Which liferaft? Experiences?

[Franziska]

Hi,

I am looking for a reasonably priced good liferaft.
Now I am overwhelmed with the choices available over here in Europe.

Can anyone help by posting here what they found in terms of quality and pricing?
I know that this might be tainted by resellers opinions but I guess there will be a general tendency.

Is it correct that the only real difference between the less than 24hr models and more than 24hrs models are only in the equipment within?
The price difference seems hefty. 450€ extra for the following equipment which one could easily add in a grabbag:

• 3Emergency Flares
• 1First aid kit
• Emergency rations
• Drinking water
• Flashlight with battery
• 2Emergency blankets

Comparative prices are based on valise (easier to handle in my case), 4Person (the size I need max). Double bottom chambers seem wise.

Choices are for example:

Plastimo:

• Cruiser, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 24kg, 950€
• Offshore, 4Person,24hrs max, Valise, 33.5kg, 1800€

SVB Seatec by Seago:

• Offshore, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 26kg, 850€

Seago:

• Model ISO 9650-1, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 34kg, 1300€

Zodiac:

• Open Sea, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 35kg, 1600€

AWN/SeaCurity:

• Model ISO9650-1, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 33kg, 1150€
• Model Offshore, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 26kg, 800€

So the same size can cost between 1800€ and 800€. Are the quality differences really that big?
Lets base this primarely on the rafts themselves and less on the "content". A grabbag can bring anything vital with it if stored close to the raft.

Thanks for your thoughts, experiences and recommendations. Also an bad experiences are appreciated.

Franziska

[Ribbit]

Why handicap yourself with a Seago ISO spec price? Why buy in euros? (saw the other, but you can get a better deal).

SEAGO 4 MAN OFFSHORE LIFERAFT - VALISE - £589.99 (under 750 euros)

SEAGO 4 MAN OFFSHORE LIFERAFT - VALISE - Seago Liferafts - Discount Marine Chandlery and Sailing Equipment. Bargain Boat Spares and Clothing

cheap servicing too.

In fact I think I found an even better price in the valise in your previous thread?

Nothing else competes (why I am not getting a liferaft until I get back from America with the boat. I will not support the USA rip off prices for what are supposed to be safety items, along with their even more rip off servicing costs).

I could care less about me, but before my baby nephew gets on the boat, there's going to be a liferaft, and if I can get an emergency self inflating playpen, I'll get him one of those too (I hope Seago start doing them).

My only relationship with Seago is as a future customer - they have been making great liferafts for a very long time now.

PS You are heading this way, so pop in and pick up a Seago, and you can have fish and chips and a heck of a lot of change with it.

[Franziska]

Why buy in Euros :-) Well that's the currency one uses in mainland Europe these days... And the country I live in currently.

Can anyone else second to the Seago quality stated?

www.ladyrover.jimdo.com

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Why buy in Euros :-) Well that's the currency one uses in mainland Europe these days... And the country I live in currently.

Can anyone else second to the Seago quality stated?

Welcome to the Woods Mira 35 - Catamaran Lady Rovers Website!

Even with currency conversion costs you are way ahead. I think especially so if you can still get the earlier deal I found. I might be wrong, but I thought you were headed in this sort of direction this year anyway?

I agree 100% with you about grab bags rather than paying a lot for limited extras.

I'll see if I can find some comparison tests (all the ones I read were quite a while ago).

I used to pass the Avon factory several times a week, and even out of the factory door they couldn't compete on price, and were no better than a Seago.

eta: Found a recent test:

http://www.ekensnaval.com/seago/pbo_...st_seago-3.pdf

I do like that the Seago's tubes are butyl rubber rather than PVC.

[MarkJ]

I just bought a new 4 man valise. I didn't pay the extra $1,000 for extra inclusions, mainly food.

In these days of EPIRBS I prefer to have 2 epirbs and a Sat phone. That should get one rescued far faster that the average time only 10 years ago

Of course some people will say that you can't skimp on safety. Well, you can. One can judiciously work the numbers, and save money.

Have your Grab Bag attached to the valise with a lanyard... and make sure it FLOATS!

BTW When was the last book written about a long stay in a life raft? Except for that Equidorian fisherman, not for decades. People with EPIRBS get picked up quick-smart.


Sent from a stupid phone that replaces words with weird stuff.

[Ribbit]

Side deck water jugs to the cockpit end too, so can be pulled/thrown off.

I'd add a diesel jug too, and stick a syringe in the grab bag for an oil dripper. Oil on troubled waters, and all that.

They'll float.

I agree 100% with this too (having spent a fair bit of time as a buyer):

"One can judiciously work the numbers, and save money."

and even end up with superior products.

[boatman61]

The Seago Offshore valise.. Piplers £598..
if I had to..

[barnakiel]

I would buy the one that ticks off most of your boxes. If two come on par, I would buy the less expensive one.

The only makes I have ever heard to be better than others were Viking and Switlik. I am not sure why that person had that opinion. Probably a result of many years of servicing countless units of all possible makes.

b.

[Lizzy Belle]

If I decide to buy one (which I doubt, but who knows), I'd buy the smallest (solo sailor, the bigger the easier it'll flip) and cheapest I can find, to be honest.

The extra's are way overpriced imho, so I'd buy those I'd want separate and put it in a floating grab-bag kept with the raft.

[Orion Jim]

I single-hand and I have a Zodiac 4 man valise. The weight is important to me and I was familiar with the quality of Zodiac so I chose accordingly. My ditch bag floats and is kept fully packed ready for use. I have an EPIRB and I also bring two hand-held VHF's to assist with my recovery, along with all the usual ditch bag goodies.

[barnakiel]

Yep. I too think making my own pack is the way to go. Pack stuff depending on what sort of sailing you do and how you are likely to be rescued. You not just want to survive, you want to assure others know of your distress and can find you.

b.

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Hi,

I am looking for a reasonably priced good liferaft.
Now I am overwhelmed with the choices available over here in Europe.

Can anyone help by posting here what they found in terms of quality and pricing?
I know that this might be tainted by resellers opinions but I guess there will be a general tendency.

Is it correct that the only real difference between the less than 24hr models and more than 24hrs models are only in the equipment within?
The price difference seems hefty. 450€ extra for the following equipment which one could easily add in a grabbag:

• 3Emergency Flares
• 1First aid kit
• Emergency rations
• Drinking water
• Flashlight with battery
• 2Emergency blankets

Comparative prices are based on valise (easier to handle in my case), 4Person (the size I need max). Double bottom chambers seem wise.

Choices are for example:

Plastimo:

• Cruiser, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 24kg, 950€
• Offshore, 4Person,24hrs max, Valise, 33.5kg, 1800€

SVB Seatec by Seago:

• Offshore, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 26kg, 850€

Seago:

• Model ISO 9650-1, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 34kg, 1300€

Zodiac:

• Open Sea, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 35kg, 1600€

AWN/SeaCurity:

• Model ISO9650-1, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 33kg, 1150€
• Model Offshore, 4Person, 24hrs max, Valise, 26kg, 800€

So the same size can cost between 1800€ and 800€. Are the quality differences really that big?
Lets base this primarely on the rafts themselves and less on the "content". A grabbag can bring anything vital with it if stored close to the raft.

Thanks for your thoughts, experiences and recommendations. Also an bad experiences are appreciated.

Franziska

We have a portland pudgy at the top of our list.

Those inflatable things are unreliable and truly uncomfortable. Not what I would consider a safety critical option.

I can't think of many cases where they saved anyone. They do seem to either get blown away or dont deploy.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[hellosailor]

Apparently the French government condemns (or condemned, at least) all life rafts at ten years of age, so Zodiac (at least Zodiac-US, claiming to be following Zodiac orders) refuses to service any raft after ten years. They claim that there are simply too many glue failures at that point. Which is one strike against Zodiac, but also to point out that you can get a raft either glued or welded (i.e. ultrasonic welding or hf radio welding) and you don't want a glued one unless you plan to throw it away.


I have no idea how Seago assembles butyl ones, but butyl is very rugged, resists oxidation extremely well, and doesn't age the way that PVC or calendared nylons will. Which could make it very interesting. AFAIK the brand is unknown here in the Colonies, I've never seen tests or reviews on it here.


You might want to look at the repack schedule and costs, not just the purchase cost. Remember that every 3rd year, or more often, you'll have to ship the raft by "Hazmat" ground shipping, unless there's a local authorized repacker. And even then, some of them are twice the price of others.


I think you will also find that most "inshore" models have a simple floor, while a true offshore raft will have a double bottom with insulation between the layers, designed to prevent hypothermia if you (the raft) are in the water for longer periods.

[Stumble]

With modern SAR assets world wide you would think that it wouldn't take that long to mount a rescue, but if you are further than 3-400 miles off shore rescue assets may not be able to reach you immediatly and the only option becomes commercial vessels deviating to find you. Even in busy waters this can take a few days, in really out of the way places it could take much longer.

With this in mind I still feel having multiple EPIRB's is the best chance of rescue. While planning to set them off sequentially to allow additional time for a rescue asset to come find you. But adding a sat phone and handheld GPS to report your location and to speak with rescuers is also a good idea. Adding a text messaging SPOT tracker to the mix would also help but it's communication is one way. With an ideal mix being a sat phone to set up a reporting interval, and a way for rescuers to speak with you on at pre-planned times (to save battery power) while using the spot to pass on information immediatly.


As with most questions about rarely used equipment I really think that sailors are a very poor source of information. Who amongst us has ever used a liferaft in anger? Even a day or two training on them won't give you a real sense of the relative quality of the options out there. The only good source in my eyes is commercial reviewers and industry experts, so things like SOLAS certification means far more to me for life rafts than say for flashlights.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Stumble

I still feel having multiple EPIRB's is the best chance of rescue. While planning to set them off sequentially to allow additional time

Just how many would you bring for an ocean crossing, Hansel?

I see the value of having 2 on board, but not more.

Could be that's what you mean, but in your post it sounds like a high tech trail of bread crumbs