.

Gretchen Thor | | West Marine ISAF Bluewater |

West Marine ISAF Bluewater: The six-person Bluewater raft is built by Zodiac to West Marine’s specifications with a nylon and butyl rubber sandwich. The raft is hexagonal in shape, which combines with double arches to provide better headroom. The arched, bright-orange canopy has two openings, one with a large self-inflating boarding ramp, the other with a web ladder that extends well below the surface. Both worked well when boarding from the water. A valve in one of the canopy arches on the raft we tested was apparently not seated properly and leaked as we boarded the raft. Our attempt to reinflate the tube was at first successful, but subsequently the hose on the emergency pump broke, a good reminder of Callahan’s advice always to carry a spare pump in your personal ditch bag. Callahan also noted as a plus that the valve used also allows one to reinflate the tube by mouth, if need be. Safety equipment was well secured in the raft, and the gear bag contained a good array of items, including clamps of several sizes to repair the raft in an emergency. The raft has a black inflatable floor that can be pumped up to provide insulation in cold water.

Gretchen Thor | | Winslow ISO Global Star |

Winslow ISO Global Star: The six-person Winslow raft, built to ISO standards, comes packed in a valise and weighs 99 pounds. Of all the rafts, this was the easiest to get into from the boat. Round in shape, it inflates with half of its canopy folded back, creating a large target to jump toward. The canopy can be fully removed for the tropics or zippered front and back to seal out the elements. Zippered windows can be opened for ventilation and for keeping a lookout. An inflatable ramp is found on one side of the raft and a web ladder on the other. We found that features and equipment are well marked; there’s no confusion about where to board, where to grip to right the raft, or what the function of a particular valve is. While the buoyancy bags on some of the rafts took some time to fill, Winslow has come up with a spring system that forces the bags to open and draw in water, so stability is quickly achieved after launching. The idea of internal ladderlike handholds made of webbing, which we saw in several of the rafts, was pioneered by Winslow, and in this raft, the ladder was easily removed with a clip. The Global Star comes packed with well-secured safety equipment, including a spare sea anchor. The primary sea anchor is self-deployed during inflation.

Gretchen Thor | | Zodiac Offshore ISAF |

Zodiac Offshore ISAF: At 95 pounds and packed in a canister, the Zodiac was one of the heavier rafts we launched, though moving it about was made somewhat easier thanks to carrying straps. We did find, though, that the canister, when lying flat and lifted, tended to quickly tip on its side. Inflated, the raft has a tent-shaped canopy and a fold-down fabric boarding ramp and good-sized entrances facing each other across the square-shaped craft. Inside, an aluminum-lined composite cellular foam floor acts as in insulator and reflects body heat back into the raft. The raft we looked at is used by Life Raft & Survival Equipment as a demonstrator and had seen multiple inflations, so we didn’t get a chance to inspect the ditch gear as supplied by the manufacturer. Company literature, however, indicates that it meets offshore ISAF requirements and is secured in a bag.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s senior editor.

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Expect the unexpected by always having a life raft onboard. Fires, collisions and rogue waves can afflict even the most accomplished sailors. We have carefully selected our range of life rafts, offering both valise and canister in 4, 6, 8 and 12-man size. Premium brands such as Seago, Ocean Safety and Crewsaver are leading experts in the construction of survival rafts fit for ocean and coastal situations. To help with your safety in emergency situations, ensure that you are equipped with the latest  life raft accessories .

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A Guide to Life Rafts, Their Equipment, Storage and Deployment

Here’s the first part in a two part series on life rafts:  Nationally known safety-at-sea expert Chuck Hawley gives us a comprehensive guide on life rafts, their equipment and care…

Life rafts are designed to keep the crew of a vessel alive for a short period of time after the vessel becomes uninhabitable due to fire or sinking. They provide a modest amount of shelter, equipment, hypothermia protection and a larger target for rescuers. In virtually all cases, a floating boat is a better choice than a life raft, so the decision to abandon ship must be made with great care after weighing the options.

TYPES OF RAFTS Life rafts are classified in two ways: descriptive categories and international standards. The descriptive categories are loosely defined: one manufacturer may offer a raft in a lower category with some features from a higher category. The categories are frequently described as the following. Rescue platforms are flat disks intended to keep survivors out of the water for short periods of time and increase their survival time by reducing hypothermia. They have virtually no gear, and may have little if any ballast system. In general, rescue platforms would more than likely be found in aircraft or commercial applications.

Coastal or near shore rafts generally have a single buoyancy tube, a manually or self-erecting canopy, modest ballast systems, frequently using “Icelandic” ballast bags, and raft essentials in the equipment pack. In recent years, very small life rafts intended for small offshore fishing boats have been developed. These can be quite small when in their containers, yet provide protection for two to six persons when inflated.

Offshore or ocean rafts have either a single large buoyancy tube or two stacked tubes, a large self-erecting canopy frequently with two arch supports, improved ballast systems, more gear in the equipment pack, a provision for keeping a watch with the canopy closed, and an insulated floor. In general, when a racing sailboat selects a raft for those races that require one, the raft will be in this category. Capacities vary from four persons to twelve. SOLAS or Coast Guard approved rafts are similar to ocean category rafts but have much more equipment and may have insulated canopies for colder climates. These rafts may have a strong feature list, but it rapidly becomes a matter of how much one wants to spend and how much weight one can deal with compared to the incremental advantages. Some oceanic races may require SOLAS approved rafts.

There are several standards, old and new, which can define life rafts. Many life rafts were made to the older Offshore Racing Council or ORC standard based on a list of requirements for offshore racing found in the Offshore Racing Council requirements book, which has been replaced by the ISAF Special Regulations. Other standards include: IOS 9650, ISAF, SOLAS and U.S. Coast Guard.

Depending on the type of racing you are doing, you may have to buy or rent a raft that meets a very specific standard. Cruising sailors may not operate under such specific rules, and therefore may be able to use an existing raft regardless of its category until the useful life of the raft has been reached and it can no longer be repacked.

There are two types of life raft containers that you can choose between. A valise for the raft is made of coated fabric and fits over the raft like a tight duffle bag. While a valise-packed life raft is generally somewhat lighter and less expensive, it does not provide as much impact protection, UV protection, or water intrusion protection.

The other option is a canister, which will come in a plastic or fiberglass two-piece shell. The canisters may be sealed between the halves, or may have a shoebox-style lid that sheds water. Regardless, the canisters are not perfectly waterproof and will probably have drain holes in the bottom to allow condensation and other water to escape. The overriding rule is to mount valise rafts in dry locations, such as a cockpit locker, while a canister can be mounted on an exposed deck.

STOWAGE AND SERVICING Raft manufacturers warranty most life rafts for 10 or 12 years, based on servicing according to their recommendations. In fact, a raft that is kept dry and is regularly repacked may last for 20 years or more until it is condemned by a factory-authorized service station. All of this depends to a large degree on whether the raft is damaged by water intrusion that leads to deterioration.

Many rafts are now vacuum-packed in sealed bags to prevent water from deteriorating the raft while in storage (presuming the bag remains intact.) Opinions vary as to the effectiveness of the vacuum packing, but virtually all experts believe that the quickest way to shorten the service life of a raft is to allow it to get wet and then leave the water in place. Fabric deterioration, metal corrosion, and seam failure can be the result.

Regardless of the type of raft, all rafts must be serviced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations by an authorized service station. And, if any raft is thought to have become “wet”, it should be serviced at the earliest practical time.

Although not common, there have been instances of inadequate servicing that have led to raft failures or raft theft (what was thought to be a raft turned out to be bricks and an old sail contained in a life raft canister). Since the only time you’re likely to need a life raft is when your life is threatened, you should “choose your raft repacker with the same care as you choose your family physician” in the words of the late Capt. John Bonds. An authorized repacker will invite you to see the raft when it’s in the process of being repacked so that you can see its features and understand what it contains, and what it does not. (For more on life raft repacking see page 46.)

LIFE RAFT EMERGENCY PACKS Life rafts contain a distressingly modest amount of gear compared to what many raft survivors would have liked. This appears to be one of the great disconnects in expectations vs. reality, and for good reason. Most things in life are apparent and obvious: you can see and touch them and add to them if necessary. When you pack for a vacation, you know exactly what you’re carrying. A life raft emergency pack is different: it’s hidden from view, extremely space and cost constrained, and not visible until it’s too late to change it. In fact, life raft emergency packs can be added to when a life raft is being serviced, although the space is very tight, and some life raft repackers are not allowed to add items based on your specific type of raft and case. The commonly supplied items are for the preservation of the raft, and not the crew. Common items include patch kits, leak stoppers (tapered rubber plugs that screw into holes in the fabric), raft repair clamps, topping-off pumps, bailers, paddles, sponges and overpressure valve plugs.

The next “level” up the survival chain generally includes some SOLAS flares (commonly three handheld and two rocket parachute flares), a fishing kit, a small medical kit, a signaling mirror, some sachets of water (125ml each, four per person), and seasickness pills. Take a look at the life raft manufacturer’s website or brochure to see exactly what’s included. Remember that many items will be due to a international standard as opposed to the whim of the life raft marketing team.

In Coast Guard and SOLAS rafts the inventory gets dramatically better, albeit heavier. More water, possibly some high calorie rations which do not require much water for digestion, a second drogue, and possibly some storage bags for all the gear. What’s missing is vital: EPIRBs or other signaling electronics including a SART (Search And Rescue Transponder), a watermaker and a handheld VHF radio. And if you or anyone on your crew requires medicine on a regular basis to treat a chronic health condition, you had better carry it with you in the ditch bag because the life raft will surely not have it as standard equipment.

DITCH BAGS If you want gear in your raft, and the raft doesn’t come with it, then you’ll want to make sure your ditch bag does. Five items that are a must include: •  An EPIRB (preferably) or a PLB. • A watermaker like the Katadyn Survivor 06. •  A waterproof handheld VHF radio with extra batteries. •  Any prescription medicine that the crew requires. •  A pair of cheap reading glasses.

The value of an EPIRB cannot be overemphasized. This single device will turn a life raft experience from a long, depressing test of survival, leading to the writing of a depressing book about how long it took to get rescued, to a breezy short story about the marvels of modern survival systems and the radios that make it all possible.

Ditch bags should float with all of the contents, should be of a bright color, have a lanyard so it can be attached to the life raft’s tether, and should be in a well known location on board the vessel. To hammer home the location of the life raft ditch bag, many skippers have their crews put their wallets and passports in the ditch bag along with the other gear. Not only is this helpful if you end up in a foreign country, but it ensures that everyone knows where it’s located.

STOWAGE OPTIONS The life raft must be secured in such a way that it is accessible and able to be launched when needed, but not subject to damage in rough seas. How you store a life raft will frequently be determined by the design of vessel you take to sea.

Many modern boats have purpose-built life raft lockers either in the sole of the cockpit, the transom or in a seat locker. This allows the raft to be easily reached, and also affords some protection to it over a long voyage. It also may allow you to select a valise life raft because of the protection from water intrusion.

If your boat lacks a life raft locker, the other likely mounting location will be on the coachroof or perhaps on a flat section of deck. This is where the life raft cradle comes in: a large stainless steel frame that will hold your raft securely until it’s needed. Many cruising boats will have a dedicated space for a cradle, but not all owners are so lucky. The life raft may occupy a space that is inconvenient for the crew, or possibly inconvenient for those who have to launch the life raft in deteriorating conditions.

Part and parcel of the on-deck cradle solution is the addition of a hydrostatic release. The hydrostatic release will automatically cut the attachment between the raft and the cradle, allowing a raft to float to the surface from a sinking vessel with no manual intervention. Cradles with hydrostatic releases will also have a manual release to allow the crew to remove the raft from the cradle without waiting for the vessel to sink.

You might be tempted to stow a life raft in a below-decks locker or living space, but before doing so, ask yourself: “In conditions where I might have to abandon ship, possibly after crew members have been injured, is it likely that I could remove the raft from its resting location and get it out the companionway to the cockpit, and from there to the rail?” If the answer is no, then you might consider a better on-deck solution. If you do opt for below-decks storage, be extraordinarily careful not to inflate the raft below decks. You can literally lift the deck off a boat’s hull with the force of an inflating life raft.

STABILITY Beside the considerable amount of weight, and therefore stability, of the occupants of a life raft, there are two design elements that determine whether a life raft capsizes in heavy seas: drogues and ballast systems.

Drogues are small drag devices that have several beneficial effects on the life raft. They reduce the rate of drift, so the raft stays closer to the position where the boat was abandoned. They orient the raft relative to the wind, so that the door or other openings can be aligned with the wind (or protected from the wind). They keep the upwind edge of the life raft on the water so that wind doesn’t get under the raft and help in capsizing it. Drogues can also be pulled from the water if it makes sense to increase the drift rate of the raft. This might be desirable if a vessel founders upwind of a shipping route, for example.

Ballast systems vary by type of raft, but generally consist of several large “bags” which hang below the floor of the raft. These fill with water soon after the raft is deployed. In other cases, the ballast system is a single large fabric structure that fills with water. Ballast systems increase the stability of the raft by adding peripheral weight to the raft floor, increase the stability by blocking wind that might get under the raft to capsize it and reduce the rate of wind drift due to the increased drag.

LAUNCHING THE RAFT Life rafts are vulnerable between the time they are inflated and when they are cut free from the mother ship. While durable when at sea, they are made from relatively thin fabric that can be cut by a damaged hull, a wind vane, part of a mast, or virtually any sharp object on the vessel.

Therefore, it makes sense to launch the raft on the leeward side of the vessel and to keep it on a short tether. But when should it be launched? Therein lies a problem. In many sea survival instances, sailors have launched their rafts prematurely, “just in case” things get worse quickly. The problem is two-fold. Rafts become increasingly attractive compared to the vessel that is sinking/burning/losing her rudder/losing her keel. The motivation to jump ship increases by the second. Rafts are also vulnerable, as discussed above. It becomes more urgent to abandon ship because the raft may fail if it is kept alongside the vessel.

(Published in the May 2014 issue of BWS)

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• Safety & Seamanship

Life Rafts: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Part 1—extensive in-water tests and examinations of 25 rafts find considerable differences in stability, comfort and safety equipment. here’s help in identifying the most important features..

by Douglas S. Ritter

With lives at stake, we expect manufacturers of safety equipment to value our lives, and those we care about, as much as we do. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case, as we discovered yet again when we evaluated life rafts. Mind you, all the rafts tested could save your life if everything goes right, but we’re inclined to believe that is not likely always going to be the case, otherwise why would you bother with a life raft in the first place?

We evaluated three inshore, eight coastal and 14 offshore life rafts, in four- or six-person capacities, from nine manufacturers: Crewsaver by Eurovinil (Italy), DBC Marine Safety (Canada), Givens Marine Survival (U.S.), Plastimo (France), Survival Products, Inc. (U.S.), Switlik Parachute Co. (U.S.), Viking Lifesaving Equipment (Denmark), West Marine by Zodiac (France), Winslow LifeRaft Co. (U.S.), and Zodiac International (France). Avon declined to participate, citing the unavailability of their completely revised product line with manufacturing just under way in Hungary. RPR Industries, which formerly manufactured the Givens rafts and now is manufacturing a similar raft on its own, declined, citing pending legal issues involving Givens. Eastern Aero Marine also declined and RFD/Revere and BFA failed to return our calls or e-mails.

Part 1 covers our general findings. Parts 2 and 3 report our findings with coastal and offshore models.

Performance tests were conducted in a wave pool to ensure consistent conditions. Volunteers attended from throughout the U.S. and Europe. They ranged from unsuspecting “life raft virgins” who had never been in a life raft before, to experienced survival instructors. Following three days of exhausting in-water work, we conducted detailed evaluations of the rafts and their survival equipment.

Two volunteers developed rashes covering their exposed skin. It was unclear whether this resulted from an allergic reaction or from the abuse of testing. If this is a concern, request a sample of material to test before purchasing.

The evaluations were conducted in cooperation with Equipped To Survive (www.equipped.org). The United States Coast Guard sent two representatives, their senior rescue swimmer, Master Chief Keith Jensen, and Lieutenant Commander Paul Steward from the Office of Search And Rescue.

Expectations You can’t expect a small valise or canister weighing from 12 to 100+ pounds to afford the luxury of a yacht. The option of last resort, a life raft should be capable of delivering its occupants to safety, even through weather and seas that may have contributed to the loss of the mother vessel. That’s a lot to ask of anything, let alone some inflatable contraption made of fabric and little else.

The rafts tested ranged widely in price, features, and capability. When all was said and done, our overriding concern focused on capability—would it save our lives?

As we spent hours, days and weeks with these rafts, a related concern came to the fore. The raft must be designed and equipped to take care of the survivor; it should demand little or nothing of the survivor, who may be unable to do much on his or her behalf. Everything should be obvious and intuitive to survivors who most likely have no survival training.

A life raft is an integrated system in which the performance of individual features, or lack thereof, can significantly affect overall performance. The devil is often in the details.

Choosing a raft can be difficult. The selection is confusing and the terminology often doesn’t clarify issues. With little in the way of standards for non-commercial rafts, manufacturers can pretty much make whatever claims they want to.

Criteria For Evaluations In evaluating the rafts we were concerned with a number of attributes: ease of deployment and operation; seaworthiness and stability; ease of entry, both from the vessel and the water; protection from the sea and elements; functionality; livability; comfort; survival equipment selection and quality; and of course, price. Some of these are more critical than others, but all have a bearing when making a choice.

Size Does Matter The space available to each survivor has a huge impact on livability. SOLAS/USCG-approved rafts use, as one measure, a minimum of 4 sq., ft. per person. While popular opinion seems to be that non-approved rafts often don’t meet this standard, virtually every raft we reviewed did, though only a few exceeded it by any significant amount. Winslow’s Ocean Rescue took top honors with half again more space per person. While configuration can make a difference, any way you slice it there isn’t much room. Think sardines. Lay open this publication on the floor and multiply it by three. Imagine spending a few days in that space.

If you can afford a few extra dollars, pounds, and a few inches, seriously consider going up one or even two sizes, but only if you purchase a well-ballasted raft. For example, if you need a four-person raft, upgrade to a six-person, which is essentially what Winslow has done with its Ocean Rescue model. In a raft with minimal ballast, it is better to stick with the rated capacity, maximizing the ballast effect of the survivors.

Pick A Shape Rafts come in three basic shapes: round or nearly so (5-, 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-sided), square, and elliptical or boat shaped (rectangles, and elongated heptagons and octagons).

All other things being equal (they rarely were in any of our raft evaluations), a square or elongated raft may provide more comfortable seating with survivors side-by-side, alternating one way and another, though things can get messy at the ends in some rafts. In all but the most spacious round rafts, everyone’s feet generally tangle in the middle when stretched out, which can get uncomfortable.

A raft’s drogue (called a “sea anchor” by some) is an important and often under-rated element in the stability and seaworthiness of all rafts. As a raft starts to come out of the water a drogue can provide significant added resistance to capsizing. For a square and especially a boat-shaped raft, however, it is more critical. A boat-shaped raft, running with wind and waves, is probably somewhat less likely to overturn, in this case end-over-end, than a comparably sized and ballasted round raft, all other things being equal (again, usually they are not).

Unfortunately, drogues are often lost in heavy weather. If a round raft loses its drogue, it may carousel, but it generally has no inherently less stable configuration. Lose the drogue on a boat-shaped raft and it is likely to quickly turn broadside and settle in a wave trough, as would a boat without steering. Unless the ballast compensates, it is then more likely to capsize in conditions that might otherwise not cause a problem.

Multi-sided equilateral rafts, especially those with six or more sides, can have a structural advantage over round or elongated rafts. The short-coupled reinforced mitered joints can provide significant added rigidity, which was evident reviewing video tapes of our tests.

One Tube Or Two? Another obvious distinction between rafts is whether they have a single tube for floatation or if they use two stacked tubes. Many Coastal rafts have only a single tube. The difference in freeboard is significant. In rough weather, the more freeboard you have, the better. With double tube rafts, larger tubes provide greater freeboard and more reserve buoyancy.

Twin tubes also offer a much more supportive backrest; the single tube rafts were deemed much more uncomfortable. Also, higher sides are necessary to brace oneself against the violent motion of the raft in bad weather.

Redundancy Inflatables, while pretty darn tough, are still subject to puncture by any number of means. Even in closely supervised training, rafts are often punctured.

We feel strongly that there must be means to ensure that if there is a puncture, then some buoyancy remains. Whether by having multiple tubes or by dividing up a single tube internally, puncturing one buoyancy chamber should not sink the whole raft. The DBC and Plastimo coastal, and all three inshore rafts, were deficient in this regard.

However, buoyancy doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll stay dry. In most single-tube rafts the tube is divided in half by vertical bulkheads. If one chamber deflates, survivors in that half are going into the water and everyone is going to get wet. You are left with a half circle of tube open to the water across the diameter, like a donut broken in half. Even a partial deflation presented problems for our volunteers, swamping the raft.

Switlik’s CLR6 USCG Coastal Mk II addresses this problem with internal sleeves that expand to fill the deflated half of the raft. This leaves the entire raft inflated to approximately 50%, which can be topped off without first repairing the puncture. In our tests, however, it wasn’t enough to keep the raft from being partially swamped. Better, but not nearly as good as two tubes.

The practical advantages of single tube rafts are weight and space savings. They generally cost a good deal less, though not just because they are single tube designs.

Deploying The Raft As soon as we started unloading and moving the rafts around the issue of weight was raised by the volunteers. Even with two people, dealing with some of the heavier rafts was a burden. The critical question became, “How could one possibly deploy a heavy raft under trying conditions, if exhausted from fighting a storm, or if short-handed?”

The weight and volume of the raft is affected by its capacity, its design, additional features, and the materials from which it is made. Other things also contribute to overall weight. A canister is generally heavier and more bulky than a valise. The selection of survival equipment also can make a huge difference in overall weight.

Being unfamiliar with exactly how each raft would be deployed, the virgins often had some difficulties caused by either misunderstood directions printed on the raft or difficulty performing the inflation procedure. Neither written nor pictorial instructions alone seem to be entirely adequate. Some of the English translations provided a few laughs.

If possible, attend a deployment demonstration. The Zodiac and West Marine rafts came with an instructional video, which while not great, were better than anyone else provides. At the least, take time to review the deployment instructions ahead of time, when you can concentrate on them without distraction.

The painters (mooring lines), which are tied to the boat to prevent the raft from being blown away, varied in length from a much too short 22′. (Plastimo Coastline), to a possibly excessive, 125′. (Switlik CLR6). SOLAS calls for “15 meters” or about 50′. Painter failures after deployment have resulted in rafts being lost before boarding. Many suggest that the weak link in these painters, which prevents the raft from going down with the vessel, should be stronger than the 500 lbs. mandated. Trying to haul in a raft at the end of a 100+’ line, against the seas and wind, can take time and strength that aren’t available. We are not convinced that painters in excess of 50′ are necessary or desirable.

The painter should always lead directly to the primary boarding station. In some rafts, the West Marine Offshore, for example, it leads to the alternate boarding station with less capable aids. In others, the Switlik MD-2 for example, it doesn’t lead to a boarding location at all and the instructions, once you reach the raft, don’t make it clear which way to go to the primary boarding station.

While only two rafts inflated upside down, it is always a possibility. Only the Givens seemed to have any significant self-righting tendencies when empty. With no wind or heavy seas to deal with, righting was relatively easy for most, but it was obvious that under real world conditions some would be much more difficult to right than others due to inadequate aids, the lone handhold of the DBCs and Viking being good examples.

More critically perhaps, righting instructions were often woefully deficient; volunteers ignorant of the proper technique weren’t helped much. At night, for most of the rafts, forget it. The Winslows, with excellent righting aids and an exclusive “righting locator light,” were applauded.

All Aboard! How easy will it be to jump into the raft from the boat? The Winslows and the Switlik SAR Mk II have large canopy openings, making boarding easy. Others, Givens and DBC for example, have small openings that would make it more difficult and potentially dangerous.

Boarding from the water, the effectiveness of the boarding aids is absolutely critical. Some rafts with minimal aids and little more than a few loops of line for assist—Givens, Zodiac, and Viking—were virtually impossible for some volunteers to board without assistance, which may not be available. Without considerable upper body strength, you’re in trouble. Short and bottom heavy volunteers especially had difficulties, but anyone who is injured or exhausted from fighting a storm could have difficulty. A few rafts made it relatively easy, including Winslow with its ample outside and inside ladders, stirrups, and grab handles; Switlik’s “step” on most of their rafts; and the West Marine Offshore and DBC Swiftsure Global with their inflatable “ramps.”

Staying Sunnyside Up The stability of the raft is critical. Survival accounts are filled with tales of rafts capsizing again and again, usually losing precious supplies and sometimes lives. The 1998 Sydney-Hobart Race was but the latest well-publicized example.

Ballast is your primary means of preventing a capsize. From a practical standpoint, ballast in a raft is limited to the people and equipment in and on the raft and some means of retaining water below the raft to counteract the tendency to capsize as it lifts out of the water.

Experience shows that raft occupants are of limited value in terms of ballast, especially if there are fewer than the rated capacity. What happens if you have a six-person for your for-person crew, but only two of you make it into the raft? A raft bottom even slightly raised off the water by wave action can be easily caught by the wind and the raft capsized in an instant…unless something either blocks or opposes the force of the wind.

Ballast effectiveness is determined by the capacity of the water retention devices, their configuration, and their placement. All the non-U.S.-manufactured rafts use similar, marginally effective ballast systems–V-shaped bags hanging below the raft. Capsizing them was a trivial matter. U.S. manufacturers provide more capable, higher capacity ballast systems, ranging from box-shaped bags on the Winslows and Switliks to the unique Switlik “toroidal” ballast on its SAR MkII, and Givens’ “hemispherical” design. Another consideration, particularly with regards to boarding, is how quickly they fill with water. With the exception of Winslow and Givens, all had weights to assist in rapid filling, though results were mixed.

Is there such thing as too much ballast? Possibly, in the sense that “excessive” ballast may compromise other seaworthiness-related characteristics, but better too much than too little as far as we’re concerned. In our opinion, the non-U.S. entries and inshore rafts all were deficient.

What A Drag As noted earlier, the drogue is an integral part of the life raft system. To function properly as a stabilizer, to slow drift and help counter capsizing action, it must be strong enough to not be torn off in heavy seas, provide sufficient drag to be effective, offer adequate rode length and at least a single swivel to cope with heavy seas, must not tangle and must not collapse when subjected to repeating wave action. Two styles are common, the conical and the “parachute” or “hemispherical” style. Both have their pros and cons, but if properly designed, each can do the job. In our tests, Winslow’s hemispherical drogue was tops in drag. The best of the rest offered about half its performance (Viking, DBC, and Winslow conicals and the West Marine chute). The remainder we deem inadequate.

Only Winslow and West Marine use swivels on the drogue. These are essential to eliminate twisting of the rode, which is believed to be the primary cause of failures. Only the Plastimo Coastline lacked a drogue, but some of the rodes were too short, as little as 16.5′ for the Switlik CLR6. None of the drogues on a short rode performed well—we consider 75′ the minimum and double that wouldn’t be too much. We also prefer the heavier line used with many of the drogues as opposed to lightweight parachute line found on the Winslow, Givens and many of the Switliks.

While some manufacturers require the survivor to deploy the drogue, we prefer self-deploying drogues—one less thing for the survivor to worry about. The drogue should orient the raft so that the entry(ies) and vulnerable portions are sheltered.

Shelter A weathertight canopy is essential in adverse weather conditions. All the life rafts ,excluding the inshore platforms, were equipped with self-erecting canopies that use an inflatable arch or arches for support. No tester had a single good word to say about the single arch canopies. “Better than nothing” about summed up the sentiment. Particularly with single tube rafts, but even with double tubes, headroom is seriously compromised—sitting hunched over gets extremely uncomfortable. The twin- or tri-arch designs on the Givens, West Marine and Winslow offshore, and Switlik’s MkII rafts are vastly superior.

A bright orange canopy is vital for being found, but SOLAS requires a blue interior for its supposed calming effect. Many canopies were either white or orange inside, turning everyone inside a sickly orange shade. On the other hand, they were at least brighter inside. With the exception of the Winslows that were fitted with unique clear viewing and ventilation ports, the others’ opaque blue interiors became black holes when closed up. One volunteer said of the Givens that it “felt like I was locked in a crypt.” Some rafts were equipped with an interior light, which we feel is essential, but for the most part even those were only marginally effective. The Winslow “viewports” were widely lauded, both for contributing to a psychologically more comforting environment and as a potential antidote to seasickness, a serious concern for survivors.

Wet and Cold Leaks A canopy that leaks is not nearly as comfortable or effective as one that really keeps the weather out. Two issues arise here—effectiveness of the closure system on the canopy openings and ease of use. All the closure systems are a compromise, but overall we prefer ease of use that doesn’t require much manual manipulation. Digital dexterity is one of the first things lost as a result of exposure.

Zippered closures, at least those with large zippers and helpful zipper pulls, such as Winslow’s and Switlik’s, are the easiest to use and fastest canopies to close up. Closures using cloth ties can be difficult in cold weather. We had problems with some of them, such as the Givens, even in calm and warm conditions. Tie systems are inevitably less waterproof than a well-designed zipper system with good storm flaps, but exposed zippers, such as those used on some of the Switliks, leaked water.

A good entry design allows for ventilation at the top as the entry is closed up, not down. Switlik and West Marine are good examples of this. Winslow counters with an entry that zips down, but is equipped with a double acting zipper. The opening viewports provided in all but their base models were very popular with the volunteers, though they lack weather protection. Viking, Plastimo and Zodiac provide few options except closed or open, a deficiency well noted by the testers.

Insulated Floors An insulated floor is important, even in temperate waters, though it is optional on most rafts, unavailable on some. Zodiac and West Marine use a thin layer of foam with a reflective surface integral with the floor. The effect of UV on the reflective surface in the tropics gives us pause, and the foam was ripped up in places even from our short test period. The Plastimo Offshore+ had a tied-in foam sheet that was a real nuisance. Winslow, DBC and others offer integral inflatable floors, some with reeds, others without, a less desirable design. Crewsaver, Viking and Switlik offer drop-in inflatable floors, much like an air mattress. Switlik also offers a drop-stitch drop-in inflatable floor. This floor becomes an almost rigid structure 2.5″ thick, easily the most comfortable of the options, though they are quite heavy. In our experience, the Zodiac foam floors aren’t as effective or robust as the best inflatable floors, with Winslow’s and the drop-stitch from Switlik leading the pack.

Equipment The selection of raft and survival equipment included with each raft ranged from utterly deficient to reasonably well equipped. Inshore and coastal rafts especially were shortchanged. Many didn’t include the most basic signaling device, a signal mirror. Often the quality of equipment was also questionable. You’d be in the dark, for example, if you relied on DBC’s choice of flashlight—three out of three were defective.

With the exception of the U.S.-influenced West Marine rafts, we were particularly unimpressed with the raft repair supplies used by the non-U.S. manufacturers. The patch kits all suggest you first dry the materials to be bonded—hardly welcome instructions in a wet life raft! Most suggest waiting a period before re-inflating. Don’t even think about using them below the waterline. The wood, rubber and plastic plugs are effective as a stopgap measure, but not great for long-term use. All the U.S. and West Marine rafts included mil-spec raft repair clamps that are very effective.

Generally speaking, you’d best plan on supplementing the raft’s equipment with your own. The less expensive the raft, the more equipment you’ll need to provide yourself.

Where To Put It? One of the most difficult questions is whether to buy a container or valise, and where to put it. The smaller the boat, the more pressing the problem.

A container generally means finding space where it will least be in the way. Only of late are some boatbuilders, mostly of larger boats, providing a dedicated space for a life raft that also aids in launching it. The most common spot, otherwise, seems to be on deck before or behind the mast. The downside of this location is accessibility. If everything has gone to hell in a hand basket, do you want to have to go forward to get the raft, possibly through a tangle of downed mast and shrouds, and somehow launch it from an exposed position? Could you even make your way forward if things are really bad? What if the reason for abandonment is a fire in the galley or engine room that is between you and the raft?

Center cockpit boats or those with a small afterdeck may find space aft, which alleviates these concerns. Some mount the flat-pack style vertically on the transom, but we think that too exposed.

Canisters also present some other considerations. Good ones are heavy, adding weight to the often already heavy raft, complicating launching. Can you slide it under the lifelines or do you need to go over them? One Switlik canister we tested weighed 28.6 lbs. The rest of the canisters we deemed tough enough to survive on deck weighed in around 20-24 lbs.

Even the best ones are not totally waterproof, to some degree leaving your rafts exposed to the elements, though vacuum packing the raft will fix that. However none of the rafts thus packed came with canisters that were robust enough for us to recommend.

Finally, we’ve all read of instances in which deck-mounted rafts were swept overboard. Properly securing the optional cradle and raft is not something to be taken lightly, often adding to initial cost. Plus there is the matter of security. You can padlock the raft down when ashore, but will you always remember to unlock it before shoving off?

Does a hydrostatic release make sense on a sailboat? In large part it depends where the raft is stored and what the chances are that it will release and not tangle in the lines and shrouds. We’re not convinced of their value and don’t consider them essential. Most require replacement every two years at a cost of around $150.

A valise presents its own compromises. While lighter and less bulky, it must be protected from the weather, meaning it’ll need to be stowed either down below or in a locker in or around the cockpit. Down below means you have to go below to retrieve it—not the very best of arrangements. A cockpit locker can limit raft size, though some boats are now being built with this in mind. Winslow is the only manufacturer that offers “custom dimensional packing” to fit available space.

Our preferred location is in or around the cockpit. That’s the best place, generally, from which to launch the raft and the safest place for survivors to congregate for boarding, with easiest access to stores below, if time allows.

In A Vacuum? Vacuum packing, as used by Zodiac, West Marine, Crewsaver and Plastimo, can save money on initial services, which is appealing. It also does a better job of protecting the raft from the elements. Even many who don’t currently vacuum pack their rafts confided to us that they expect to eventually move in that direction.

Next month, in the second installment of this series, we’ll take a closer look at the inshore and coastal rafts evaluated.

Doug Ritter is a Practical Sailor contributing editor and the editor of the web site Equipped To Survive (www.equipped.org).

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Safeguarding Sailors via Passage Guardian

Great article, I have Jim Buoy now eight man raft that I keep on the roof of my center consul but it’s in bad shape and I want to replace with one in a soft case. My boat is a 26’ center console and I fish 50-70 miles out in the Gulf with never more than 4 of us usually 3. What should I buy? Thanks Bill

Darrell Awesome article and badly needed due to marketing online. I think the single most important tool for any life raft is an EPIRB because it will likely determine how long you will be in the raft. Amazingly boat survey personnel blow off the review of the raft with a quick review of the tag. My survey said tag not visible. It was pretty clear to me that the 2006 boat raft would need an upgrade before crossing an ocean. Stowed in a cockpit locker my 120 pound lady has no hope of deployment on her own. Also drinking water is the next primary concern in my opinion. Having a way to collect condensation is paramount to an extended survival period. Food for thought Cheers!

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Life Raft Rentals

Depending on the type of boating you do, you may want to consider a life raft as additional peace-of-mind. some offshore fishing tournaments and sailing regattas require it. a life raft serves as a floating platform to keep you protected from the elements such as freezing cold water or scorching hot sun in the rare but serious event that you need to abandon your boat..

Exposure in open water is a dangerous thing. Most life rafts have a canopy. This provides minimal protection from exposure and can even collect and channel rain water for drinking. A life raft also serves as a larger visual target for rescuers to see, especially from the air.

Life rafts are carefully packed in a hard case (called a canister) or a soft case (called a valise) and are inflated by compressed gas, usually nitrogen and CO2 stored in a high pressure cylinder. Rafts come in several sizes, typically 4, 6 or 8 man capacity and range in price from around $2,000 to more than $10,000. They weigh anywhere from 20 lbs to 100 pounds.

For more on selecting a life raft, check out the West Advisor section on life rafts . Or, you may try one of the following places that rent them where you will likely have to pick one up. Due to the bulk of these units and the gas cylinders, you’re not likely to find affordable options to have one shipped to your location:

Related Topics:

• About Flares and Distress Signals
• How EPIRBs Work
• Satellite Phone Rental Companies
• Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats

Life Raft Companies

Search for a Life Raft Company in your area by visiting: United States Marine Safety Association — www.usmsa.org

California: Avalon Rafts — Wilmington 310-549-9665 Coast Marine — San Francisco 415-673-1923 Sal's Inflatable Services — Alameda 510-522-1824

Florida: Viking Life Saving Equipment — Miami 305-614-5800 Sun Coast Inflatables — Tampa 888-572-4317 (or) 727-572-4317 Lifeline Inflatable Services — North Miami 305-621-1500

Maryland: Vane Brothers — 800-440-8263

New Jersey: Sea Safety International — Secaucus 201-963-8493

Rhode Island: Life Raft & Survival Equipment, Inc – Tiverton 401-816-5400

Texas: C&M Marine Aviation Services Inc. — Dallas 877-878-4835

Washington: Puget Sound Inflatables, Inc. — Seattle 800-743-7238 (or) 206-762-3877 Westpac Marine Services, Inc. — Tacoma 800-343-5826

Virginia: Vane Brothers — 800-440-8263

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Liferafts on Ships – Parts, Location, and Launching Procedure

Life rafts are survival equipment provided as a life-saving appliance on every seagoing merchant or passenger ship, in addition to the lifeboats .

Life rafts are much easier to launch than lifeboats. In emergencies, evacuation from the ship can be done without manually launching any of them, as the life rafts are designed with an auto-inflatable system.

SOLAS Chapter III gives all the details for the types, and the number of life rafts to be carried according to the size and type of the ship.

Table of Contents

Where Are Liferafts Located On Ships?

Life rafts are typically located on the muster station, on the port and starboard side near the lifeboat, and on the aft of the ship. The location generally depends on the size of the ship.

Life rafts are stored in a fibreglass container, and a high-pressure gas inflates them during an emergency.

A Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) is connected to the raft container and ship, which releases the raft even after the vessel sinks in water.

The particulars of the raft are stencilled on the container, which includes the capacity, manufacturing date, servicing date, company name, etc., along with the launching procedure  with a photogenic display for easy understanding.

The raft already contains the essential survival items, including rations, pyrotechnics, life jackets, etc.

Some ships carry a davit launching system allows the crew to inflate and board the raft on the deck, avoiding the risk of seawater entering.

Important Solas Requirements For Life Rafts

• All liferaft provided on ships should be bestowed with its painter permanently attached to the vessel.
• Each liferaft or group of liferafts should be stowed with a float-free arrangement complying with the requirements so that each floats free. If it is an inflatable raft, it should inflate automatically when the ship sinks.
• Liferafts should be stowed to permit the manual release of one raft or container at a time from the securing arrangements.
• Davit-launched liferafts should be stowed within reach of the lifting hooks unless some transfer is provided, which is not rendered inoperable within the limits of trim and list as required or by ship motion or power failure.
• Liferafts intended for throw-overboard launching should be stowed to be readily transferable for launching on either side of the ship.

Parts of Liferaft

Servicing of Liferafts

All liferafts shall be serviced:

• at intervals not exceeding 12 months (if impracticable, the administration may extend this period to 17 months)
• at proper service stations with proper servicing facilities and trained professionals

Davit-launched liferaft automatic release hooks should be maintained following instructions for onboard maintenance

Essential Requirements for Liferafts and Carrying Capacity

The liferaft of any ship needs to follow the regulations mentioned in SOLAS. Some of the important points regarding liferafts are:

• The lift raft should be capable of withstanding exposure for 30 days afloat in all sea conditions
• When dropped into the water from a height of 18 metres, the life raft and all equipment in it will operate satisfactorily.
• The floating life raft should be capable of withstanding repeated jumps on it from a height of at least 4.5 metres above its floor, both with and without the canopy erected.
• It can be towed at 3 knots with its complete equipment, complement of persons and one anchor streaming.
• Canopy to provide insulation and protection against heat and cold by two layers of material separated by an air gap
• Interior to be of a non-discomforting colour.
• It shall admit sufficient air for the occupants at all times, even when the entrance is closed
• It shall be provided with at least one viewing port
• It will be given with a means of collecting rainwater
• It shall be provided with a tool to mount a survival craft radar transponder (SART) at the height of at least 1 meter above the sea level
• It shall have sufficient headroom for the sitting occupants under all parts of the canopy
• The minimum carrying capacity must be at least six persons
• The maximum weight of its container, as well as the equipment, should not exceed 185 kilos
• The life raft shall be fitted with an efficient painter of length equal to the minimum of 10 metres plus the distance from the stowed position to the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition or 15 metres, whichever is greater
• A manually controlled lamp shall be fitted on the top of the canopy, and the light shall be white, and it must operate for at least 12 hours with a luminous intensity of not less than 4.3 candela
• If the flashlight is fitted, it shall flash at a rate of not less than 50 flashes and not more than 70 flashes per minute for the 12 hours that it burns
• A manually controlled lamp shall be fitted inside the life raft, capable of continuous operation for at least 12 hours
• When the liferaft is loaded with a full complement of persons and equipment, it should be capable of withstanding a lateral impact against the ship side at an impact velocity of not less than 3.5m/s and also drop into the water from a height of not less than 3 metres without damage
• CO2 does inflation with a small quantity of N2, which acts as an anti-freezing element. Also, CO2 is non-flammable and weighs more than air, adding buoyancy to the raft. The freezing point of CO2 is -78 degrees so that it can inflate life rafts at shallow temperatures
• Location on a ship: – Forward – At embarkation stations on both port and starboard sides
• The painter breaking strength should be: – 15kN for 25 people and more – 10 kN for 9 to 24 people – 7.5 kN Rest (6-9)

Safety Features on a Liferaft

Some of the main safety features of a liferaft are:

• Pressure relief valve
• Stabilizing pocket
• Insulated canopy with two layers for protection against heat and cold

Important Liferaft Equipment

All liferafts on ships are fitted with the following equipment:

• Rescue quoits with minimum 30-metre lines
• Non-folding knives with buoyant handles
• For 12 persons or less, one bailer. For more than 13 persons, 2 bailers should be kept.
• Two sponges
• Two buoyant paddles
• Three tin openers
• Two sea anchors
• One pair of scissors
• One first-aid waterproof kit
• One whistle
• One waterproof torch for communicating Morse code with one spare set of batteries and a bulb
• One signalling mirror/heliograph
• One radar reflector
• One life-saving signal waterproof card
• One fishing tackle
• Food ration totalling not less than 10000 kJ for each person
• Water ration- 1.5 litres of fresh water for each person
• One rustproof graduated drinking vessel
• Anti-seasickness medicine is sufficient for at least 48 hours, and one seasickness bag for each person.
• Instructions on how to survive (Survival booklet)
• Instructions on immediate action
• TPA is sufficient for 10% of the number of persons or two, whichever is greater
• Marking shall be SOLAS ‘A’ Pack
• 6 Hand Flares
• 4 Rocket Parachute Flares
• 2 Buoyant Smoke Signals

Markings on a Liferaft Container

Important markings provided on a liferaft container are:

• Maker’s name and trademark
• Serial number
• Name of Authority
• Number of persons carried
• SOLAS emergency pack enclosed
• Date of the last service
• Length of painter
• Maximum height of stowage
• Launching instructions

Markings on an inflatable Liferaft

Important markings provided on an inflatable type of liferaft are:

• Serial Number
• Date of manufacture
• Name of approving authority
• Name and place of the last service
• Number of persons permitted

Launching of a liferaft when the ship sinks and HRU activates (Auto)

A general overview of the launching procedure of a liferaft when the ship sinks is as follows:

• When the ship sinks up to 4 metres, the water pressure will activate a sharp knife in the HRU
• It will cut the securing rope around the container/canister of the raft, and the raft will float free
• As the ship sinks further, the painter line will stretch, and it will inflate the life raft
• Due to the increase in buoyant pressure, the weak link will break at around 2.2 kN +/- 0.4, and the raft will be on the surface.

Read: Liferaft release system and launching procedure

Launching the life raft manually

• Take out the painter of the raft
• Fasten it to the ship side at a strong point
• Remove the railing and check overboard for any obstructions
• Unfasten the hook from the cradle
• Two people can lift the life raft and throw it overboard
• After it’s thrown, pull the painter sharp until the life raft inflates
• With the painter, pull it towards the ship’s side
• Lower the embarkation ladder or jump directly onto the life raft, depending on the situation and the time at hand
• Sit wide order face to face to prevent any imbalance
• Ensure SART and EPIRB have been carried
• Take a headcount
• Cut the painter using the knife, paddle, or anchor, clear away from the ship.

If the life raft inflates and is upside down, the raft has a righting strap capable of stabilizing it. Climb onto the CO2 cylinder and pull it in the same direction as the wind to do so.

Watch: How to launch and board an inflatable liferaft?

Launching the life raft by the Davit

• Remove the ship’s handrail
• Remove lashings from the container
• Lower the davit and lock it with the lifting shackle
• Secure canister lines outboard
• Secure browsing line
• Pull the painter out approximately 5-6 metres
• Secure the painter’s line
• Pull the entire length of the painter
• Now lift the life raft canister to some height
• Pull the painter sharply and let it inflate
• After it inflates, secure the liferaft
• One person should go in and make some checks
• Collect the SART and EPIRB
• Go inside and sit evenly
• Release the bowsing line and pass to the raft
• Check if the launching area is clear
• Lower the raft using the brake release
• Operate hook release 1m above the water or allow the raft to ride a crest of the wave to put the load on the water, and it will automatically release
• Cut the painter and clear away

You might also like to read

• Types of Lifeboat Release Mechanisms And Solas Requirements For Lifeboats
• Measures To Stop Accidents On Lifeboats
• Survival at Sea: How to Safely Beach a Life Boat?
• Enclosed Lifeboat Release Accidents: Reasons And Prevention
• Types of Life-Saving Equipment Onboard Ships
• Concept: A Life Raft that Makes Drinking Water from Seawater

About Author

Shilavadra Bhattacharjee is a shipbroker with a background in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a Third Officer. His interests primarily lie in the energy sector, books and travelling.

Read More Articles By This Author >

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19 comments.

How many life rafts are there on ships and how many are sold each year? Any idea? Kind regards Chris

As stated in the article, the number depends on the size of the ship. You can refer regulation under SOLAS III/31.1.1.2.

What is the standard lenghth of an operating cord in an inflatable life raft?

Can you please provide the reference material used for the Basic Construction Details of Life Rafts section.

IS THERE A RELATION OR A RULES FOR POSITIONING OF DAVIT LIFE RAFT IN RELATION WITH THE POSITION OF FREE FALL LIFEBOAT

What if a liferaft failts to inflate or open? What action to be taken in that case sir ?

Can you tell me what is the minimum length of the ship which requires laftraft in forward sir maam?..pls rply thanks.

Hello, I’d like to know about that quantity of water and food ration. In the article says “Water ration- 1.5 litres of fresh water for each person”. This is a daily amount info? Appreciated Alex

It is allowed to put Ship’s name and Port of Registry to our inflatable Life rafts in the vessel?

Best Regards, Oliver

Remote liferafts asper SOLAS Ch III Regulation 31

1.4 Cargo ships where the horizontal distance from the extreme end of the stem or stern of the ship to the nearest end of the closest survival craft is more than 100 m shall carry, in addition to the liferafts required by paragraphs 1.1.2 and 1.2.2, a liferaft stowed as far forward or aft, or one as far forward and another as far aft, as is reasonable and practicable. Such liferaft or liferafts may be securely fastened so as to permit manual release and need not be of the type which can be launched from an approved launching device.

So for remote liferafts:- • HRUs are not required. • Must have means of rapid, easy manual release, while being secured against sea damage. • Must have sufficient means of embarkation (a knotted lifeline is not acceptable).

These lifeboats shall be of at least for 6 persons capacity since no liferaft shall have a capacity less than 6 people.

What is the standard size of a Painter line for a rigid life raft?

A good video, but @3:30 an inflated liferaft does not become “more heavier”, it becomes more buoyant

Than you Ian for the clarification. ??

How many types of liferaft

Life raft hose assembly, non-metallic for our 20 and 10 man life rafts, we use compressed air to fill our tanks and was wondering what the end fittings should be made of….should it be stainless steel , nickel, or brass.

Good Day My name is Charles Merritt and I will like to order life. Kindly email back with the cost of Revere Coastal Elite Life Raft and we can proceed from there. Thank you

Is it possible that a rocket parachute or hand flare of survival pack burst operate itself

It is unlikely for a rocket parachute or hand flare of survival pack to operate on its own without being activated.

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs' new life inside jail where Ghislaine Maxwell was held

Despite offering US$50million in bail and willing to give up his passport, the disgraced hip hop mogul Sean Combs is being held in custody ahead of a trial on a raft of sex trafficking crimes

• 15:36, 18 Sep 2024
• Updated 15:38, 18 Sep 2024

Hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has been sent to the same notorious jail Ghislaine Maxwell was held - described as more "restrictive" than America's only supermax prison.

The musician is being detained at New York's Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), which housed the disgraced British socialite before she was convicted of sex trafficking.

Diddy is in jail after he was denied bond. He has been charged with abusing women for more than a decade and presiding over a sordid empire of sexual "Freak Offs" . Today the 54-year-old woke for the first in the MDC - a jail known for its brutal, sometimes fatal, conditions.

During her time inside, Maxwell's lawyers claimed she was held in harsher conditions than the world's most heinous criminals. Attorneys for Prince Andrew's pal said conditions inside the MDC are more "restrictive" conditions than supermax prison, ADX Florence.

At one point, they said the threats were so great against her that a $1 million bounty had been placed on her head while inside. Now inside, Diddy can be expected to be monitored 24 hours a day while subjected to humiliating strip and body-cavity searches.

A jail insider told the Mirror: "Some people have gone into the MDC and never come out. It is notoriously tough, and there is no doubt Diddy will, like Maxwell, be a target inside. His lawyers will be doing all they can to get him out. It is a monumental fall from grace. One day he's living the millionaire life, and now he's in hell on earth."

His new lodgings are a far cry from the lifestyle he - like Maxwell before - once lived. MDC's meal plan includes dinner options such as turkey roast or tofu with rice, boiled potatoes, beets, and whole wheat bread with a drink.

While appearing in court on Tuesday, Diddy tried to avoid being sent to the MDC by offering a $50 million bond package to keep him out of jail before his trial. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, held a stack of six passports - which he said belonged to Combs and five of his family members - and said the rapper planned to sell his private jet to illustrate he was not a flight risk.

But a judge ordered he be sent to jail ahead of his criminal trial after prosecutors argued that the music mogul could try to flee the country or attempt to meddle with the investigation of sex trafficking charges against him.

The judge cited Combs's alleged history of violence, which prosecutors said was "both spontaneous and premeditated." "I don't know that you can control yourself," Judge Robyn Tarnofsky said. The music mogul is charged with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The indictment against him lists allegations that go back to 2008.

He's accused of inducing female victims and male sex workers into drugged-up, sometimes dayslong sexual performances dubbed "Freak Offs." The indictment also refers obliquely to an attack on his former girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, that was captured on video.

"Not guilty," Combs told a court, standing to speak after expressionlessly listening to the allegations with his uncuffed hands folded in his lap. After Judge Tarnofsky declined to grant him bail, Combs took a long swig from a water bottle and was led out of court, turning toward family members in the audience as he went. "Mr Combs is a fighter. He's going to fight this to the end. He's innocent," his Agnifilo said after court. He plans to appeal the bail decision.

The Bad Boy Records founder is accused of sexually abusing and using physical force toward women and getting his personal assistants, security and household staff to help him hide it all. Prosecutors say he also tried to bribe and intimidate witnesses and victims to keep them quiet. "Simply put, he is a serial abuser and a serial obstructor," Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson told the court.

Agnifilo acknowledged Combs was "not a perfect person," saying he'd used drugs and had been in "toxic relationships" but was getting treatment and therapy. "The evidence in this case is extremely problematic," the attorney told the court. He maintained that the case stemmed from one long-term, consensual relationship that faltered amid infidelity. He didn't name the woman, but the details matched those of Combs' decade-long involvement with Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura.

The "Freak Offs," Agnifilo contended, were an expansion of that relationship and not coercive. "Is it sex trafficking? Not if everybody wants to be there," Agnifilo said, arguing that authorities were intruding on his client's private life.

In court papers, prosecutors said they had interviewed more than 50 victims and witnesses and expect the number to grow. They said they would use financial, travel, and billing records, electronic data and communications, and videos of the "Freak Offs" to prove their case.

Diddy faces a sentence of up to life in prison, and a minimum of 15 years, if convicted of the three felony counts. Maxwell was detained in the MDC before being found guilty of teenage sex trafficking and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

MORE ON Ghislaine Maxwell Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prisons Private jets Crime P. Diddy

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21 people, including children, rescued off Boston Harbor after boat runs aground

Boston police cruiser

BOSTON — Multiple people, including children, had to be rescued Wednesday night after authorities say their vessel ran aground off Boston Harbor.

Marine Units responding to Rainsford Island around 6:30 p.m. for a report of a boat that ran aground found 21 individuals stranded, according to State Police.

With the assistance of Boston Police, troopers were able to ensure everyone was safe.

Sea Tow took over the vessel recovery operation and was eventually able to stabilize the boat.

No further information was immediately available.

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Bay fc | statewide poll shows runaway support for prop. 36 measure to toughen theft, drug crime penalties, subscriber only, bay fc | bay fc coach albertin montoya survived cuba’s mariel boatlift, then forged a new life shaped by soccer, montoya has built a long bay area coaching career that would not have been possible without a fateful journey from cuba.

The expansion Bay FC team that Albertin Montoya leads currently clinging to the NWSL's final playoff spot. None of it would have been possible without a fateful journey from Cuba.

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