Do we need to carry liferafts

[Gludy]

What I have siad is that a liferaft is always preferable - you are not disagreeing with that?

[BrendanS]

It might be preferable, but practical realities take preference

[Gludy]

So is it not possible to fit, say a 4 man, liferaft, on such a boat?

[BrendanS]

where? Put it in the cuddy, then lift it in and out every night? Where do you put it at night when you want to sit and socialise, on the pontoon? Not for me personally.

[FlowerPower]

Trouble is, that similar thinking can wind up into GC1 territory - "Think how many less widows and orphans there would be if everyone carried a liferaft for 8 people". On a big boat (34 ft plus) I can see the point, but on a 21ft cuddy??? How about a drysuit, a lifejacket with a sprayhood and a mask/snorkel/flippers [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[BrendanS]

I've got the drysuit (and usually wear it in rough conditions). Also have a life jacket with sprayhood, and I wear it at all time when underway. Also have a handheld waterproof vhf which I also wear at all times, with a speaker mic attached to collar, so even if the boat sunk so quickly I couldn't get a mayday off from the boat, I could still make a call. I also have pen flares in the lifejacket.

I can also get the drysuit on in under two minutes if the boat isn't sinking instantly.

So, to me a life raft is unnecessary.

[l'escargot]

And it is about getting risk into perspective.

There are probably more people winched off of boats with head injuries and heart attacks than there are winched up out of liferafts. Should we all wear hard hats and carry defibrillators? Would you also say it is preferable that we do?

There are times when a liferaft should be carried and there are also times when the degree of risk doesn't warrant it. A lot depends on your boat and the type of boating that you do.

[boguing]

Another factor is speed. Us displacement speed sailors are far less likely to disembowel ourselves on flotsam. A mobo having an argument twixt bow/shaft/leg/ips/rudder stock and something floating will come off far worse than a sailing boat.

Having said that, a sailyboat will take 12 hours Needles/Cherbourg; you'll take two. So less chance of a close encounter of the second kind.

[Gludy]

Some people cannot cope with with flippers etc - so it depends on who you are carrying. Never the less, its always safer with a life raft but that is a vlaue judgement for the individual.

What cannot be logically argued is that you do not need one crossing the channel but you do need one crosssing the Atlantic.

[clyst]

Presumably your are refering to the English Channel and amateur sailor/pleasure craft when you state that there have been numerous occassions when a life raft has saved lives . If so where do you get your information from , any links ??

cheers