Liferafts

[SailNet]

A life raft is the one piece of safety gear every sailor hopes is never needed. A life raft, if properly selected, will provide a minimal level of protection from the environment while waiting for rescue. Knowledge of the inflating process and boarding procedures are critical to a crew's survival.

TYPES
The features of each type of life raft will vary with the manufacturer.

• Rescue platforms, also called PODS, offer basic protection from the elements and are intended for inshore or near shore use only. The canopy is manually inflated. No survival gear is included, only a basic emergency kit.
  
  
  
   
  Rescue Platform
  
  
  
  
• Coastal rafts lack the features and equipment for long-term survival and should be used only when within reach of a quick rescue. The canopy is inflated manually and this could be difficult to do in rough seas. The survival kit usually consists mainly of a bailer and signal flares. The ballast system to prevent capsize is minimal at best. An option to consider is either an insulated floor, or single inflatable floor.

Coastal Life Raft

• Offshore rafts include equipment and features for a survival period of less than a week. This type has a survival kit, inflatable floor or optional double floor, and supported canopy that inflates automatically. Offshore rafts have greater stability to handle rougher seas. There is more freeboard and the survival kit normally includes food and water in addition to other survival and safety items.

Offshore Life Raft

• Ocean going rafts are outfitted with the equipment and features for a long-term survival period, often as much as 30 days. These are normally found on commercial vessels, but are recommended for sailors making long-distance ocean crossings.

Ocean going Life Raft

MATERIALS
The difference in construction materials is usually the tiebreaker between rafts with similar features.

• Rubber is a thermoset plastic that cures when heated. These life rafts use either a polyester fabric, with a hypalon coating, or a nylon fabric with a neoprene coating, on both sides. Hypalon life rafts stand up to "dry" abrasion (being dragged across a deck) heat, chemicals, oil, and UV, and have low-moisture absorption. Neoprene is considered one of the most durable coatings, as it is resistant to oil, gasoline, UV, ozone, and oxidation.
  
• PVC, a thermoplastic that melts when heated, life rafts utilize a fabric base but with PVC or urethane-coated surfaces on both sides. PVC has superior UV resistance and air holding characteristics. It's more resistant to "wet" abrasion than Hypalon. The seams are heat welded by machine.

FEATURES

• Approvals can be by any one or combination of the following: SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), USSA (United Stated Sailing Association), ORC (Ocean Racing Conference), RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Conference, and USCG (United States Coast Guard). SOLAS approval is preferred for offshore cruising. RORC or ORC for offshore racing, and USCG approval is for commercial vessel use.
  
• Water ballast will assist in reducing the risk of a raft capsizing. Ballast pockets fill with water when the raft is deployed and, depending on the size of the fill holes, will rapidly stabilize the raft, preventing it from blowing away before passengers can board.
  
• Sea anchors on a long line create drag and turn the raft's entryway away from waves. Used in combination with water ballast, sea anchors reduce the chances of capsize.
  
• Buoyancy tubes are automatically inflating tubes. Coastal rafts usually have two chambers within one tube to prevent total deflation if the tube is accidentally punctured or torn.
  
• Double tube rafts increase freeboard, which reduces the risk of being inundated with water. If one of the tubes is punctured or torn, the other tube will continue to support over half of the rated capacity.
  
• Painters activate the inflation cartridge and when secured to the vessel will prevent the raft from floating away after deployment.
  
• Canopies protect the occupants from overexposure to UV, wind, and water. Canopies with large openings that furl can offer the crew an expanded view of the horizon, and provide ventilation and light. Arch-supported canopies provide more interior room and prevent the raft from inflating upside down. Although rafts with manually inflated canopy arches are more likely to inflate upside down, it's this very feature that will allow easier boarding from the distressed vessel.
  
• Floors are either single or double layer, or inflatable. Double layers provide additional insulation reducing the risk of hypothermia and skin problems due to being continually immersed in salt water. Inflatable floors provide additional thermal protection and an extra cushion from curious sea creatures bumping the raft from underneath.
  
• Survival equipment varies with each manufacturer and type of raft. Bailers and signal flares are the most basic of equipment found on the coastal rafts.
  
• Storage containers are either a valise type for stowage in a locker or a fiberglass container for mounting on the deck. Valises exposed to UV and salt water will rapidly deteriorate.

TIPS

• Buy a life raft built to SOLAS standards if going offshore.
  
• Secure the container in a location that is easily unlatched and launched.
  
• Stow the valise in a location that is readily accessible.
  
• Know what the survival kit in the raft contains.
  
• Buy a waterproof, floatable bag for additional abandon ship equipment to augment the survival kit in the life raft.
  
• Capacity ratings are based on about four square feet per person. This is OK for small children, but not adults. If there are two people, buy a four-person raft. If there are four people buy the six or eight-man raft.
  
• Blue canopy interiors cut glare. The orange interiors exacerbate glare.

INSTALLATION
The fiberglass container will need to be deck mounted.

Toolbox:

• Drill and bits
  
• Bolts, washers, and nuts
  
• Sealant
  
• Cradle, pad eyes, or U-bolts

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