life raft for sailboat

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Best Liferaft for sailboats – offshore ISO9650-1 models

• July 31, 2023

Tech Editor and safety gear specialist Fox Morgan picks out some of the best liferafts for sailboats in the offshore ISO9650-1 category

We hope to never use some of the safety gear we have onboard, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make some informed choices. I’ve picked out some of the best ISO9650-1 liferafts for sailboats and especially those who go further offshore or crossing oceans, racing or rallying long distances.

All of the rafts in my guide have options for canister or valise and come in sizes from 4 person to 12 person capacity. Given the size and weight of 12 man rafts, boats with full crews onboard often opt for two smaller rafts, such as 2 x 6 man to make them easier to handle and easier to stow. You can buy one and rent one too, so if most of the time there’s no more than six of you onboard but sometimes you go fully crewed, then supplementing with an additional rental raft can be a good solution. I’ve clambered aboard many liferafts in my time as a professional and corinthian sailor, getting in up that ladder has never got easier no matter how many times I practice. If you have the choice I highly recommend a raft with either a semi rigid or inflatable entrance ramp.

Ocean Safety Ocean ISO9650-1 Liferaft

Reason to buy

trusted name in the industry, variety of packs to meet all current sailing event requirements, 20 year warranty

Reasons to avoid

a premium liferaft with a premium price tag.

Specifications: 

4 man liferaft

Container Dimensions (cm) 71 x 49 x 28

Container Weight (kg) 30

Valise Dimensions (cm) 67 x 42 x 24

Valise Weight (kg) 28

6 Man liferaft

Container Weight (kg) 37

Valise Dimensions (cm) 74 x 43 x 24

Valise Weight (kg) 36

4 Person Ocean Safety Ocean ISO9650-1 Liferaft <24

The Ocean Safety Ocean liferaft  is made with PU Nylon Laminate. It has an insulated floor and is suitable for use in temperatures down to minus 15 degrees C. It has a less than 24 hour equipment pack as standard, but it can be upgraded to either a greater than 24 hour pack or SOLAS B.

We’ll be testing this liferaft along with others in the buyers guide in a hands on real world test this summer.

Key Features of the Ocean Safety Ocean ISO Liferaft

The less than 24 hSOLAS approved internal and external lighting system

Strong boarding ladder with knee scoop & grab handles for quick boarding Highly visible in yellow and orange Rain water collection 4/5 x 75ltr ballast pockets for increased stability (300 litres ballast for the 4 man) 3 year service interval, 20 year warranty

equipment pack contains: 1 x Buoyant Knife, 1 x Bailer, 2 x Sponge, 1 x Paddle (pair) 1 x Whistle, 1 x Torch & Spares, 1 x Heliograph, Anti Seasickness Tablets (6pp), Seasickness bag (1pp), 3 x Red Handheld Flare, 2 x Parachute Rocket Flare, 2 x Repair Kit (Clam Seal), 1 x Bellows, 1 x Throwing Line (30m), 1 x Signal Card, 1 x Sea Survival Instructions, 1 x Repair Plugs (set), 1 x Immediate Action Cards.

Waypoint ISO 9650-1 Ocean Elite Liferaft

SOLAS approved external and internal LED lights with lithium battery and manual control, Pictograms are used for instructions,

at the top end of the price scale

Cannister 4, 6 or 8 man

Weighs 28kg

Fully tested to the ISO 9650-1 Group A specs, the Waypoint ISO 9650-1 Ocean Elite liferaft is extremely well built and designed for the toughest sea conditions. This is one of the best liferafts in the market today for the ocean sailor. It complies and exceeds the ISO 9650-1 Group A regulations for < 24 hrs and also > 24 hrs (with additional extra equipment).

It meets the MCA code of practice and complies with the ISAF regulations for Ocean Racing worldwide.

Made with PU laminate. Constructed with 4 independent chambers. Two tubes, an inflatable boarding ramp and an arch that deploy automatically. The waypoint has a large inflatable boarding ramp which makes boarding easier than the more simplistic models with a ladder only. If you’ve tried climbing into a liferaft during a sea survival pool drill, you’ll know how hard gettinginto a liferaft can be so the inflatable ramp is worth the extra you’ll pay for this higher specified model of raft.

It has a double floor with triple thermal insulatation. 4 large, (75 litres each) water ballast pockets underneath. Bright nylon Flo orange self erecting canopy, with a large zip operated entrance, which also has a large overlapping flap to stop water entering in extreme weather conditions.

Strips of Solas reflective tape on all the sides of the canopy and on the floor make the liferaft visible in the dark from any angle, including if capsized.

Safety Contents: 1 x Rescue Quoit & 30 m. Line, 1 x Sea Anchor & 30 m. Line, 1 x Flo Orange Floating Safety Knife, 2 x Paddles, 1 x Bailer, 2 x Sponges, 1 x Pump (bellows), 1 x Repair Kit, 1 x Whistle, 1 x Table of rescue signals, 1 x Heliograph (Signalling mirror), 1 x Fishing Kit, 2 x Waterproof Solas Floating LED Torch, spare battery and bulb., 3 x Red Hand Flares, 2 x Parachute Flares, 1 x Liferaft Manual with survival instructions, 6 x Anti Sea Sickness Tablets per Person, 2 litre water collection graduated bag with tap, Graduated cup, 1 x Sea sickness bag per person

Seago Sea Master ISO 9650-1 Liferaft

more affordable than some other iso 9560-1 liferafts, inflatable door ramp

black tubes may be less visible than others with brighter tubes.

Specifications: Valise Container

Sizes – 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 person

Valise |  Container 4 man : L650 x W300 x H420 | L730 x W490 x H310 6 man : L720 x W340 x H460 |  L730 x W490 x H310 8 man : L720 x W340 x H460 |  L780 x W530 x H365

Colour – High viz orange canopy & ballast pockets. Black lower tubes

The SeaMaster ISO 9650-1 life raft is a great option from this well known brand in the marine leisure world.  It’s one of the few liferafts on the market in this category that still have the black tubes/inflatable sections.  This part is made from butyl rubber which is well known, tried and tested for many years.

Fitted with high visibility SOLAS approved retro reflective tape on canopy and underside of raft floor.

Ballast Pockets – 4 x 55 Litre lead weighted, (total 220 litres ballast)

SOLAS Approved automatic high visibility flashing external light to enable quick recovery. Also has an Internal light.

This liferaft is intended for use in extended offshore, racing yachts and coded boats.

Service & Warranty – 3 Year service interval, 12 year warranty

Emergency Pack – 1 x Bailer, 1 x Drogue (sea anchor), 1 x Floating knife, 1 x Hand pump, 1 x Life saving signal card, 1 x Pair of oars, 1 x Repair kit, 1 x Rescue quoit with 30m of line, 1 x Signal mirror, 1 x Waterproof torch & batteries, 1 x Wet notes, 1 x Whistle, 2 x Parachute rockets, 2 x Sponges, 3 x Red hand flares, 6 x Anti sea sickness tablets

Lalizas ISO Racing Liferaft

lightweight, brightly coloured, reasonably priced

might be a little too lightweight for some

Lalizas 6 Person Racing Liferaft ISO 9650 Type-1 Group A < 24HR

Weight 29kg :  dimensions  L680mm W480mm D240mm

The Lalizas ISO Racing Liferaft is an ultra-light and compact liferaft. The modest size provides easy storage, making this liferaft a good choice for boats tight on space.

Available in sizes for 4 – 12 people, packed either in a canister or in a waterproof valise.

This liferaft, despite its compact and lightweight design has a thermally insulated floor and twin buoyancy tubes with safety valves. There’s a rainwater collection gutter built into the canopy.

The self erecting canopy is International orange with retro-reflective tapes.

External and internal lifelines and righting device suitable for handling by one person Operating temperature -15° C to + 65° C

Equipment pack includes, 1 x Portable Buoyant Bailer, 2 x Sponge, 1 x Pair of Paddles, 1 x Whistle, 2 x Water Proof Torch and Spare Bulb, 1 x Signalling Mirror, 1 x Sea Sick Bags (1 per person), 1 x Repair Kit, 1 x Bellow (pump), 1 x Operating Manual, 1 x Table of Lifesaving signals, 1 x Logbook, 1 x Immediate Actions Card, 1 x Throwline with Quoit, 1 x Knife, 1 x Drogue with 30m of line, Distress Flares, 3 x Red Hand Flares, 2 x Red Parachute Flares

VIKING RescYou Pro liferaft

semi rigid ramp, self righting,

black tubes might be less visible than brighter coloured options, the most expensive raft in our guide

Sizes: 4-8 persons, available in a container or valise. 4 person, container dimensions 80 x 57 x 32 cm | weight 40 kg 4 person, valise dimensions 84 x 43 x 34 cm | weight 38 kg

The  Viking RescYou Pro is their top of the range leisure liferaft. Apparently this raft is self righting. I’ve heard that before and yes, in flat calm conditions they do, but I’d like to see it perform in some real world conditions… (we’re planning to do just that very soon)

The inflatable double floor gives thermal insulation from cold water. Four x 55L ballast bags for stability. Bright yellow canopy is the brightest of the bunch but the black rubber tubes might be a bit of a throw back to the rafts of 10 years ago. A lot of the manufacturers are moving away from black rubber tubes in their top of the range models. There’s nothing wrong with rubber tubes structurally, but they do lack visibility at sea.

This raft has a blue liner, which is supposed to be calming. I’m not sure how much you’d be taking in of your raft details and colours if you were using it for real, those boffins must know what they’re doing to insist on that level of detail. There’s an external strobe light and an internal light. Internal and external lifelines and a rain water collector.

Curtained windows and openings give a 360 degree view of the horizon. Externally the canopy and raft chambers have SOLAS reflective tape for maximum visibility under flashlight.

Plastimo Transocean+ Liferaft

The Golden Globe round world yachts were all equipped with these, brightly coloured,

inflation canister positioned right by the entrance/boarding ramp

4 Person Plastimo Transocean ISO/ ISAF <24h Liferaft

The Plastimo brand from France is well known for a wide range of leisure marine equipment. Wander around any chandlery and you’ll see something made by plastimo. My handbearing compass for example is a plastimo.

Double insulated floor with fluorescent orange canopy with automatically erecting arch tube. 4.3 candela outside light, with radar and retro reflecting stripes.

The Transocean ISAF also has a boarding ramp with an inside grab handle to help haul yourself in and roll over the top tube.

The Golden Globe boats were all equipped with top spec plastimo liferafts, so that’s a fairly good endorsement. Tapio, the competitor whos boat sank suddenly spent a day and a night in his and commented on how comfortable he was while he awaited rescue. I’m not sure they were built for comfort, but more for survival. Anyway, there’s some great pics of this liferaft in his rescue story.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

<24h Equipment Pack (sold as standard) , 1 x floating anchor with 30m line, 1 x Pump, 2 x Thermal Protective Overalls SOLAS, 2 x Paddles, 1 x Floating Knife, 1 x Rescue Quoit with 30m Line, 1 x Bailer, 2 x Sponge, 1 x Repair Kit, 1 x Check book and Liferaft Instructions Manual, 1 x Survival Instructions and Signal Card, Personal Survival, Rain catching gutter on canopy, Rainwater collecting pouch, Water 1.5L (Qty per person), 500g Food Rations (Qty per person), 1 x First Aid Kit, Seasickness Pills (6/person), Seasickness Pouch (1/person), Signalling Equipment, 3 x Handflares SOLAS, 2 x Parachute Rockets SOLAS, 1 x Signalling Mirror, 1 x Outside Light on Canopy, 1 x Inside Light on arch tube, 2 x Waterproof Torch with spare batteries and Torch, 1 x Whistle

Crewsaver ISO Ocean Liferaft ISO 9650-1

trusted brand with good reputation for safety gear,

lower freeboard than others in this category

4 man canister <24hISO OCEAN LIFERAFT 4 MAN | dimensions L800mm W570mm D220mm | weight  36.1 kg

The Crewsaver ISO Ocean life raft has a semi-rigid boarding ramp which is easier than a basic ladder but not quite a luxurious as the floating ramp seen on other models  in this guide. This raft is make with polyurethane as per others with brightly coloured tubes.

The water ballast pockets on the 4 man liferaft give 150l litres of ballast. Crew saver have just large capacity pockets on this 4 man raft. (4 Man – 2 x 84 litre water pockets. 6, 8 and 10 Man – 3 x 84 litre water pockets. 12 Man – 5 x 60 litre water pockets) How this makes the raft handle in tough conditions will be interesting to find out in our hands on test coming soon. Tough polyurethane coated nylon canopy with  a simple zip closed canopy door. Thie raft has Interior and exterior lifelines, an external strobe light to aid night location by search and rescue teams and an internal LED light.

At the rear of the canopy is a rainwater collection scoop.

• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Newsletters
• Sailboat Reviews
• Boating Safety
• Sailing Totem
• Charter Resources
• Destinations
• Galley Recipes
• Living Aboard
• Sails and Rigging
• Maintenance
• Best Marine Electronics & Technology

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.

C-Map Updates North America Charts

Setting Course for a More Sustainable Future

Raymarine Expands LightHouse Charts

Push-Button Convenience

Bitter End Expands Watersports Program

Sailboat Review: Tartan 455

Miracle in a Bowl

Cole Brauer Completes the Global Solo Challenge

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

Sign up now for our WhatsApp newsletter and receive a FREE SVB set of playing cards!

• Saved Guides
• My Skipper profile
• My boat on Portmaps.com
• General settings:
• Newsletter and messages
• NEW WhatsApp & SMS
• Compare list

Are you missing items that you have already placed in your shopping cart? Log in to see your saved items.

• Spare parts
• SVB@Youtube
• 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.

Share our guide on social media

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.

Please verify you are a human

Access to this page has been denied because we believe you are using automation tools to browse the website.

This may happen as a result of the following:

• Javascript is disabled or blocked by an extension (ad blockers for example)
• Your browser does not support cookies

Please make sure that Javascript and cookies are enabled on your browser and that you are not blocking them from loading.

Reference ID: e83274b1-e68e-11ee-8b7d-ff42947eb2ab

Powered by PerimeterX , Inc.

Raytheon Technologies Businesses

• Collins Aerospace
• Pratt & Whitney

Winslow Liferafts

Winslow has a tradition of excellence for over eighty years..

Winslow LifeRaft Company manufactures the finest marine and aviation liferafts. We combine superior quality and a wide array of standard features with unmatched performance.

Winslow LifeRaft Company, a division of Collins Aerospace, manufactures the finest marine and aviation emergency inflatable liferafts available on the market today. Winslow has a tradition of excellence for over seventy-five years, combining superior quality and wide array of standard features with unmatched performance.

The quality for which Winslow has become famous is built into each emergency inflatable life raft.

Each liferaft is built by employees who take pride in their work

In addition to Winslow's investment in high tech computer controlled cutting machines, life raft assembly is still performed by skilled employees. For some things there is simply no substitute for a skilled pair of hands. Our highly trained workers fabricate the cut components into the rings and arches, and pressure test before assembly.

Winslow builds the best marine and aviation liferafts

Winslow Marine and Aviation Super-Light and Ultra-Light liferafts have been rated number one in every independent liferaft evaluation in which they have been included. At Winslow, we know you depend on us for your safety in an emergency. Winslow marine and aviation liferafts are built with only one thing in mind and that is to save lives!

Winslow has been a leading inflatable manufacturer since 1941

After entering the aviation market in 1994 we rapidly became the OEM supplier of choice for every major business jet manufacturer. In addition to servicing the large and ever increasing installed base of Winslow liferafts, we expanded our service to include aircraft escape slides in 2003 and now service the slides used by many top airlines.

Winslow emergency inflatable marine liferafts

Dedication to our tradition of excellence

Winslow LifeRaft Company is the world’s leader for marine liferafts for the recreational boater and sailboat racer, built with only one thing in mind and that is to save your life. Each liferaft is meticulously handcrafted. Learn more

Winslow's world class service

Liferaft mros.

Does your liferaft need recertification?

Contact Winslow’s factory service department for more information for servicing or repairing your liferaft. We perform routine maintenance or repairs to all Winslow liferafts. Winslow’s has the experience in performing quality service inspections to keep your liferaft maintained with confidence.

We take pride in integrity without compromise in the work and service we provide. It is our commitment to you to use only the correct parts, to follow CMM’s to the letter and maintain complete and accurate documentation and traceability. We conform to all regulatory requirements and keep our certifications current. Our prices are competitive and turn times are superior.

Have a question?

Call 1-800-838-3012 or visit Contact Us for other ways to connect.

• USCG/SOLAS Liferafts
• USCG Coastal Liferafts
• Inflatable Buoyant Apparatus (IBA)
• Commercial Liferaft Accessories
• Recreational Liferaft Accessories
• Aviation Liferafts
• In-Stock Liferafts

• Foam Type I, Type II, Type III
• Youth/Child/Infant Life Jackets
• Pet Flotation
• Float Coats
• Life Jacket Accessories

• USCG Approved
• USCG/SOLAS/TC Approved

• AIS (Automatic Identification System)
• Local / Bluetooth
• Satellite Phones
• Satellite Messengers
• Lights & Strobes

• Pyrotechnic

• Life Rings & Type IV Throwables
• Life Slings
• MOB Recovery Devices
• Marine First Aid Kits and Supplies
• Prep & Survival Accessories
• Active Wear
• Waterproof Boating Bags and Storage Packs
• Accessories
• Inflatable Boat Repair Kits (DIY)
• Extinguishers
• Ditch Bag Packages (Abandon Ship Kits)
• Ditch Bag Electronics
• Ditch Bag Signaling
• Ditch Bag Rations & First Aid
• Ditch Bag Accessories

• Liferaft Sale
• Life Jacket Sale
• Signal Flare Sale
• Survival Suit Sale
• Apparel Sale
• Inflatable Boat Sale
• Manufacturer Rebates
• Coupon Codes
• Pre-Owned Liferafts
• Gifts Under $100

• EPIRB & PLB Battery Replacement Service
• Liferaft Inspection & Repack
• Immersion & Ice Suit Inspection
• Inflatable PFD Inspection
• Inflatable Boat Repair
• Partner Locations

• Commercial Liferafts
• ISO Approved Liferafts

Recreational Liferafts

• Valise vs. Container
• Emergency Pack Essentials
• Liferaft Servicing
• Life Jacket Fitting Guide
• Flares & Signaling Devices
• Commercial Fishing Regulations

FREE Shipping  over $149 (excludes liferafts, flares & oversize items) 

Find Your New Liferaft:

Offshore Life Rafts - Recreational & ISO

These Offshore recreational life rafts are a good option for any non-commercial boater or sailor who is travelling miles offshore and looking to stay safe in case of emergency. Some of these ISO-9650 life rafts also meet standards for some sailboat and yacht racing associations. Each of these offshore rafts include an offshore equipment pack essential for survival until rescue is achieved.

• Available to Order
• Out of Stock
• Sailing / Yachting
• Boating / Fishing
• Recreational
• Ocean Safety
• Low Profile Container (LPC)
• Offshore (Recreational)
• 50 miles - SOLAS B
• > 24 hr ISO
• Recreational Offshore

Marine Safety Resource Center

Emergency Beacons

Sign up for Special Offers and our Boating Safety Newsletter

•   Instagram
•   Facebook
•   Pinterest
•   Mail

Customer Service

• Order Status
• Gift Certificates
• Price Guarantee
• Terms and Conditions

Service Department

• Liferaft Inspection & Repack Request
• Immersion & Ice Suit Inspection Request
• Inflatable PFD Inspection Request

Simple & Secure Payment

Connect Wallet

select a wallet below

Sign up for Universal Rewards

Use your Loyal Points where you shop.

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.

Read Next: Boat Safety Checklist & Safety Equipment

Join Our Newsletter!

Get community news, buying bargains, and how-to guides at your fingertips.

• New Sailboats
• Sailboats 21-30ft
• Sailboats 31-35ft
• Sailboats 36-40ft
• Sailboats Over 40ft
• Sailboats Under 21feet
• used_sailboats
• Apps and Computer Programs
• Communications
• Fishfinders
• Handheld Electronics
• Plotters MFDS Rradar
• Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
• Anchoring Mooring
• Running Rigging
• Sails Canvas
• Standing Rigging
• Diesel Engines
• Off Grid Energy
• Cleaning Waxing
• DIY Projects
• Repair, Tools & Materials
• Spare Parts
• Tools & Gadgets
• Cabin Comfort
• Ventilation
• Footwear Apparel
• Foul Weather Gear
• Mailport & PS Advisor
• Inside Practical Sailor Blog
• Activate My Web Access
• Reset Password
• Pay My Bill
• Customer Service

• Free Newsletter
• Give a Gift

How to Sell Your Boat

Cal 2-46: A Venerable Lapworth Design Brought Up to Date

Rhumb Lines: Show Highlights from Annapolis

Open Transom Pros and Cons

Leaping Into Lithium

The Importance of Sea State in Weather Planning

Do-it-yourself Electrical System Survey and Inspection

Install a Standalone Sounder Without Drilling

Rethinking MOB Prevention

Top-notch Wind Indicators

The Everlasting Multihull Trampoline

In Search of the Snag-free Clew

What’s Involved in Setting Up a Lithium Battery System?

Reducing Engine Room Noise

Breaking Point: What Can Go Wrong With Your Yanmar?

Mildew-resistant Caulks for Boats

Can We Trust Plastic Boat Parts?

Repairing Molded Plastics

Mailport: Marine plywood, fuel additives, through bolt options, winch handle holders

The Day Sailor’s First-Aid Kit

Choosing and Securing Seat Cushions

Cockpit Drains on Race Boats

Rhumb Lines: Livin’ the Wharf Rat Life

Safer Sailing: Add Leg Loops to Your Harness

Resurrecting Slippery Boat Shoes

Tricks and Tips to Forming Do-it-yourself Rigging Terminals

Marine Toilet Maintenance Tips

Learning to Live with Plastic Boat Bits

The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Clear Plastic

• Boat Maintenance

Do I Need a Life Raft?

Inflatable dinghy can serve as a raft on coastal trips..

Photos by Ralph Naranjo and Frank Lanier

Im planning to take our Catalina 36 from our Chesapeake Bay homeport to Newport/Narragansett Bay. The trip may include offshore runs between Cape May, N.J., and Block Island, N.Y.-a distance of about 200 nautical miles, maximum offshore about 30 nautical miles.

Im deliberating what, if any, life raft I should have aboard for the trip, mainly for the offshore runs. Life-raft options that Im considering are: none; inflatable dingy lashed to the foredeck; coastal life raft (like the Revere coastal cruiser); full-spec offshore life raft. I have the usual VHF communication gear, as well as a radar, AIS, and a new Class 2 EPIRB. I would like your thoughts.

After the adventure, well probably stay mostly on the Chesapeake, except for a possible trip down the Intracoastal Waterway and a short hop across to the Bahamas.

Chuck Rushing Catalina 36 Vienna, Va.

The run from the Chesapeake to New England is basically a coastal passage with many safe havens along the way. On a well-founded and sensibly crewed boat, we don’t consider a life raft necessary for this passage.

In our opinion, the full-spec offshore life raft is over the top for your needs. Having an inflatable dinghy on deck and ready to go (already inflated, easily accessible) is the most reasonable option, especially if you have only a few crew and because your future plans do not include any offshore passages. The dinghy will not be a secure platform for many people for long, but assuming your EPIRB works, you shouldnt be floating too long. You might also look into a personal locator beacon (PLB), as an EPIRB backup. (For more on PLBs and other personal messaging devices, check out the April 2010 , October 2012 , and March 2013 issues.)

A coastal life raft is a worthwhile option to consider if youll have small kids on board or if you want to be particularly cautious (and for that hop across the Gulf Stream, if you do venture to the Bahamas). If youre set on having an actual life raft, renting is your best option. We recommend researching life-raft service companies in your area to see whether any will rent a coastal raft to you for this trip. Renting a raft will give you peace of mind without your having to fully invest in a pricey raft that youll likely not need again.

If you decide to bite the bullet and buy a life raft, be sure to read our Survival at Sea ebook (available at www.practical-sailor.com), which details how to choose and equip a life raft.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Mailport: Aftermarket exhaust; window replacement; epoxy blurp

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Log in to leave a comment

Latest Videos

Island Packet 370: What You Should Know | Boat Review

How To Make Starlink Better On Your Boat | Interview

Catalina 380: What You Should Know | Boat Review

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Online Account Activation
• Privacy Manager

• Attractions
• Restaurants

How To Choose A Life Raft For Your Boat

No one wants to think about the worst-case scenario, but emergency situation preparedness is critical for boaters. Capsizing, burning, sinking, colliding with a floating object, piracy, or running out of fuel are just a few examples of potential hazards when venturing into open water. Specifically designed in case of emergency, making sure you have a functioning and fully capable life raft should be at the top of your priority list.

Before you shop for a life raft for your boat, it's best to understand what you should be looking for and need. In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to check to ensure your life raft is best suited to your boating needs. We'll go over life raft classification, the size of your boat, the storage space available, your budget, the size of your crew, raft capacity, the water temperature and condition, the type of container the raft comes in, and servicing requirements. Let's dive in.

How to Choose a Life Raft for Your Boat

Life rafts are typically made of natural rubber, butyl rubber, polyurethane, neoprene, or PVC. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Rubber materials have a strong odor but are resistant to abuse and have a longer service life but are more resistant to degradation from the element. PU is more puncture and abrasion resistant but has a shorter life span. PVC material is very popular because its the least expensive and light in weight, but it has the shortest life span compared to the other two materials. Ultimately, you will want to ensure the life raft is made from strong and durable material with heat sealing to keep it inflated.

One important part of a life raft is the buoyancy tubes, which keep a life raft afloat. You will want to ensure this part is made from strong and durable material.

Inflation Mechanism

Every second counts during an emergency, and how fast a life raft can inflate can be relevant to survival. The life raft will need to be ready as quickly as possible. With an automatic inflation system, the life raft will inflate automatically and fill the raft with CO2 within seconds, so knowing how fast your life raft can inflate is critical. Some life boat have manual inflation and will require using a pump, and this type of mechanism will take longer and should take into account when considering which life raft is best for you.

Life Raft Classification

There are two main types of life rafts: coastal and offshore. Before settling on a life raft, consider what environment you normally recreate in.

Coastal Life Raft

Coastal life rafts are intended for use closer to shore and in calmer waters (lakes etc.). They are typically smaller and less expensive than offshore life rafts. Coastal life rafts are not built to withstand rough seas and prolonged exposure to the elements.

Offshore Life Raft

On the other hand, offshore life rafts are built to handle rough seas and long periods of elemental exposure, and they are typically larger and more durable than coastal life rafts.

The highest level standards for life rafts are those recognized by the ISO (International Standards Organization) for marine safety equipment. ISO's are technically a type of offshore life raft as well, designed to provide a high level of safety and comfort.

In general, offshore life rafts offer the highest level of protection for water emergencies. Coastal life rafts are suitable for use in calmer waters and closer to shore because your anticipated rescue times are less. ISO-rated life rafts meet the highest standards for safety and comfort.

If you have a larger boat with plenty of storage space, you may be able to accommodate a larger life raft. However, if you have a smaller boat with limited storage space, you should pick a more compact option.

Capacity Ratings

In addition to the size of your boat, you'll also need to consider your crew size and life raft capacity. Make sure the raft you choose is large enough to accommodate everyone onboard in the event of an emergency. That said, the bigger the crew, the bigger the rating and the cost.

Budget is another important factor to consider, as life rafts can range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the size and features of the raft. Determine how much you are willing to spend on a life raft and look for options that fit within your budget.

Water Temperature/Condition

In colder waters, you'll want a raft with an insulated floor to reduce the speed of hypothermia and a canopy to provide additional protection from the elements. A raft with a self-draining floor and plenty of ventilation may be more appropriate in warmer waters.

Canister or Soft Valise Container

Life rafts also come in different types of containers, including canisters and valise containers.

Canister-style life rafts are more durable and weather-resistant. However, they can be difficult to store on a boat because they must be permanently mounted in an on-deck cradle.

Valise Container

Valise containers are more compact and easier to store but less durable than canisters. They must also be protected from UV rays, heat, and moisture.

Think about weight as well. The bigger the life raft, the heavier it will be. An ISO rating of six or higher for an offshore life raft can weigh more than 100 pounds! It's very helpful to keep in mind life raft placement and what will work best in a pinch. Generally, the higher the chance for hazardous conditions, the quicker you're going to want access to the raft.

Servicing Requirements

Finally, you'll need to consider the servicing requirements of the life raft. All life rafts have expiration dates, warranties, and services. While doing your search, it's best to know this information.

Most life rafts require periodic inspections and maintenance to ensure they are in good working order (about every three years or so). Make sure you understand the servicing needs of the life raft because proper maintenance helps guarantee functionality. The right raft will save your life, but only if you take care of it.

On a side note, the gear that comes pre-packaged with your raft is intended for MAINTAINING your raft, not your people. This means, in addition to the raft requirements, you need to build a go-bag with everything you and your crew need to survive while waiting for a rescue.

To feel confident about a product that will keep you alive in an emergency, consider getting one that meets the highest standard. It's important to know the testing the manufacturer has performed and the quality of the life raft. For example, you should know the details of what kind of standard and testing the manufacturer has performed, from raw materials to finished products.

One way to feel confident about the life raft is to see if it complies with ISO 9001:2015. Using independent test standards helps ease any doubts that you may have. You can also search for US Coast Guard–approved or meets SOLAS standards rafts.

Emergencies while boating can get very serious very quickly. An easy way to mitigate possible effects is to choose the right life raft for your boat. Once you do, keep the following points in mind.

Proper placement and maintenance help guarantee that the life raft will work when you need it most. It's important to consider each of the other factors discussed above and match them to your future endeavors.

By carefully considering the steps in this guide, you're ensuring that the life raft you choose will be the right one for emergencies. Limited budgets aside, it's ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.

About the Author

Fiona Perisone

Fiona is a veteran travel consultant, photographer and travel writer at planetrider.com. She has spent many years as a corporate travel consultant and decided to actually live the life rather than plan it for others!

SEARCH FOR THE CITY YOU WANT TO VISIT

Weather Forecast

2:00 pm, 06/12: -11°C - Partly Cloudy

2:00 am, 07/12: -4°C - Clear

2:00 pm, 07/12: -7°C - Partly Cloudy

2:00 am, 08/12: -3°C - Overcast

• Cruising Compass
• Multihulls Today
• Advertising & Rates
• Author Guidelines

British Builder Southerly Yachts Saved by New Owners

Introducing the New Twin-Keel, Deck Saloon Sirius 40DS

New 2024 Bavaria C50 Tour with Yacht Broker Ian Van Tuyl

Annapolis Sailboat Show 2023: 19 New Multihulls Previewed

2023 Newport International Boat Show Starts Today

Notes From the Annapolis Sailboat Show 2022

Energy Afloat: Lithium, Solar and Wind Are the Perfect Combination

Anatomy of a Tragedy at Sea

What if a Sailboat Hits a Whale?!?

Update on the Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, BVI

Charter in Puerto Rico. Enjoy Amazing Food, Music and Culture

With Charter Season Ahead, What’s Up in the BVI?

AIS Mystery: Ships Displaced and Strangely Circling

Holiday Sales. Garmin Marine Stuff up to 20% Off

A comprehensive guide to life rafts, their equipment, storage and deployment (published May 2014)

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.

Author: Chuck Hawley

Life Raft and Survival Equipment, Inc. import 'components/image-element'; import 'components/image-element';

• Shop Life Rafts Recreational Life Rafts Commercial Life Rafts Aviation Life Rafts Life Raft Accessories Life Jackets Inflatable Life Jackets Foam Life Jackets Life Jacket Accessories Immersion Suits Damage Control Emergency Repair Kits Fire Blankets Plugs Damage Accessories Signaling EPIRBs & PLBs AIS Flares & Smoke Strobes & Lights Other Signals Survival Gear Abandoned Ship Gear Food & Water Other Survival Gear First Aid Medical Kits Medical Devices Motion & Sea Sickness Other First Aid Water Rescue MOB Recovery Buoys Lines & Tethers Other Water Rescue Chandlery Fenders Clocks Books & Documents Other Chandlery
• Life Raft Service
• EPIRB/PLB Service
• Life Jacket Service
• Immersion Suit Service
• Man Overboard Service
• Home icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Shop
• icon-chevron Life Rafts
• View all icon-chevron
• Recreational Life Rafts icon-chevron
• Commercial Life Rafts icon-chevron
• Aviation Life Rafts icon-chevron
• Life Raft Accessories icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Life Jackets
• Inflatable Life Jackets icon-chevron
• Foam Life Jackets icon-chevron
• Life Jacket Accessories icon-chevron
• Immersion Suits icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Damage Control
• Emergency Repair Kits icon-chevron
• Fire Blankets icon-chevron
• Plugs icon-chevron
• Damage Accessories icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Signaling
• EPIRBs & PLBs icon-chevron
• AIS icon-chevron
• Flares & Smoke icon-chevron
• Strobes & Lights icon-chevron
• Other Signals icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Survival Gear
• Abandoned Ship Gear icon-chevron
• Food & Water icon-chevron
• Other Survival Gear icon-chevron
• icon-chevron First Aid
• Medical Kits icon-chevron
• Medical Devices icon-chevron
• Motion & Sea Sickness icon-chevron
• Other First Aid icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Water Rescue
• MOB Recovery icon-chevron
• Buoys icon-chevron
• Lines & Tethers icon-chevron
• Other Water Rescue icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Chandlery
• Fenders icon-chevron
• Clocks icon-chevron
• Books & Documents icon-chevron
• Other Chandlery icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Services
• Life Raft Service icon-chevron
• EPIRB/PLB Service icon-chevron
• Life Jacket Service icon-chevron
• Immersion Suit Service icon-chevron
• Man Overboard Service icon-chevron
• Education icon-chevron
• Contact icon-chevron

Subscribe today to get exclusive content and promotional pricing

Recreational Life Rafts

Commercial Life Rafts

Top 10 best selling life rafts.

Inflatable Life Jackets

From our customers

★★★★★ Friendly and on point.... gave me a loaner raft to get back fishing the day I called! I highly recommended using them for all your safety equipment needs and more! Ken Hamilton

★★★★★ These are the people you want to certify your off shore safety equipment. They are professional and courteous. Highly recommended. Robert Fine

★★★★★ Picked up new Viking raft best service and staff knowledge hands down! Robert Taylor

★★★★★ Best place to grab all your safety and Survival gear for your boat or for your job. I have all my liferafts serviced with LRSE, they always go above and beyond to ensure I'm satisfied. Definitely check out the showroom! ArchAngel Charters

★★★★★ The staff was amazing! They helped me with exactly what I needed for my job as a merchant mariner. They were compatible in price and honored their word. It was a great experience I certainly will use them in the future for any safety needs I have. Keith Morin

★★★★★ If you want the best in New England and the entire east coast, go there. Shawn Hart

★★★★★ Great Customer Service. Wish I had started by buying the personal AIS unit from them. They helped me debug what I had bought from Defender (and it was non-operational), and helped install what I bought to replace. Left feeling confident that I've made myself findable in an MOB situation. Safety equipment is not something to acquire from an online warehouse. R. Davis Webb

★★★★★ I have been a customer of Life Raft & Survival Equipment for many years. I'm a blue-water sailor and boat owner and safety equipment is very important to me. The people at LRSE are extremely knowledgeable about the whole area of safety and emergency equipment, what works and what doesn't. Their service and turnaround is superb. I highly recommend LRSE for all aspects of marine safety equipment. Richard Azar

★★★★★ Personal touch service. Caring and knowledgable professionals in all positions. Thanks for letting me video my raft unpack. It is a valuable asset for my boat program. I can go offshore knowing I have a liferaft that I know and can trust. Sheri Hunt

Best Sellers

• Life Jackets
• Life Raft Accessories
• Man Overboard
• Immersion Suits
• Pick Up + Delivery
• Shipping/Return Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions

Get in touch

• (401)816-5400
• instagram Instagram
• American Express
• Diners Club

• MarketPlace
• Digital Archives
• Order A Copy

Installing a life raft on the coach roof

A life raft is a must for any voyager planning to go offshore. While many people invest great effort into choosing the right raft, weighing up considerations such as performance and budget, fewer think ahead to the actual installation. Whether you are buying your first life raft or upgrading to a new one, make sure that proper installation is as high a priority as choice of equipment. With some helpful pointers from our boatyard, we were able to install a new life raft ourselves and now have the peace of mind of a job well done. It is a project of about two days that can be managed with basic tools and know-how.

The small boat conundrum The ideal place to mount a life raft is on the stern rail, which has the advantage of easy deployment and good attachment points for the painter. However, many smaller monohulls simply lack stern space, especially once a self-steering device and swim ladder have been mounted. The only feasible option on many boats is a horizontally-mounted cradle placed just forward of the dodger. There, the crew still has access to the life raft and the painter can be secured on a deck cleat. The main challenge would be heaving the raft across the lifelines, but given the raised center section of the deck, this should not be a major hurdle.

Practicing life raft entry

Any sailor contemplating a bluewater passage should look for the opportunity to actually deploy and enter a life raft. A number of sailing schools offer half-day or weekend safety courses that do exactly this. In our case, we had a used life raft that was impossible to sell, so we could use it for our own simulation. We were careful to notify the marina staff in our location and to use a discrete area lest any passers-by become alarmed. Although a simulation in quiet, in-shore waters is not ideal, it did provide a calm run-through that did not frighten our young son.

What did we learn? To begin with, it took a surprising number of hard jerks on the deployment line to fire the CO2 cylinder and inflate the raft. On the other hand, righting and entering the life raft was relatively straightforward. The strongest crewmember should enter first to help the others in. The boarding ladder can swing awkwardly under the raft as weight is put on it, but the hand-ladder inside the raft gave us the extra grip needed to climb in. We discovered that the raft lurches as each person enters, and were careful to distribute our weight for balance.

The next step‚ — separating from a potentially sinking vessel‚ — proved awkward. For starters, the knife provided in the raft for this purpose was so firmly affixed that it was difficult to free. The painter was difficult to access from the main entry since it attached at the opposite end of the life raft (the idea being to keep the main entry away from breaking seas). We learned that the painter should be accessed through the smaller lookout hatch on the windward side of the raft. Details like these are important and vary between different manufacturers, so it is important to go through your owner's manual carefully.

Finally, we familiarized ourselves with drogue deployment and the survival pack contents. It is possible to have extra equipment (such as a handheld watermaker) packed into the raft on request. Every captain should also prepare a grab bag with further equipment. The first thing to reach for, however, is your EPIRB, which should be tied outside the life raft to transmit your position. Hopefully, you will never have to resort to such measures, but it pays to be prepared.

However, there are a few challenges in installing a life raft in this location. One is that the coach roof is typically a relatively soft section of sandwiched deck. It is not constructed to absorb significant loads, such as a wave sweeping over the deck and pulling at the life raft. A second problem is that most coach roofs have a slightly convex curvature that will not be flush with a straight cradle. Finally, there is the issue of achieving a neat installation without marring the interior cabin ceiling with through-bolts. The approach we used in installing our life raft resolved each of these problems, as described in the steps below.

Installation In overview, installation consists of four steps: (A) making mounts that will distribute the load of the life raft over the coach roof, (B) preparing the deck for the mounts, (C) fitting the mounts to the deck, and (D) attaching the cradle to the mounts.

Making mounts The very first step in this process is to determine the exact position for the cradle by placing it in the desired location and marking drill holes. Then determine how thick the coach roof is by carefully probing with a drill at one of the marked mount points. In a sandwich composite construction, the goal is to cut through the top layer of fiberglass and the balsa core, but not all the way through to the interior fiberglass liner. In our case, these two layers of the coach roof were 2 inches thick, and therefore we knew our mounts would be 2 inches tall.

With this preliminary information established, you can begin to prepare four mounts that will support the cradle. These can be made by stacking discs cut from sheet glass to create a mushroom-shaped mount. Eventually, the mounts will be fitted into four wells in the coach roof, establishing solid attachment points for the life raft.

To construct a mount, you will need to stack a number of discs cut from .25-inch structural fiberglass sheet, with a disc diameter of 2.5 inches. The number of discs depends on the thickness of your deck: for example, our 2-inch-thick coach roof called for eight .25-inch discs. Top off the stack with one wider disc (3 inches in diameter) to achieve the mushroom shape. The discs can be cut using a hole saw with 2.5 and 3-inch fittings. The hole saw will also drill a narrow hole through the center of each disc. You will need four mushroom-shaped mounts all together; for a 2-inch-thick mount, that means cutting a total of 32 narrow discs plus four wider tops.

Next, sand each disc with 100-grit sandpaper and then bond each stack of discs with epoxy (such as West System 105 Epoxy Resin with 205 Fast Hardener). To keep the layers aligned, put a temporary bolt through the center holes and tighten against a washer and nut. A layer of plastic wrap can be put around the bolt to prevent it from sticking to any epoxy.

After the epoxy has hardened, sand the rough edges of each mount. An easy way to do this is to put the protruding part of the temporary bolt into an electric drill and let it spin while you hold sandpaper against it. Once the bolt has served its purpose, it can be removed and the hole widened slightly in preparation for the last stage: tapping a 3/8-inch thread into each mount. These will accommodate the stainless steel machine screws that will eventually fix the cradle to the mounts. In our case, the screws were 3/8-inch by 2 inches; a thinner coach roof might take a 3/8-inch by 1.5-inch screw. At the conclusion of the first step, you will have prepared four mushroom-shaped mounts, each with a hole through the center.

Preparing the deck The next step is to drill holes (or wells) into the coach roof as counterparts for the cradle mounts. Be careful only to drill to the depth you have determined. Use the same hole saw fitting to cut 2.5-inch-wide wells into the coach roof. To prevent the central drill bit from penetrating the inner liner, readjust it so that it is flush with the hole saw after cutting through the first quarter-inch of fiberglass and wood.

Once you've made the cuts, carefully lever out the fiberglass/balsa plugs. All that remains now in terms of deck preparation is to sand and clean the inside walls of each well. Make sure the wells are completely dry. You must also sand the surface of the coach roof a half-inch around each well; that's where the wider head of the mushroom-shaped mount will eventually sit. Check that everything fits by temporarily bolting the four mounts to the cradle and placing it into position. This is the time to remedy any tight spots (either by sanding the mounts or using a Dremel tool to widen the well).

When you are satisfied with the fit, clean all contact surfaces of the wells and mounts with acetone. Then generously mask off the areas around the wells to catch the inevitable epoxy run-off.

Fitting the mounts In this step of the process, you will fit the mounts into the coach roof wells. Once you begin working with epoxy, things will move quickly, so be sure you have everything at hand. At this point, the mounts should still be temporarily fitted to the cradle, so you will be handling the cradle as a whole.

It is important to protect the bolts running through the center of each mount from epoxy overflow, because they will be removed one more time before installation is complete. Stuff the lower end of the bolt holes with a small amount of plastic wrap and place a small piece of masking tape over the top of each bolt. This will prevent epoxy from being squeezed up through the hole and sticking to the bolt.

Now you are ready to connect the matching pieces in earnest. Mix a batch of epoxy (such as West System 105 Epoxy Resin with 205 Fast Hardener). Cover both contact surfaces with a layer of clear epoxy: first, all surfaces of the mounts, and second, the insides of the wells (including the extra half-inch ring around the top of each well). Once these sections have a layer of epoxy, add some adhesive filler to the same batch of epoxy (such as West System 406) and partially fill each well with the thickened mixture. This epoxy will fill any void beneath the mounts and will be squeezed up along the walls of each well. Use enough epoxy for some to be squeezed out the top when the mounts are pushed into place. Now place the cradle with its protruding mounts into position and press firmly. Then weigh the cradle down until the epoxy starts to set (for example, by standing on the cradle or putting the life raft on the cradle).

A curved coach roof will still have a small gap between the underside of the flat mount top and the downward curving deck. Use a surgical syringe (50-ml size works best) to apply thickened epoxy into these gaps. Then trim any excess epoxy from the top edge of the mounts. We use out-of-date credit cards or other plastic cards for this purpose; they have just the right stiffness and their corners can be trimmed to the right radius.

After the epoxy has dried, you can complete this step of the installation by painting the mounts so that they match the coach roof. To do so, unbolt the cradle from the mounts and move it aside. Use a soft disc sander to fair the exposed epoxy around the top of the mounts and follow up by hand, using 220-grit sandpaper. This prepares the surface for painting: ideally, use two coats of a two-part polyurethane paint (such as Awlgrip), mixed to match the color of the deck.

Bedding the cradle Once the paint is completely dry, you can move on to the final step. Bedding compound can make a mess, so be sure to mask off the area around the wells in addition to the sections of cradle that might get smudged. Carefully clean all contact surfaces (including the bolts) with acetone. Then apply bedding compound (3M 4000 UV works well) to the undersides of the cradle at each mount point and along the length of every bolt. Excess bedding compound will be squeezed out when you screw in the bolts; this can be trimmed away after it has set. The final step will be to remove the masking tape and mount the life raft onto the cradle. Now you can step back and admire a job well done!

Taken step by step, this process requires more patience than expertise. The result is a neat, secure life raft that can stand up to the forces it may be exposed to. It’s unusual to feel so much satisfaction in installing a piece of equipment you hope never to use, but it’s well worth the effort!

————– Nadine Slavinski and Markus Schweitzer live aboard their 1981 Dufour 35, Namani, with their 8-year-old son, Nicky. They are currently in Panama and heading for the South Pacific. Nadine is the author of Lesson Plans Ahoy: Hands-On Learning for Sailing Children and Home Schooling Sailors (visit www.sailkidsed.net). They were assisted in this installation by Yankee Marina in Yarmouth, Maine.

By Ocean Navigator

• Uncategorized

4-6 or 8 man Life Rafts. The Neptune 2.0 is our answer to economy, durability and above all, safety – requiring service just once every three years. Featuring two tubes for greater freeboard and a self-erecting inflatable arch canopy, the Neptune 2.0 is fitted at each corner of the raft with lead weighted deep water ballast pockets to improve stability in rough sea conditions until search and rescue arrives. These, along with many more safety features, help ensure the Neptune 2.0 will keep you safe on the water.

Description

Additional information.

• Reviews (0)

4-6 or 8 man Life Rafts. The Neptune 2.0 is our answer to economy, durability and above all, safety – requiring service just once every three years. Featuring two tubes for greater freeboard and a self-erecting inflatable arch canopy, the Neptune 2.0 is fitted at each corner of the raft with lead weighted deep water ballast pockets to improve stability in rough sea conditions until search and rescue arrives. These, along with many more safety features, help ensure the Neptune 2.0 will keep you safe on the water. Prices start at $1250 for 4 man and $1500 for 6 man and $1750 for 8 man rafts .

SHIPPING IS ADDITIONAL

Please contact us about shipping charges at [email protected].

There are no reviews yet.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your review  *

Name  *

Email  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related products

Copyright © 2024 Sailboat Mast Ladder and Rescue Ladder. Store Commerce WordPress theme design & developer by aThemeArt

Commercial life rafts are in hard canisters and range from 4 person to 25 person. These raft units rent for $25.00 per day and include cradle, release & tiedowns

Rental Raft Capacities: 4 person to 25 person rafts available

Recreational boater life rafts come in 4 person rafts to 8 person raft sizes. All leisure rafts are in a soft pack valise. $35.00 per day, 7 day minimum with a $1500.00 deposit payable on M/C or VISA.

(877) 63-RAFTS � 877.637.2387 or (310) 549-9665