Hippocampus
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2020
- Messages
- 4,182
- Location
- Plymouth
- Vessel Name
- Hippocampus
- Vessel Make
- Nordic Tug 42
Have always had both a boats epirb and a ocean rated high quality ocean rated life raft on every prior boat.
Was taught the smallest, weakest person should be able to deploy the raft by themself and the raft should be large enough to save all souls aboard. So came to prefer Winslow rafts as they are the lightest and very well made. Supplemented with a fully stocked ditchbag so always felt good to go. Usually the Winslow was in a valise so it could be stored below to prevent theft ( a big thing in the Caribbean) and be out of weather (rafts have a tough life in canisters).
Now will be coastal (within 50nm of shore).
Questions are:
Is a ocean rated life raft truly worth the boat bucks in a coastal setting?
Valise or canister? Manual or hydrostatic release?
Is a ships EPIRBS truly necessary?
Some of the worst weather I’ve seen has been coastal and fire, thru hull, stuffing box failure can occur anywhere. Been in very remote places coastally with no local SAR that has fast arrival times. What decisions have you made?
Was taught the smallest, weakest person should be able to deploy the raft by themself and the raft should be large enough to save all souls aboard. So came to prefer Winslow rafts as they are the lightest and very well made. Supplemented with a fully stocked ditchbag so always felt good to go. Usually the Winslow was in a valise so it could be stored below to prevent theft ( a big thing in the Caribbean) and be out of weather (rafts have a tough life in canisters).
Now will be coastal (within 50nm of shore).
Questions are:
Is a ocean rated life raft truly worth the boat bucks in a coastal setting?
Valise or canister? Manual or hydrostatic release?
Is a ships EPIRBS truly necessary?
Some of the worst weather I’ve seen has been coastal and fire, thru hull, stuffing box failure can occur anywhere. Been in very remote places coastally with no local SAR that has fast arrival times. What decisions have you made?
Last edited: