Life float / life raft

[divezonescuba]

So, what do you guys do for 6 pack life floats / life rafts.

It seems like with an inflatable life raft you have to deal with all the certification issues whereas, you would not with a life float.

It would be up to 6 passengers and 2 crew.

 

[Jon Nellis]

You don't need a life float for a 6 pack/UPV, just PFDs and 1 throwable.

 

[CGG6]

I sure like a "Jim Bouy" if you have a roof to store it on. It ralling point to gather at and has a net inside to put an injured person or to stow gear that you take from the boat. On that order I just purchaced a dry bag so that if we have to abandon ship we can put wallets, cell phones, and car keys. A boat in the San Diego area ran up on the beach and the passengers were on board for quite awhile before they left the boat, but they all had to stay around until the boat was towed off the beach because all of the car keys were still on the boat. That made a bad situation worse because it took until midnight before everyone could drive home.

 

[SkipperJohn]

Because it's not unusual for me to do an overnighter over 100 miles off shore (well, at one time)... I have a 6-man SOLAS life raft. But let me add, what a pain in the you-know-where!
This thing has to be inspected yearly. They say because as it rubs on it's fold-points in the valise, it wears. Also, mine has a light, flares, fishing essentials, some MREs and a knife in it. They get rusty and break down.
Inspections are not cheap. For an inspection, upgrade and repack it's over $600. I skipped a few years once and they charged me double. I skipped a few more and now they wont inspect it. Oh well, I don't actively charter and I technically dont need it. & Canyon trips are not something I see myself doing much if at all.

 

[rjack321]

You don't need a life float for a 6 pack/UPV, just PFDs and 1 throwable.

Minimum legal requirements are never really a good barometer of "need". If you're running a fishing/diving charter in Glacier Bay, you'd be a fool to skimp on this stuff. Off Key Largo is obviously a different universe.

 

[Jon Nellis]

OK, poor choice of words...

You're not required to carry either and hopefully you will not need either.

If you want to carry a raft or float on a UPV, it's is not an inspection item for the Coast Guard.

My life raft is having an unsinkable boat, the common sense not to go out when it's ugly and enough power to get out of anything ugly that comes up.






.

 

[scubaskipper]

Just a heads up. We had our inspection and the new inspector wanted all the fine cracks in our Jim Bouy life float filled in and smoothed out. They make stuff to do it from the manufacturer, what a pain in the neck and it gets all over. If you have one, spring for the cover to keep the sun off. Life rafts were on the last boat I worked on previously and they certainly do get expensive, we had 4. Get what you need for the worse thing that could reasonably happen and take care of it. I also keep a bail out bag next to my rack, just in case.