Gludy
regular
Reged: 19/08/2001
Posts: 6644
Loc: Brecon, Wales
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I would make sure you get a self righting one - if you ever need it there is a 50per cent chance a norrmal one will inflate upside down and they are not easy to right is a rough sea.
Viking ones are very good.
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Paul
St Francis 50 Cat
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Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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Quote:
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Of course, but I suspect that the vast majority of coastal cruisers and a large minority of channel cruisers don't have one.
I agree with much of the commentary above, but not sure I agree with that observation.... I think that a significant percentage of boats nowadays have a liferaft onboard.
I would think that a more than significant number do not.....they are too expensive to just sit on the deck as a bit of boaty bling, You will probably see more of them if you frequent the posher boaty areas, and Marinas.....but there are thousands of boats up and down the UK, that are not kept in Marinas, in fact I would venture to suggest, that there are more boats in the cheaper end of the price range where a life raft is not seen as top of the list when it comes to parting with ones hard earned.....From a safety point of view, people who are sailing on a tight budget, make different arrangements for their safety.
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homa
regular
Reged: 12/05/2002
Posts: 663
Loc: N.Sea
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What I have done, my father before me and most of my sailing friends:
Coastal sailing - half inflated dinghy on deck, or towed dinghy astern.
Cross Channel - half inflated dinghy on deck or occasionally have hired a liferaft for the trip.
Now I have a young family my priorities have changed a bit, last year I bought a liferaft & fitted it on deck with a hydrostatic release.
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Moonfire
regular
Reged: 09/11/2004
Posts: 604
Loc: Medway, UK
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If you overnight sail along the coast then I think it becomes more important, likewise if you sail out of season. There have been a couple of instances in the last few years when a yacht has suddenly capsized or been severely holed and sunk at night due to striking a submerged / invisible object - one incident in the Thames and one to the south of the Isle of Wight as I recall. The Thames incident prompted me to go and buy one. If all you do is sail in crowded waters where rescue is close by then the need diminshes, likewise if you are prepared to tow a fully inflated dinghy
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alant
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 1863
Loc: UK - Solent region
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I would rent for next trip across English channel and not bother to buy one for coastal cruising, what do you all do ? I`d be very interested to know.
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Just think about it.
Is the English Channel deeper than the Bristol Channel?
Is the Bristol Channel deeper than the Solent?
Is the Solent deeper than the Serpentine?
Is the English Channel colder than the Bristol Channel?
Is the Bristol Channel colder than the Serpentine?
I only know that all 3 are a bloody sight deeper than I am tall, when on tiptoe to my statuesque height of 6' (ok I exagerate a bit).
I also know, that I wouldn't want to be swimming in any of them for hours at this time of year!
So YES, I'd prefer to have a liferaft, should the proverbial hit the fan!
Also, unless you are sailing SOLO, YOU are responsible for the lives & welfare of all the others on board.
You cannot order one from e-bay when you are up to your neck in cold deadly water, so consider the consequences, not the cost!
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michael_w
regular
Reged: 08/10/2005
Posts: 2157
Loc: South London
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Depends on how much you sail. If you treat your boat as a country cottage and rarely head out to sea, a liferaft is an expense you can do without. Hiring will suffice for the annual holiday cruise.
If you use your boat lots and passage make on a regular basis, your needs will change. Even very close to home it might take an hour for you to be picked up should disaster happen. It's a long time to be treading water...
A chum thought it would be OK for him, his SWMBO and his three children, all under the age of six, to rely on the soggy dinghy. I'm pleased to say, I managed to beat some sense into him.
Offshore racing and you must have one on board anyhow.
When I sailed from the Hamble I decided that we'd have one onboard if we were headed out of The Solent. After a couple of races it was cost effective to go for long term hire.
Then I bought one for our Atlantic circuit as we were away for two years.
On my current boat, a cheapo liferaft came with the inventory. This will do us for the next year or two in the North Sea. When SWMBO and I head off in a year or two a new SOLAS raft is on the shopping list.
Sorry for waffling on.
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homa
regular
Reged: 12/05/2002
Posts: 663
Loc: N.Sea
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Something to consider....
Of the MOB in the N.Sea, I suspect more deaths have been caused by exposure rather than drowning.
So for that reason alone I would consider an enclosed liferaft to be better than an open dinghy.
Just a thought.......
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Tranona
regular
Reged: 10/11/2007
Posts: 1084
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Do you have details of the incident in the Thames? have not come across that one. The capsized yachts were both extreme racing machines where the keels fell off. Not representative of typical cruisers, although good lessons to be learned from the "Hooligan" incident - well covered in the press.
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Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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I just had a look at your Bio......and yes, I can see why you think as you do.....
I think though, that you are ignoring the fact that a lot of people just simply cannot afford a liferaft, and make do with other arrangements.
We see this a lot on these forums, and it's understandable enough I suppose, because it's probably the case that most contributors are shall we say fairly comfortably off? This being the case, I think it's understandable that they don't relate to the needs and financial constraints of thousands of sailors in the UK..........£500 ish, for a 4 man liferaft is about half or a third of the value of some peoples boats. 
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Moonfire
regular
Reged: 09/11/2004
Posts: 604
Loc: Medway, UK
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both incidents involved cruising yachts (not Hooligan); both reported in YM, neither due to a keel falling off, afraid I cannot recall when but trust me I'm not making it up.
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