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Want to get a life raft.

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Seasmaster, Feb 26, 2020.

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  1. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    It is time to replace the Plastimo liferaft (Needs recertification- $1300.00ish 3 years ago in FLL, and the guy at 84 Inflatables said it was an inferior product) on my 50 foot Elling E4. Based on my deep-sea commercial experience, Revere or Viking products were in the cradles Of course they were all SOLAS rated.

    I’m looking for a 6 man coastal raft, The furthest offshore would be the Bahamas, the rest of the time, coastal.

    Any preference with the Revere or Viking product? Or do you recommend another manufacturer with equivalent or higher quality?

    And would you go with valise, and store in the lazaret, or the hard case with hydrostatic quick release?

    And I appreciate the counseling on this! LOL
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
  2. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Viking is top notch but also pricey. Revere is very good and at a fair price point. So depends on what your looking for, but I put revere's on a lot of boats your size, never Vikings. Also revere makes a cradle for it to mount it on the boat, unless you're going valise style.
  3. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    Hardcase, cradle mount, hydrostatic release in an area that is not obstructed.
    Buy the most you can afford, you do not want any regrets if you have to actually cash in your “insurance “ policy.
  4. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    I am in the same boat: Need to get me a raft, no dink or tender, hate swimming in the dark halfway to Bimini. :(
    The guy at 84 Inflatables quoted me $1,200 for Revere 6 coastal open a while ago. (Pretty much Internet prices)
    A bud gave me a free, but out of date raft from a G5 airplane: The shop wanted $3.5k to Service it, no cigar, gave it back.
    Been lazy, ran 2.5 years without raft or tender, not good,
  5. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    How can a 6 man raft cost $1200 when it costs us more to service our zodiacs 6 persons raft every year!
  6. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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  7. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    When the you know what hits the fan, coastal conditions can become just like offshore conditions. I would never spend money on a coastal life raft, would always get one offshore rated even if I am just 5 miles offshore.

    Something with a more robust ballast system so the assisting helicopter wash doesn't blow the occupants across the sea during crunch time.

    You would be better off getting a Survival Suit than a floating disc IMO:

    [​IMG]
  8. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    There is NO WAY IN HELL. . .

    But, one of them with the gumby suit??? Now were ok for coastal!!! LOL
    Seriously though . . .
    NO WAY IN HELL
  9. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    I have to give credit to the 84inflatable person today. We were talking about the Viking RescYou Coastal, and she pretty much said what PacBlue said. . . Now the coastal has the canopy, but for me, it just didn't have enough "umph". I ended up going with the RescYou Ocean. For my intended use for the occasional Bahama trip, the "Pro" was too much.

    Thanks again for all the good input. YF has some pretty solid contributors with solid experience!
    WELL DONE - BRAVO ZULU
  10. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Guess you answered your own question. :D
  11. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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  12. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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  13. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Landfall wants $2,700 for the 6, same price at Inflatable 84?
    How much is each re-pack?

    Need to get me one too..
  14. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    Yeah. . . Ain't gonna float in that "ocean-rated wading pool" that Pac-Blue so kindly provided an image of . I'm too white to be in the LANT sun - and nobody sells SPF 5000 sunblock. Hell, I get a sunburn just standing next to the microwave!!
    But the Revere canopy rafts were competitive with Viking. . .
  15. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    I-84 wanted 28xx. I went to: https://www.viking-yachting.com/us/choosing-your-liferaft, and from the drop-down menu "shop", did the "enquiry", went to the "enquiry" shopping cart, filled out the information. They came back with $200 less then Landfall, and it's here in MIA. So shipping is less, the cradle was $200 less than either 84 or Fall.

    I didn't ask about the cost of a repack. . The last one for me was 1300ish in 2016. Y'know, repack is just another BOHICA!!

    Check it out.
  16. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yeah, did the enquiry, waiting for a response.
    Been lazy, should have gotten one sooner, even ran to Bimini and back without raft or dinghy, but weather was great and friends on a sailing cat crossed at the same time, in VHF contact for the entire crossing.
    If we buy the same raft at the same time, maybe a discount?
  17. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Bought the same raft as you Seamaster: Picking up in Miami Monday or Tuesday.
    Re-pack is between $900-$1000 every 3 years.
    All good.
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2020
  18. Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    I'm a big proponent of poopie suits. You can buy expired, but very usable, Mustang Commanders on eBay for $200-$300.
  19. d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

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    An important feature of offshore versions is the insulated floor. Hypothermia is also a survivability factor in liferaft scenarios. The Vikings that Seasmaster and Norseman bought fit the bill.
  20. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    All true but looks like Mr. Seamaster and Mr. Norseman bought the in-between version for an occasional Bimini trip, insulated floors hopefully not a factor, perhaps on the Pro Version but only in Alaskan waters.
    In my younger days I sailed the higher latitudes and would need a survival suit, an insulated floor, a covered lifeboat and a counselor if anything went wrong, but I had more balls than brains so everything went okay.
    Nowadays I am 63 years old and living on borrowed time, good reminder to get a life raft, thx. :cool: