Boating is probably no more dangerous than commuting around our nation's cities, so most of us hate to even think about spending dough on a liferaft. Even though communications have never been better, and there is a web of shipping that can lend a hand, equipment can fail, and search-and-rescue services are stretched. In the best of circumstances, it is usually hours before anyone can reach you, and each hour can seem like a lifetime.
The liferaft, in its most basic sense, should be a platform on which you can stay out of the water long enough to reach safety. It keeps you from drowning or dying from hypothermia, and allows you to tend to wounds. Longer-term, it provides access to water and food. There's a wide array of rafts to choose from, and while, generally speaking, more money gets you more (or better) boat and gear, you still need to determine what suits your needs and the conditions you may face.
This valise-style life raft is meant to be easy to transport onto your boat and retrieve from a cabin.STORAGE CONSIDERATIONS
No raft will do you any good if you can't get it in the water and inflated. Storage should favor protection from the elements, security in the worst conditions and least-required movement for deployment. There are risks to any installation. Even through-bolted cradles have been ripped from the decks of boats. I recommend built-in, quick-deploy lockers away from engine compartments and other areas at high risk of fire, but close to the stern.
Even for fit people, any raft can prove a beast to handle on a moving deck, even a dock. Generally, the larger the raft size, tube diameters, and ballast, and the stronger the construction and the better the detailing, the heavier the package. Canisters are heavier than soft valises, but better protect the rafts from the elements if you opt for on-deck storage. Valises must be protected in lockers large enough to allow immediate removal. At boat shows, pick up and carry different canisters and valises, and evaluate how well balanced they are and whether they have good hand grabs, clear labeling and strong tethers. Some companies vacuum-pack their rafts, reducing their size and eliminating seawater penetration.
CONSTRUCTION AND FEATURES
Also carefully compare manufacturers' arguments about the materials they use and methods of construction, topics of eternal debate. Rubber-fabric rafts, such as the one I used in the stone age of 1982, are a bit heavy and can smell unpleasant, but are truly tough and proven. I've never seen delamination between attached parts, and rubber seems forgiving of jabs and scrapes. More modern fabrics similar to those used for inflatable dinghies, such as Hypalon or PVC, also have proven tough and reliable, though generally more vulnerable to UV rays. Even lighter fabrics like those used by Winslow have been around the block without notable problems and reduce weight significantly. I'm less sold on thin, reinforced-nylon construction; although it can keep a raft light, I've found during trials that it's more susceptible to damage.
Generally, survivors prefer added weight to get the strongest gauge of any particular material and details like webbing and zippers. Rafts most commonly fail when components separate or the raft deflates due to holes or leaky valves. Joints should be double-taped or welded (PVC) wherever possible, and you should not see holes in seams between tubes or between tubes and the canopy. Vital attachment points, from ballast bags to hand lines, should be able to take much higher loads than any person can exert.
Valves vary, but must be able to release gas during initial inflation. A few are fitted with covers that allow survivors to close off leaks, but most don't permit re-inflation by mouth. This makes the raft pump the most vital piece of equipment – but a surprising number are of poor quality. Foot pumps often are the toughest and most reliable, though in a raft, survivors will have to operate the pump by hand. In any case, carry a good spare pump with proper valve fitting in your ditch kit.
Never overload a life raft; this one is certified for a maximum of four people.If a tube fails or gets holed, a particular risk when abandoning ship, you'd better hope you have a two-tube raft, giving you the chance to repair the damage by patching it. You might use glue-on patches in ideal conditions above water. Well-lashed conical plugs allow you to stop up other holes. Usually, though, patching an inflated tube is problematic. That's why I recommend buying raft-patching clamps and storing them in your raft or ditch bag. They look like pairs of oblong cymbals with rubberized rims and wing-nutted bolts running through the centers. These clamps are quick and easy to use, come in several sizes and are handy even to temporarily repair your inflatable dinghy when a rock pokes a hole in it.
One exception to single-tube vulnerability is the inventive Switlik "coastal" raft, in which sock-like dividers split the tube. If it's holed, high pressure from the opposite end pushes the socks toward the hole, re-filling the deflated half. Survivors then can pump the tube back to normal pressure. This feature gave Bill and Simone Butler, the subjects of the book 66 Days Adrift, some peace of mind while they floated on the Pacific Ocean, buffeted almost constantly by sharks.
CANOPY AND FLOOR
The canopy's quality is also important, helping keep all crew and gear secure in the raft and reducing exposure. Strong material and attachment to the tube is essential, though some rafts allow survivors to open the canopy in calm conditions. The critical canopy opening should be large to ease entry, but as waterproof as possible.
Do not rely on Velcro alone to keep entries closed in high winds and waves. Double-layered zippered closures are best, but single zippers with flaps also are quite good. Ideally zippers should have double heads so the crew can vary the size and position of the opening. Some canopies also offer windows, which help survivors visually orient themselves and keep watch without having to open the canopy. Large, highly arced support tubes can aid in re-righting and increase interior space, but also add to windage and weight.
