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Old 03-02-2014, 10:53   #1
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So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

Okay, I've hauled a 1997 Viking 6-man raft from the Atlantic to the Pacific and back. It was never opened or inspected since I got it, but it was kept in a very nice comfortable spot under my companionway ladder in its valise.

I knew the food and water might not be edible, but OTOH, I knew it would never be packed better than in the UK by the factory team. Be that as it may, I called around and got quotes on a recert and repack, and it came out to about a grand, give or take, plus shipping a few 100 miles both ways from Jax to Savannah to the authorized Viking repackers.

Instead of this, I decided to buy a new 4 man offshore raft. So the old Viking was sitting in my garage for a few months. A couple days ago, I decided to pull the lanyard on the lawn, and see what would happen.

Well, the old Viking performed perfectly, and inflated in just seconds, right-side-up. It held its air for a few days without losing any PSI. If I knew it was this great, I probably wouldn't have bought a new 2014 raft. But in any case, my 97 Viking was popped, and now the CO2 can't be refilled with a new trigger head unless it's by a certified packer, so I'm back to "What to do with it?" One thing for sure, I won't be able to get it back into its valise!

Ideas:
1. Donate it to the USCG auxiliary or the Sea Scouts if they want it for a trainer.
2. Cut it down to just the black tubes and use it on a lake for a party barge, right side up or upside down.
3. Cut it down as above, but repack it myself as best I can (vacuuming out the air etc) and keep it as a backup, planning to use a pump or my own CO2 bottle.
4. Donate it to a day care for a free playhouse.
5. Any other ideas?


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Old 03-02-2014, 11:18   #2
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

No idea - but cheers for the info!
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Old 03-02-2014, 11:22   #3
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

Yeah, now I have a lot more faith in old life rafts. Unfortunately, I did not come by this information for certain without popping it open. But at least I won't be out on the ocean wondering if a 97 raft would work. It would!
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Old 03-02-2014, 12:03   #4
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

I'd say take it to the water, tie it off to your boat, climb in, and see how long you can stand being in there. It will also tell you what gear that doesn't come in a life raft that you might want should you need one.

I used to do the same thing hiking. I made up a 48 hour survival kit that I would take everywhere. I started to wonder if I had everything I needed so I went out with just my survival kit and nothing else. It becomes apparent very quickly what you are missing and also what you don't need.

Might be worth a try
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Old 04-02-2014, 05:22   #5
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

I still don't know what to do with my 1997 Viking 6 man. To recert it and reload the CO2 will cost over a thousand buck. Worth it? Or put it on Ebay "as is?"
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Old 04-02-2014, 05:32   #6
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

Put it in the water in Mexico and see if you can survive more than a year in it. If so, respond to the thread "Man washes up on Marshall Islands" and settle that argument, once and for all.
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Old 04-02-2014, 07:00   #7
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

Quote:
Originally Posted by ontherocks83 View Post
I'd say take it to the water, tie it off to your boat, climb in, and see how long you can stand being in there. It will also tell you what gear that doesn't come in a life raft that you might want should you need one.

I used to do the same thing hiking. I made up a 48 hour survival kit that I would take everywhere. I started to wonder if I had everything I needed so I went out with just my survival kit and nothing else. It becomes apparent very quickly what you are missing and also what you don't need.

Might be worth a try
This is a good idea...if the water's warm. Go out on a fully crewed boat under motor with the life raft lashed down forward. Fully inflate and chuck it off and see if you and a friend can board it and get comfortable in any kind of a seaway. It's good practice, and you might learn something.
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Old 04-02-2014, 09:14   #8
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

Once a liferaft has been inflated by it's CO2 cylinder, it has no resale value. The CO2 flash freezes the material around the inlet port , causing it to delaminate between the layers of cloth and rubber. I saw a lot of this when repacking liferafts for a living back in the 80's.
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Old 04-02-2014, 09:20   #9
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

Quote:
Originally Posted by xsboats View Post
Once a liferaft has been inflated by it's CO2 cylinder, it has no resale value. The CO2 flash freezes the material around the inlet port , causing it to delaminate between the layers of cloth and rubber. I saw a lot of this when repacking liferafts for a living back in the 80's.
I thought inflating the raft was part of the repack?
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Old 04-02-2014, 09:28   #10
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

My grandkids would go nuts in that thing, so I like the idea of donating it to a daycare.
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Old 04-02-2014, 09:55   #11
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

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I thought inflating the raft was part of the repack?
Yes, but with air. Pressure is then monitored at regular time intervals to detect any loss of pressure.
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Old 04-02-2014, 16:42   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xsboats View Post
Once a liferaft has been inflated by it's CO2 cylinder, it has no resale value. The CO2 flash freezes the material around the inlet port , causing it to delaminate between the layers of cloth and rubber. I saw a lot of this when repacking liferafts for a living back in the 80's.
Thought a CO2/Nitrogen mix was used to try and avoid this problem?
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Old 04-02-2014, 21:09   #13
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

Quote:
Originally Posted by xsboats View Post
Once a liferaft has been inflated by it's CO2 cylinder, it has no resale value. The CO2 flash freezes the material around the inlet port , causing it to delaminate between the layers of cloth and rubber. I saw a lot of this when repacking liferafts for a living back in the 80's.
Good info and I don't doubt you. The folks at the Viking-authorized repack and cert place I called didn't mention that, they thought it was very straight forward. The black rubber "hull tubes" seem very very stout, and no pressure was lost after several days.

I still don't know what to do with it. It's much much bulkier than before (duh) so it won't fit on my boat, that's for sure.
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Old 05-02-2014, 10:46   #14
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

I'd offer it to someone on this site who felt it was worth it to have it repacked.
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Old 05-02-2014, 11:31   #15
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Re: So I popped my 1997 Viking liferaft...

I did the same thing with a 15 year old raft that I inherited with the boat. Decided to pop it in my backyard pool and it worked like a champ. Held air for a few days with no loss. There was however noticeable aging so out came the knife and into the trash bin it went.
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