Ideally, the raft should be in a position where it can self-launch should the boat sink rapidly, as it might if swamped by a following sea. Some testers slid off the slick platform a time or two attempting to board it, even with the generous hand grips provided. The larger raft will also be more sea-kindly, and though its more expensive, its not that much more expensive. The SEP does not contain as much equipment as many others so you will need a well-equipped abandon-ship bag. total) and a poor-performing drogue provide inadequate stability. Entry aids consist of a very awkward to use double-rung, center-supported web ladder, the lower rung being too low, the upper too high. Two couples, participating for the purpose of selecting a raft, bought Winslow. This was extremely difficult, taking 30 minutes. Buy a raft (or two or three) with enough capacity to give everyone likely to be aboard adequate space, particularly if you cruise in remote areas where quick rescue is less likely. | Country Search The painter leads to a second entry without good boarding aids (for hauling it close to the boat). Privacy Policy Winslows righting aids, including the locator light, are very good, and the righting ladder fitted to the Ocean Rescue (a $75 option on others ) is the best solution seen. In that case, as well as for open-ocean crossings where conditions might get dicey rather quickly, its best to have the raft lashed down on deck so that its immediately ready to go when an emergency strikes. Editors note: Doug Ritter is a Practical Sailor contributing editor and the editor of the Equipped To Survive (www.equipped.org) web site. ConclusionsIt is obvious that lifesaving capability in life rafts does not come cheap. An inflatable floor is standard only on the Ocean Rescue, optional on the rest ($200-$300). One of its biggest drawbacks is weight-the trade-off for its robustness. total) and a moderately effective, manually deployed drogue provide fair capsize resistance. With the boat-shaped form factor and swivel-less drogue, this large amount of ballast is a big plus. The extra space in the Ocean Rescue is more than just a luxury, and Winslows standard self-deploying 406 MHz EPIRB on the two higher cost rafts should expedite rescue. Zodiac Racing Super MP6Zodiac sent their MP6 Racing Super model ($2,595), because they didnt yet have anything but a proposed brochure of their new offshore design that will replace the Open Sea line. Winslows quality, performance, light weight, and attention to detail make their rafts our top choice; they were also the near unanimous selection of our volunteers. each, 460 lbs. It takes up space, but if you need one far at sea, a raft like this would be a great asset. It is divided internally into compartments and is weighted at these junctures. The survival kit is removed and all expired consumables, like batteries, flares and survival food are replaced. The Winslow RaftsWinslows Super-Light offshore line of decagonal rafts offers a multitude of options, including their Basic Cruising and Fishing Offshore ($3,795/$3,036), that we didnt test, and viewport-equipped Offshore Plus ($3,945/$3,145), the well-equipped Extended Offshore ($5,395/$4,595), and Winslows vision of the ultimate offshore raft, the Ocean Rescue ($7,345/$6,445). Ballast bags also reduce rapid wind draft by creating drag. Offshore rafts are intended to extend survival time to four or five days. It includes an EPIRB, a hand-held VHF, fresh water, MREs and essential medicines. Viking UK YachtingThe Viking UK Yachting ($3,100) elicited complaints from every tester about its natural rubber-based fabric. The toroidal ballast (1,432 lbs.) Mailport: X-yachts, Soverel 33, tropical storms, Designing a Dump Line for the Multihull Mainsheet, Test Driving Furunos Cutting Edge Compass, Green Boating From a Practical Perspective, PS Advisor: Belaying Safety for Mast Climbing. The Givens Deluxe Buoy is optimized for extreme conditions, but seems poorly suited for less severe circumstances. - But this is obviously not the place where youll feel secure with a bargain-basement model. The Winslow Ocean Rescue is our top choice for an offshore life raft, albeit at a premium price, followed closely by the Extended Offshore, which provides perhaps the best value in their line, in terms of standard features and capability for your dollar. They also act to stabilize the raft from excessive motion in some sea conditions. The Global has an inflatable boarding platform extending from the bottom tube that made it far and away the easiest raft to board, though a few more handholds would have been appreciated. The rectangular raft has a pair of 9 tubes. Viking Life-Saving Equipment (America) Inc., 1625 N. Miami Ave., Miami, Fl 33136; 305/374-5115, www.viking-life.com. There are three basic life raft designs: coastal, offshore, and ocean-going. Also, some cloth ties provided as a backup to the normal zippered closure were too short to be easily tied. The Offshore Plus, in its standard configuration, represents the best of the single-arch canopy rafts, none of which we really like. If you dont have a team on board capable of lifting that much weight out of the compartment in a hurry, your raft will be useless. While a canopy may seem unnecessary if you only boat in subtropical waters, those who spend time in life rafts often report more problem with sun exposure than with cold, spray and rain. Closure was problematic because the storm flaps kept getting caught in the zipper, and the canopy was stretched so tight it was virtually impossible to zip one entry fully closed, compromising weather protection. However, inflatable floors are optional; ours was fitted with their tied-in INFAB floor ($695; heat-sealed floor $195), as is an extended SEP ($100). Crewsaver Mariner OffshoreCrewsavers Mariner ($3,245/$2,435) is rectangular with a single-arch canopy that always kinked. The Racing Super is available in 4, 6- and 8-person sizes. Switliks quality construction is readily apparent and was noted by many of the volunteers. Life rafts deteriorate over time and their charging systems slowly lose the capability to inflate them. each, 320 lbs. A fair amount of water came through the openings and channeled into the insulated canopy space. (7.26 kg) and measures just 8 x 14 x 16 (20.32 cm x 35.56 cm x 40.64 cm) when stowed, making it easy to store even on small open boats. We were unable to reach the painter, attached to a bridle, without partially collapsing the canopy, and then, as a result, found using the raft knife also difficult. total) and a poor-performing drogue provide only moderate anti-capsize capability. Their SOLAS A-Plus SEP exceeds SOLAS standards in many regards, even including a PUR 06 watermaker. This is the only raft that deployed with the entry closed. Boarding over the 9 tubes was very difficult; one tester was unable to board unassisted. Contacts- Crewsaver (Inflatable Survival Systems, Inc.)PO Box 359, Sharon Center, OH 44274; 330/239-4331, email: dja1117@aol.com. total) and a drogue with swivel for moderate resistance to capsizing. A canopy is a huge plus if you have to spend more than a half-day awaiting rescue, whether sun or cold is the issue. Think about that; each of you would be sitting in a space 2 x 2 (.61 m x .61 m) or thereabouts. The West Marine Offshore is available in 6- and 8- person sizes. The larger the tubes, the deeper the interior and the greater the floatation. (By comparison, the Winslow Super-Light Offshore Plus, also with a capacity of four, weighs 50 lbs. Developed for the U.S. Coast Guard to drop from aircraft to those in peril, but never purchased by them, the SAR Mk II incorporates a number of unique features. Rafts are available in sizes rated from four to 50 persons. All rights reserved. Coastal rafts are designed for nearshore use. The double-arch canopy is similar to the CLR6 with good headroom. The two lower-priced rafts come with a single-arch canopy identical to the coastal rafts. With only difficult-to-manipulate cloth ties plus elastic loops and button on the external cover, the cover did allow water to spray in over the top. If you expect to regularly cruise internationally, this might be a factor to consider or plan to get your rafts serviced when youre in your home port. They can be positioned fully closed, half open or as a sail to help the raft make way when winds are favorable. While they provide a place to sit, they offer no insulation from potentially cold water below. After testing, the raft and survival kit are repacked and then vacuum-sealed in a new bag to remove air and moisture, and to compress the raft to fit inside its valise or canister. Many companies rent life rafts, including some that will ship them to your location nationwide. 33010002000092 Their use would typically include locations up to 50 miles (80.47 km) from shore, in areas where large amounts of shipping traffic are present, with search and rescue coverage rapidly deployable. An optional tied-in inflatable floor is available ($200-$250). (45.36 kg). It did have easy-to-grip retracting handles. | Affiliate, Product Listing Policy Instead of a single zippered entry, both sides are retracted up towards the arch and are secured with ties. All rights reserved. The 6-person model, SAR-6 Transoceanic, lists for $8,599. Switlik SAR Mk IISwitliks top-of-the-line Search and Rescue Mk II ($5,295/$4,395) represents their concept of the definitive life raft (available only in 6-person size). Said one tester, Whatever were they thinking?. The material provides good traction, which helped keep testers in place, but also caused painful sores on exposed skin. The smell was nauseating, even without the raft closed up. This will allow fast access without someone having to go below, where no one should be in a fire or flooding emergency. Life rafts depend on water ballast to prevent them lipping over in wind and waves. Givens Marine Survival Co., 548 Main Rd., Tiverton, RI 02878; 401/624-7900, www.givensliferafts.com. While offering some structural and assembly advantages, it also causes problems, the most serious being that repair of a leak or puncture inside that juncture becomes tricky at best. The raft knifes sheath likely wouldnt be immediately obvious in the dark and was difficult to remove. Switlik Parachute Co., 1325 E. State St., Trenton, NJ 08609; 609/587-3300, www.switlik.com. Alipay If your raft cant be stored atop the bridge, on the transom or on an open deck, put it in an on-deck compartment, with nothing else on top of it. Terms of Use They also include a self-activating EPIRB that begins sending your location when the raft deploys. It also leaked. The choice of rafts depends on where, when and how you use your boat, as well as how many guests youre likely to have aboard. As usual in all things that have to do with boating safety, the prudent thing to do is hope for the best but plan for the worst. With no placards or instructions, testers were at a loss figuring out what it was. Offshore and coastal rafts more often have double floors or insulated flooring that provides more protection against cold water plus added thickness to protect against tears. Copyright 2022 BoatTEST.com. Spare drawstring bags for equipment are nice, but youll definitely need a well-equipped abandon-ship bag to supplement what little is in the raft. The canister is sturdy, but difficult to grip, and is retained on the painter. Our MD-2 came in a robust canister, the best of the group. Headroom with the tall dual-arch canopy was excellent. | Showroom Winslows entry aids, as described in Part 2, are supplemented in the offshore models with a longer four-rung ladder, additional grab handles, and stirrups on the bottom tube, resulting in a raft everyone could board with minimal difficulty over its 11 tubes. The canister is flimsy and like some others, the bottom half is retained on the painter, which could pose a danger to survivors in the water and rub against the raft. The double tubes moderate the low headroom, but space still suffers in comparison to others. total). Rentals are typically around $400 to $500 per month, plus a $150 deposit. There is a lot to like in Switliks Search and Rescue Mk II, the only other raft to receive votes for best offshore raft from the volunteers. (22.68 kg) and measures 10.5" X 16" X 21" (26.67 cm x 40.64 cm x 53.34 cm) due to the included canopy, double tubes and rescue pack.). Theyre for inshore use, typically up to 15 miles (24.14 km) from shore, within VHF radio or cell phone range, and in close proximity to Coast Guard or other rescue agencies. | Then the hose wouldnt fit the pump. The most notable addition is an effective rigid boarding platform entry aid (as on the CLR6 coastal). Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website. | The boarding aids are a bit less effective; theres no tube at the bottom of the ladder, meaning that getting in was even more difficult than the West Marine Coastal. The remaining offshore rafts in this review had significant flaws and shortcomings and not enough counterbalancing positive attributes. Most have large rubber- or composite-coated fabric scoops on the bottom that deploy when the raft hits the water. ft. (.37 sq. At 121 lbs. The dual-color canopy is tied up to the arch and drops down where it is zipped around the bottom. The raft comes in 4-, 6-, and 8-person sizes. each, 392 lbs. B2-20120091-4. | We think there should be instructions for in-water survivors following the painter to the raft to board on the other side with better boarding aids. The observation port, equipped with cloth ties, enables it to be secured against water entry and for improved ventilation. They include multiple large buoyancy tubes, insulated flooring, two-layer canopies, lights inside and out, a drogue to prevent the raft from being flipped by wind and waves, a water-collection system incorporated in the canopy and other features that make them suitable for survival up to 30 days. This makes jumping in from a vessel a cinch, as well as recovery via air, but it also adds to the workload upon initial entry. While weather tight, theres not much adjustment-open or closed is about it. The flexibility to tailor a Winslow to your particular needs is a welcome option, as is their upgradeability. Single-thickness floors are standard for inshore rafts. There is a water collection V on the back side of the canopy. The survival manual isnt waterproof. - Most life rafts include a service pack that will be loaded with useful items. The Winslow canister is sturdy and has a good gripping area at both ends, but unfortunately retained the bottom half on the painter. An offshore SEP is a $240-$340 option, depending on size. Why pay $5,000 for a boating extra that youll probably never put to its intended use throughout its functional lifespan? West Marine, PO Box 50070, Watsonville, CA 95077; 800/262-8464, 831/761-4421, www.westmarine.com. Viewports are fitted to all but the Basic raft; opening viewports and their storage pockets are fitted on the two top-spec rafts. Switliks platform makes entry relatively easy over the double 10 tubes. Winslows offshore rafts are available in 4-, 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-person sizes, except the Ocean Rescue which is only available in 4-, 6- and 8-person sizes.