Life Rafts for the 28TE

[Anthony1013]

So my goal for this offseason is to upgrade some of my safety gear on MadMoney since I spend a lot of time traveling offshore. I have the ditch bag with flares, EPIRB, handheld VHF etc. along with 3 gumby suits so now I want to add a liferaft. I am leaning towards the Revere 6 man raft but I am not sure if I want to mount the canister style on the pilothouse or throw the valise style down below.
So I want to hear from you guys (even if your boat is not the 28TE) who have life rafts....

Which kind do you have?
How is it installed?
Are you happy with the set-up?
If you could do it again, would you do it the same way?

Let's see some pictures!

Thanks,

Anthony

[JackK]

For a couple of reasons I selected this Winslow Rescue Raft in a valise ....



First, I do not plan on being offshore during any type of severe weather. The rafts with canopies and survival gear are more than I need to carry around and they are expensive to buy and expensive to service. I select my tuna fishing days very carefully to avoid bad weather. Sometimes it means we stay inshore but I'd rather not risk problems offshore. Second, weight and storage. The Rescue raft is light and relatively easy to stow. I keep mine on the shelf on the port side of the dinette just forward of the custom lockers. In sight and ready to go. I modified the standard raft to include an insulated floor for cold water situations. The ditch bag is always hanging from the nav chair.

I bought the raft after hearing the frantic (ie screaming) may day call from a 50' Hateras that ran over Sows & Pigs Reef off Cuttyhunk, MA. The boat ran over the reef at 20+ knots and tore a gash 12 feet long in the bottom. The prop shafts were ripped through the transom along with the transmission knuckles. We arrived on scene just as the boat went under. Four people sitting in a life raft were very lucky to be otherwise uninjured. I was told the captain didn't have his chart plotter on. It took less than 20 minutes for a 50 foot boat to go to the bottom.

Jack

[chiefrcd]

Well, I don't have a life raft...but after seeing the seas you go out in...If I were you, I'd get one too .......Howdy bro...nice to see you here.

[Anthony1013]

I appreciate the post Jack and like you, we are very selective on the days we venture that far offshore.

Hey Chief! I'm still around and now that I am not on the boat fishing all the time, you'll see me around more.

[TD]

We did an evaluation of life rafts last year and bought a 6 man viking at the boat show. It was our hands down choice for saftety and price. We went with the valise. one reason was we might want to use it on more than one boat and maintenance cost was less. I could not get this posted on my excell spread sheet. Send me a private email and I will try to send it if you are interested.

[Russell]

My boat came with a canister type life raft which the previous owner mounted on the engine box. I guess that is a safe place but it was a real nuisance because it took space for sitting or fishing gear and it had to be removed to open the box. I moved it on top of the pilot house where most people keep them but wonder what it would be like to go up there in rough seas to throw it overboard. If I were purchasing one I would get a valise because it is out of the weather and you usually have time to get to it, along with the survival pack, before the boat sinks.

[Pitou]

My choice :

OceanMaster.jpg

Do your research and don't be rushed! Remember, everyone has their own opinion and range of affordibility and level of raft needed for what you do. Different rafts for different needs. This board is a good place to start. Go to the boat shows, if possible visit a service center where you might be able to see a few rafts inflated during repacks this will give you a real good idea of what you are getting. From an earlier post I do recall TD having a great deal of information on many rafts. All documented vessels are required to carry a liferaft when 14 or more miles from shore.

At times I fish offshore generally anywhere from 13 to 30 miles Chasing bluefin tuna and jigging for cod and haddock and have seen the seas change quickly. Safety gear is number 1 on board with a Global fix Epirb, handheld, flares and everything else you can think of loaded into that ditch bag. 3 gumby suits are stowed below in the qtr. berth.

I opted for the RFD REVERE OCEANMASTER SOLAS A pack mounted in a canister on the hardtop / thus the need to raise the radome by having an antenna mast fabricatded / (that raft sure did get expensive). I did recently down graded to a SOLAS B pack on the last repack this past spring as the A pack was over the top for my needs. The annual repacks and replacement hydros do cost some $$$$$, no doubt about it. I looked at the six man raft and decided to go with the 4 as I never have more than 3 on board when offshore / more than adequate in my opinion. The boat is not top heavy in anyway with this raft up top / non issue.



Radome blocked :

P1010053 (Medium).JPG

Mast Added :

P8050014 (Medium).JPG

A 31 someday : (notice the canister is spun / less drag????)