Circumnavigation w/o liferaft

[Boracay]

Does anyone know the specifications for an average sort of liferaft (say a four person)?

i.e. What beam/diameter, weight, canopy height, etc.?

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by catty

For those not wanting a life raft what about a Steve Callahan designed clam. EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm) - Steven Callahan Bio

I suspect 76 days in a life raft gives one time to think about such things.

Whilst on the subject of Steve Callahan ,he has also done many miles on Russ Browns Jzerro and has continued a mudslinging match with our own Mr Denny at Reply to Rob Denney's critiques of Russell Brown Proa by Steven Callahan

When you go to the "Equipped to survive" page, one of the books is about 4 men who survived 115 days on an upside-down multihull. Which does raise questions about the need for a liferaft.

The other link is amusing reading. Especially if you read on a few more pages for Mr Denny's reply. Then further on when someone, who claims to be his friend, suggests that Mr Callahan may have been drunk when he wrote the page your link leads to.

Funny stuff, thanks for the laugh.

[BigCat]

[quote=catty;152495]For those not wanting a life raft what about a Steve Callahan designed clam. EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm) - Steven Callahan Bio

The 'Clam' wasn't a success commercially, and production shut down after only 16 were made. For those in North America, there is Walker Bay® | products | Dinghy, inflatable boats, small boats, small sail boats, row boats, small fishing boats .

[Little Otter]

GUYS, CALM DOWN!!! first Boracay go to Landfall Navigation® Marine Safety & Nautical Charts Chandlery they have specs on severel life rafts, hope that you find info. Second we don't need to try to outdo the other because that just leads to hard feelings and bad info, this is a question that has one simple answer, some may not agree with me and they can post their feelings but it is always my practice to have atleast one liferaft onboard. when i use my friends boats if theirs no liferaft i won't use it till they get one because, " It's better to be safe than sorry because you should never underestimate the impossible and should be ready for when life throws you a curveball period no ifs ands or buts because life is worth every penny." now anybody that dosen't beleive that can tell me why i'm wrong but that quote is what i stand for.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Boracay

Does anyone know the specifications for an average sort of liferaft (say a four person)?
i.e. What beam/diameter, weight, canopy height, etc.?

BoatUS BoatTECH Guides: Life Rafts

http://seagrant.uaf.edu/bookstore/bo...life-rafts.pdf

EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm) - FAA TSO-C70a: LIFERAFTS

U.S. Liferaft Regulation

[Zanshin]

If you capsize in mid-ocean, even with an EPIRB, you might wait several days in rough conditions (who capsizes when becalmed?). Even if your hulls are afloat - can you survive days in those conditions?

[sandy daugherty]

What an interesting and educational thread. I have learned a lot and come to some amazing realizations: 1. I can actually agree with Gord sometimes. 2. I'm going to paint non-skid under my bridgedeck, with a series of lash points and a tool box for emergency access. 3. I've got a lot more to learn about resin infusion, and its definately the way to build. 4. I will acquire a NEW liferaft before I go off-shore. And 5. Airtanks fore and aft are better if they are above, rather than below the normal waterline.

I also think I'm going to vacuum bag more food stuffs, and carry some oil-spill stuff of some kind. I'm already redoing my Farraday ditch bag.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by sandy daugherty

What an interesting and educational thread. I have learned a lot and come to some amazing realizations: 1. I can actually agree with Gord sometimes. 2. I'm going to paint non-skid under my bridgedeck, with a series of lash points and a tool box for emergency access. 3. I've got a lot more to learn about resin infusion, and its definately the way to build. 4. I will acquire a NEW liferaft before I go off-shore. And 5. Airtanks fore and aft are better if they are above, rather than below the normal waterline.

I also think I'm going to vacuum bag more food stuffs, and carry some oil-spill stuff of some kind. I'm already redoing my Farraday ditch bag.

When the list is complete on Excell may I have a copy please?

[BigCat]

I am putting floatation foam inside my bridgedeck which is 1' thick, and inside the crossbeams, because that location is useful if the boat is either right side up or upside down.

For resin infusion info, check out Yahoo! Groups

I think the air intakes for water tanks should go to the top of the deck, take a 'U' turn, and intake as low as feasible. Fuel tanks should be plumbed this way and then intake air on the bridge deck as low as possible.

I'm wondering if you could put check valves in them, too, to keep fuel and water from flowing out of them.

[gmalan]

Having seen a bit of wild weather on the Australian East Coast recently, and most of it not forecast (a local squall can have really nasty weather associated with it!), I've decided that coastal sailing is every bit as dangerous as offshore passages, with the added dangers of lee shores, submerged shipping containers and other floating debris, not to mention the hundreds of migrating whales we saw on our recent passage from Sydney to Hamilton Island.

I’ve sailed without a life raft to date, but I have to admit that I’m not happy about it. Also, I can fool myself most of the time, especially on a nice sunny day, but it really hits home when you do the safety briefing and explain to the crew that, “if we go down, make sure you have a PFD on… if we have time, we’ll inflate the dinghy!”

I've just bought a Zodiac 6-person...

More at S.V. Sunny Spells · Liferafts, EPIRBs etc

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by gmalan

Having seen a bit of wild weather on the Australian East Coast recently, and most of it not forecast (a local squall can have really nasty weather associated with it!), I've decided that coastal sailing is every bit as dangerous as offshore passages, with the added dangers of lee shores, submerged shipping containers and other floating debris, not to mention the hundreds of migrating whales we saw on our recent passage from Sydney to Hamilton Island.

I’ve sailed without a life raft to date, but I have to admit that I’m not happy about it. Also, I can fool myself most of the time, especially on a nice sunny day, but it really hits home when you do the safety briefing and explain to the crew that, “if we go down, make sure you have a PFD on… if we have time, we’ll inflate the dinghy!”

I've just bought a Zodiac 6-person...

More at S.V. Sunny Spells · Liferafts, EPIRBs etc

Yes, but you have one of those sinky monomaran boats, so your fears are understandable. This is a non-sinky, multihull forum, you know!

[gmalan]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Yes, but you have one of those sinky monomaran boats, so your fears are understandable. This is a non-sinky, multihull forum, you know!

I think my point about the psychological effect on crew and passengers of not having any options in a worst case scenario is still valid though, despite belonging to the flat-earth, keelboat society... Personally, if I sailed on my own, I'd view "non-survival" at sea it as a pretty amazing way to make the final exit!

I'm just off to read your site on your cat - looks very interesting.

[Capt Hook]

We got caught out off Sardinia a few weeks ago. A force eight at night with no moon and the biggest mixed up seas we've ever seen anywhere. Some waves were just walls of white water and we had solid water over the doghouse from the bow a couple of times. If we could have launched the raft I doubt if we could have got into it but at least it is a chance. Personally I'm not ready to make an exit yet. Too much to see and do.

[Talbot]

So far (unless I misssed a post), this thread has entirely been about liferaft yes/no.

This has ignored any concept of discussion about type of liferaft and contents.

Liferafts are designed and sold (in UK) in order to meet specific uses, and a coastal liferaft will be less robust and have significantly less equipment than a true ocean raft. Thus they will be significantly lighter.

Personally, I see fire as a significant risk on any long term liveaboard trip. The possibility is very low despite acidents or lightning, but the consequences are terminal, thus a liferaft will be on my list of requirements. It will also be an ocean design with all the equipment necessary including water sachets and a hand held watermaker, I will also have a floating grab bag with additional supplies.

A prudent skipper is a prepared one

Contents of a grab bag are another interesting discussion point

[Tim88]

I wasn't crossing an ocean but doing a coastal cruise down the West Australian coast, I didn't have a life raft so my back up was an inflatable on the fordeck. After a week at sea I realised the inflatable (came with the yacht) was of poor quality and the glue was starting to fail (happens in the tropics). At the end of my voyage I sold the inflatable for 10 cents! So I needed a back up. The whole way down the coast I was looking for a replacement but for many reasons this didn't eventuate.

So what was my backup - my Bean Bag. I believe they are a sailors best friend, you can put it anywhere and no matter what angle you are sailing on it adjusts to make the perfect sleeping platform. Plus it floats. I am not to sure if I would like to drift for a few days on it, but it would look good on the rescue footage!