Lifeboat Navigation

[TeddyDiver]

Personally I don't wan't a liferaft nor to step on one ever. Hard unsinkable dinghy with oars, a leeboard and sail yes. IMHO that is the more of a difference than OP's cheapo vs high quality sextant.

[Jammer Six]

Well, at least there's a couple people here who are in the same conversation I'm in...

So for those people, do you take the best you have or the cheapest?

[TeddyDiver]

Supposing you include me as one I'm towards having so few items as possible but the best. What items depends whereabouts. Southern ocean I don't see any use for Ebirb, you on your own and better with sextant.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Personally I don't wan't a liferaft nor to step on one ever. Hard unsinkable dinghy with oars, a leeboard and sail yes. IMHO that is the more of a difference than OP's cheapo vs high quality sextant.

Just hope, trust & pray the hard dinghy on davits or lashed to foredeck doesn't get swept away or crushed in a roll over and you can still launch it from a destroyed boat.

Just thinking worst case here...

[colemj]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Southern ocean I don't see any use for Ebirb, you on your own and better with sextant.

I don't understand why you think that - there have been many rescues in the Southern Ocean. Relatively quick ones due to EPIRB use.

Have you ever tried to launch and use your hard dinghy in any type of even modestly non-calm sea state? If not, it would be a very good idea to do so before trusting that option as your only one.

Mark

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by colemj

I don't understand why you think that - there have been many rescues in the Southern Ocean. Relatively quick ones due to EPIRB use.

Have you ever tried to launch and use your hard dinghy in any type of even modestly non-calm sea state? If not, it would be a very good idea to do so before trusting that option as your only one.

Mark

Number of reasons. Remote areas, not just Southern Ocean, if I have to abandon boat so fast I have no time to have radioed emergency help or activate boat Ebirb I don't wan't others to risk their lifes in nearly hopeless search of small dinghy (or raft). For sure I will not just sit on my wet but in a raft hoping someone might be looking and maybe finding me, and if that happens jumping in the ocean and banging myself dead against the hull of a ship trying to get aboard.
Dinghy will be in a dinghy bay under cockpit. Wouldn't like to launch a raft either in bad weather.

[colemj]

An EPIRB should be affixed to the raft/boat so that it can be activated while in it - just like all other emergency liferaft/lifeboat equipment and supplies.

It is a very rare hard dinghy indeed that can be used as even a life support vessel in open ocean - let alone a navigable vessel. Have you ever been in yours in even a moderate open sea?

Maybe Dave will tell us how many remote areas still exist outside GMDSS coverage where it would be better to actively leave an abandoned ship area vs. staying as close as possible.

Mark

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by colemj

It is a very rare hard dinghy indeed that can be used as even a life support vessel in open ocean - let alone a navigable vessel. Have you ever been in yours in even a moderate open sea?
Mark

Worst weather I've been in a dinghy sized boat was in first autumn storm some 8 years ago on the coast of Finnmark in Norway. Wind was some 50 to 60 knots and bet any raft would have been airborne. Scary as hell.. NATO radar in Vardo lost it's cover in the Barents sea that night.
True thou dunno any mas production dinghy could do as a lifeboat but I build my own boats.