The article fails to mention that pretty much most amateurs would not have the equipment or know how to safely deal with the raft. Bearing in mind that if a cylinder were activated whilst not attached to the raft it can turn in to a missile! Most rafts require heat sealing in to there hermetically sealed bags prior to packing, they will also need to be vacuum packed. Also there is every chance that you will need a hydraulic press for packing the raft. Also on quite a lot of canisters you will need binding straps and ties.

Packing just the survival pack needs to be done carefully as this may determine whether you can repack the whole raft.

To do a proper pressure test you will need to keep the air temperature constant and the raft inflated for 24 hours, I can’t see most sailors doing this in their lounge.

You may also void your warranty if you tamper with the raft and bearing in mind quite a few rafts come with up to 12 year warranty’s its not worth taking the risk.

There are many more reasons for not attempting to service the liferaft yourself but these should be enough to persuade you that it is a completely silly idea!

I strongly agree with you on this one Stephen, there are plenty of things that I would service myself but my liferaft ain't one of them.

The article fails to mention exactly exactly what vacuum pressure is required, more than an average vacuum cleaner of dingy pump could deliver I suspect.

The article also fails to mention the use of calibrated and certified instruments for measuring both vacuum and inflation pressure along with any meaningful form of pressure test proceedure and temperature / pressure relationship curves.

Fred if I ever get an invitation to join you on your boat, I'm bringing my own liferaft

"We repeat that deciding to service your liferaft is your responsibility. You should not do so if you are in any doubt as to your competence. If you are not completely confident, then take your liferaft to a commercial service station. Better safe than sorry."

i was just going to say, did you not read the bit at the bottom?

this seems to be aimed at people who know what they are doing and have confidence in their abilities to maintain and fix things, not for the faint hearted sure, but probably a good project to take on.

Roxanna,
It would have been better not to have even put the idea in peoples minds, it was a very dangerous article. I am a bit suprised that the editorial team did not see this one sneak through!

Stephen,
I can completely understand where you are coming from but would you not consider it more dangerous for people not to be aware that there can be problems with your life raft and not to check it at all? It is definitely better to be cautious and ready than to be miles off shore with a broken raft is it not?

“…don’t forget that approved servicing certification won’t be available if you do. The really self-sufficient and technically able will be capable of doing the job successfully, but we offer no guarantee and the choice and responsibility must be yours.”

I would feel safer in a raft not tampered with by a amatuer than a raft missing 1 years service. I used to service liferafts as my part of job so feel I know a bit on this subject.

Roxanna

It's not physically servicing the liferaft that's the problem. The first problem is that the article did not mention the use of calibrated test equipment to prove it's OK.

The other problem is that a certain vacuum pressure will be required to evacuate the liferaft prior to repacking. It is highly likely that many domestic vacuum cleaners would not develop sufficient vacuum pressure to achieve this. Again this would have to be tested with a calibrated pressure gauge. These can hired but the article didn't mention it.

This is how I could see the scenario developing:- Someone unpacks their liferaft and inflates it, so far so good. They then leave it in the lounge for 24 hours and it still seems to be inlfated to the same pressure, so far so good; not quite because if the room temperature had increased the pressure should also have increased and it could be masking a leak.

Next stage, we deflate it then pump the remaining air out but oh **** I still can't get the last of the remaining air out and fold it up small enough to repack it. So then it has to be bundled into the car and taken to a certified liferaft servicing company, when the guy sees it, he draws in air through his teeth and the normal servicing cost starts to escalate.

I shall be completely honest here. I don’t know as much about life rafts as the two of you, and I do see your point, but I don’t feel it encourages people who don’t have the knowledge and competence to maintain or in some cases ruin their raft.

Well Roxy, it seems we are all getting rather bogged down in this liferaft business. It is an emotive subject...after all, it is LIFErafts we are talking about. I can hold up my hand and say, 'Expert people, give us your advice. we will listen, the trouble is, some people set themselves up as experts. I think Stephen is the man to listen to having been employed in that business.

The trouble is Roxanna is that we are a nation of DIYers. Look at the DIY superstores if you are ever on land on a Saturday. Think of how many people have started a job and eventually had to get a professional in to remedy it.

Unlike Stephen, I'm not an expert in liferafts but I am an engineer so I have an idea if what the test procedure would be, what equipment would be required and what would be required to meaningfully comply with that procedure. As I said before I'll service many things but my liferaft ain't one of them.

Great this just what we wanted, a debate about the subject. For info we are going to ask the Servicing companies to give us their views. But to give a flavour of customers experiences I am going to put up another piece on the same subject. I'd love to have Stephen write us a 500 word piece on his experience at the servicing end.

The new article is up if you fancy taking a look

If as Fred suggests, poor quality servicing and overcharging is common then we are back to the "cowboy builder syndrome" and that should be addressed either by the marine industry (liferaft manufacturers / press)or by EU legislation much like the seemingly unpopular RCD.

However I totally agree with Fred on the importance of gaining familarity with your liferaft and all other safery equipment.

For liferaft servicing, as with mist other things it usually pays to get at least three quotations. Why three? Well if you only get two and they are very different, you wouldn't know whether the dearest was over charging or the cheapest was because the quality would be sub-standard.

I agree, but would say at least three if not more. It is also looking at some smaller companies that are further afield as sometimes they are cheaper, but you pay about the same after you have add travel

Fred,

I could write something I am sure, whats the deal?

Cheers

Stephen

Interesting how Fred goes from suggesting you can service your liferaft safely

"to it is essential that the servicing of liferafts SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE EXPERTS." In his latest article!

I think the point you made last time hit hme and have been taken in Stephen

I certainly would love to see an article by Stephen on the subject.

Yes Stephen - How about it?