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Old 28-03-2012, 14:22   #46
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

While I fully appreciate the cost savings and the need to undertake the repackaging while cruising out of range of a service center, performing this service independently presumably invalidates any warranty. If it is already out of warranty, then no big deal.
I just took my valise offshore LR for its first servicing (every 3 years) and expect to pay about $950 here in Rhode Island.
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Old 28-03-2012, 17:19   #47
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

[Your life raft is something you pray to God you never have to use, but IF you do ever need to use it, you want to be as sure as you can that it works. $500 every three years doesn't seem to me to be such a bad deal.[/QUOTE]

Don'k know where you get it done for 500. The best I can find is 1500 and more often 2000 to 2500. This does not include transport both ways.
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Old 28-03-2012, 17:56   #48
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

I have a 1994 vintage Avon 4 man ocean raft. The raft, itself, is in great condition. I recently brought it to a service company who, in checking it out, found that the cylinder valve leaks and they cannot get a replacement “poppet assembly” to fix it because the valve manufacturer is out of business. The bottom line is that they cannot complete servicing the life raft.

Has anyone heard of this problem? Any info would be helpful.

Be careful about purchasing an older Avon life raft. It may be unserviceable.
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Old 28-03-2012, 18:50   #49
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What about DIY inflation

Maybe this is a really dumb idea but off the top of my head I can't find a compelling reason why this wouldn't work.

What would be so wrong about connecting a small tank with a manual valve to a life raft. Yes I know in the panic of sinking, no time, one more task, etc but doesn't seem like it would take that much time or thought to just open a valve to inflate the raft. A crew member should be assigned to keep control of the raft anyway so why not?

This would eliminate what seems to be a weak point, common failure mode, expensive maintenance part to the whole system.
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Old 29-03-2012, 08:07   #50
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Re: What about DIY inflation

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Originally Posted by skipmac View Post
Maybe this is a really dumb idea but off the top of my head I can't find a compelling reason why this wouldn't work.

What would be so wrong about connecting a small tank with a manual valve to a life raft. Yes I know in the panic of sinking, no time, one more task, etc but doesn't seem like it would take that much time or thought to just open a valve to inflate the raft. A crew member should be assigned to keep control of the raft anyway so why not?

This would eliminate what seems to be a weak point, common failure mode, expensive maintenance part to the whole system.
Exactly what I am doing with mine until I can get parts to service the automatic head. In my case, I had another C02 tank for which I had an adaptor made up. This tank is a manual valve, but since I am using it aboard a cat I am not concerned about rapid sinking. I need to have tank refilled with a C02-Nitrogen mix (95%-3%) and it should be good to go.
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Old 29-03-2012, 08:27   #51
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Re: What about DIY inflation

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Exactly what I am doing with mine until I can get parts to service the automatic head. In my case, I had another C02 tank for which I had an adaptor made up. This tank is a manual valve, but since I am using it aboard a cat I am not concerned about rapid sinking. I need to have tank refilled with a C02-Nitrogen mix (95%-3%) and it should be good to go.
I did think of one possible downside to this idea.

If you have a tank with more gas than needed to fill the raft the person on the valve better be watching and ready to close off. Otherwise you could blow the raft up like a balloon and go POP! Not something you would want to see as your boat sinks from under you.
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Old 29-03-2012, 08:49   #52
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

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CO2 was discharged to make return shipping of the raft to me easier. Also, it was due for a hydro test. So, it is now in the City getting hydro'ed and filled. Externally valve and tank were in excellent condition so I expect the hydro test will be fine. I like the idea of deploying the raft about every two years anyway to inspect it and refiling the bottle (cheap to do...about Q70 (< $10) here).
Where do you go to refill the CO2???
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Old 29-03-2012, 09:10   #53
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Remember that the CO2 in the tanks is a liquid. So filling will probably need to proceed like that for LPG.
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Old 29-03-2012, 09:28   #54
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

We just had our liferaft recertified by a major manufacturer. They say it costs $295, but the materials they supply are heavily priced. They even charged us for each sticker with their name on it. It was over $1,000, and for a 3-year cert., but we had to have it to participate in ARC-Europe.

Yes, I think it is a racket.
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Old 30-03-2012, 07:25   #55
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Re: What about DIY inflation

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Originally Posted by skipmac View Post
I did think of one possible downside to this idea.

If you have a tank with more gas than needed to fill the raft the person on the valve better be watching and ready to close off. Otherwise you could blow the raft up like a balloon and go POP! Not something you would want to see as your boat sinks from under you.
Not part of the plan, I will have it filled by weight to the specs for the raft.
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Old 30-03-2012, 07:27   #56
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

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Originally Posted by rolandgilbert99 View Post
Where do you go to refill the CO2???
Here in Guatemala, I use "Productos del Aire". Big commercial gas operation -- I think they find the old gringo with the funny little C02 tanks amusing.
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Old 30-03-2012, 07:29   #57
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

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Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler View Post
We just had our liferaft recertified by a major manufacturer. They say it costs $295, but the materials they supply are heavily priced. They even charged us for each sticker with their name on it. It was over $1,000, and for a 3-year cert., but we had to have it to participate in ARC-Europe.

Yes, I think it is a racket.
Yes, this is part of why I am doing my own. At the $1,700 they quoted me (about 50% of the original purchase price) -- I think I would just be better off to buy a new raft every 3-5 years and sell the old one.
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Old 11-04-2012, 08:43   #58
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

Update:

Had a local industrial hose shop build an adaptor for me to use an existing tank. Hooked it up and did a partial test inflate -- worked just fine. It is a manual valve, but since I am using on a cat (can't sink fast at least) I am not concerned about using a manual valve.

Re-vaccum packed all the emergency supplies myself using a Food Saver machine and bags (essentially the same bags as used by Winslow).

Future plans: have a new valise bag built -- I like this better than the canister because it makes self-inspection easier and is less bulky to stow -- also I plan to build it loose so that precise packing of the raft is not important (one of the service issues pointed out with Winslow's earlier). Again, on a cat I am not concerned about automatic deployment from the deck (which requires a canister). Get replacement burst disk for automatic inflate head and rebuild head -- I would still prefer this over a manual valve -- just for speed and ease of operation.

Quite happy with what I learned from this exercise and much now much prefer the self-service approach for a cruising life raft. My plan is to deploy and inspect the life raft each season or two.
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Old 11-04-2012, 08:54   #59
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

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Originally Posted by PeterJG View Post
I have a 1994 vintage Avon 4 man ocean raft. The raft, itself, is in great condition. I recently brought it to a service company who, in checking it out, found that the cylinder valve leaks and they cannot get a replacement “poppet assembly” to fix it because the valve manufacturer is out of business. The bottom line is that they cannot complete servicing the life raft.

Has anyone heard of this problem? Any info would be helpful.

Be careful about purchasing an older Avon life raft. It may be unserviceable.
Avon used to use a valve manufactured by Kidde. Parts can no longer be obtained so what you are being told is correct.
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Old 11-04-2012, 10:21   #60
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Re: Life Raft Self-Service

I have been following this thread and it motivated me to get my life raft out which I inherited with my boat. It is an Avon and was last certified in 1980. I took the cylinder off and it still had pressure. I Blew it up manually and it is leaking around the manual inflate valves. I need to therefore replace them. Anybody got a part number and source for the replacement. I am going to do it myself as before I sink (haha) any money into this project I want to make sure it is worth it. i.e. holds air.
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