Want To Buy: Seeking an offshore life raft to buy or rentsssss

[gamayun]

Would anyone have an offshore, 4-6 person, life raft that I may buy or perhaps rent for a couple of months from mid June to mid August? It would have to be certified through at least September 2018. I would also be willing to pick it up within a 500-mile radius of San Francisco. I had inquired about rentals from a business here, but the amount it would cost for that time frame would be better spent on something new. I thought I'd first ask if there are any used ones available. Thanks!

[Lars_L]

You can buy a new 4 persons Offshore Life Raft in bag from svb24.com for €700. Price includes 19% German tax but ex. shipping. Weight 26 kg.
And i quote
”are designed according to ISO 9650 standards. Please note that these liferafts are not ISO certified”

I can imagin if the producer hade asket ISO they would say someting like:
“If you guarantee the the Life Raft are designed according to the ISO 9650 standards (but we or somenone else will not check that) and pay 10% of the sales price to us, you ar allowed to print that the Life Raft are ISO certified.”

[JPA Cate]

gamayun,

Maybe you can borrow one from a friend for the period from the qualifier through the race and return?

Good luck with it.

Ann

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Lars_L

You can buy a new 4 persons Offshore Life Raft in bag from svb24.com for €700. Price includes 19% German tax but ex. shipping. Weight 26 kg.
And i quote
”are designed according to ISO 9650 standards. Please note that these liferafts are not ISO certified”

I can imagin if the producer hade asket ISO they would say someting like:
“If you guarantee the the Life Raft are designed according to the ISO 9650 standards (but we or somenone else will not check that) and pay 10% of the sales price to us, you ar allowed to print that the Life Raft are ISO certified.”

Thanks for that link!! I'm checking into these rafts now. Great prices and they look like they'd be good for offshore purposes despite the lack of the ISO stamp.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

gamayun,

Maybe you can borrow one from a friend for the period from the qualifier through the race and return?

Good luck with it.

Ann

I'm planning to get the word out soon to ask, but I think most of my friends are either doing the race, too, or had sold their life rafts a while back. The Pacific Boat show is this week so I'll also be looking for good deals there. After 5 years of refitting and upgrading, it's my last big ticket item for the boat...I hope!

[Franziska]

Gamayun, if you look up at SVB and others be aware that many times the only real difference between "coastal" and "offshore" models is the added equipment in the container.
Very often this stuff can be bought in much better quality separately and packed into a separate ditch bag.
That might be an option unless you need a specific stamp on the raft.
Regarding ISO or not be careful to read the fine print. Some claim their materials are along the lines of ISO, which does not mean it is actually in line with ISO materials.

[Franziska]

This old thread might help too.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=163274

[powsmias]

portlandpudgy.com

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by powsmias

portlandpudgy.com

Hmm, didn't know. I have a ton of questions before I'm convinced this would work for my purposes, but I appreciate the link. It's great to know what's out there.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Franziska

This old thread might help too.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=163274

Thanks for the link to this thread and your comments about meeting the standards. All good stuff!

[Franziska]

Glad to help.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Lars_L

You can buy a new 4 persons Offshore Life Raft in bag from svb24.com for €700. Price includes 19% German tax but ex. shipping. Weight 26 kg.
And i quote
”are designed according to ISO 9650 standards. Please note that these liferafts are not ISO certified”

I can imagin if the producer hade asket ISO they would say someting like:
“If you guarantee the the Life Raft are designed according to the ISO 9650 standards (but we or somenone else will not check that) and pay 10% of the sales price to us, you ar allowed to print that the Life Raft are ISO certified.”

I went back and re-read the life raft requirements for the race I'm doing. I'll need SOLAS, ISAF, ISO 9650-1 or ORC approved...

[Drew13440]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Would anyone have an offshore, 4-6 person, life raft that I may buy or perhaps rent for a couple of months from mid June to mid August? It would have to be certified through at least September 2018. I would also be willing to pick it up within a 500-mile radius of San Francisco. I had inquired about rentals from a business here, but the amount it would cost for that time frame would be better spent on something new. I thought I'd first ask if there are any used ones available. Thanks!

There's a poster over at Sailnet trying to unload a 4-man Viking, FYI.

PS 34 Stuff - SailNet Community

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Would anyone have an offshore, 4-6 person, life raft that I may buy or perhaps rent for a couple of months from mid June to mid August? It would have to be certified through at least September 2018. I would also be willing to pick it up within a 500-mile radius of San Francisco. I had inquired about rentals from a business here, but the amount it would cost for that time frame would be better spent on something new. I thought I'd first ask if there are any used ones available. Thanks!

The following is an opinion. It is based on my thoughts on what I would do if I were competing in an offshore race that requires a SOLAS raft. This is focused on having the required gear for the short term race, and my opinion and suggestions would be different if you wanted to keep the raft for longer period or indefinitely or while cruising around the world.

I can imagine that with the major offshore races scheduled from California, it can be difficult to find the right raft to rent or borrow.

Here are a few friendly suggestions:

1. Shop around.

The price for the SAME item can be very different depending upon the retailer.

For example, the life raft I would want (I like it based on what I have read and see in the design) is this model from Viking:

Viking Rescyou Pro 6 person (Cannister).

Here is today's price from these two major retailers in the USA:

Westmarine = $4,499.99 (WM site says they will match prices)
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/vikin...77?recordNum=2

Landfall Navigation = $3,300
http://www.landfallnavigation.com/vi...-pro-6028.html

_______________

2. Consider purchasing one, then sell it a lower price shortly after your race. It may cost you hundreds of dollars to do so, but the financial loss may be worth it for peace of mind and because you must have a raft for the race.

When weighed against the added safety it may provide, over your proposed 4,500 mile roundtrip from California to Hawaii and back, it could be seen as a "cost of sailing" for that type of race. For example, if you bought the raft for $3,300 and then sold it 3 months later for $2,500 it cost you $800 but if you consider you used it for 4,500 miles on an ocean voyage, the cost per mile to you is relatively low, about $0.18 per mile) as soon as you sell it. Of course that is a matter of opinion and how one feels about risk avoidance.

3. If I were in the market for a used raft, I would look for one that has years left on certification (a relatively new raft). In the scenario above, you would be able to advertise your "used" raft as "almost new" or "two months old" or something like that. That should appeal to people looking for a deal, but wanting to get almost new product.
_______________

4. If you buy a NEW raft, you could use it for the race, then rent it out to others after your race. Do so at a reasonable rate, and you may have it rented often. That could have some liabilities, so check that. Or sell it after the race as an "almost new, bought 3 months ago" raft.
________________

Opinions on rafts and whether to use them will differ, naturally.

I have sailed for a few thousand miles offshore, and felt that having a real purpose-designed and relatively new (certified) "offshore" life raft aboard was a good, wise, prudent idea. To me, it gave me a sense the owner/captain had prepared, and respected the ocean and that unexpected things can happen to any boat.

I would get the canister model, and buy a rail mount or have it mounted near the cockpit, not under the mast on deck.

[donradcliffe]

Did you check craigslist?? There's a $1000 4 man in Vallejo that might work.