You're absolutely right! I mentioned at the end of the video that you should always step up into the liferaft, and stay on your boat even if it's disabled, but as you mentioned an uncontrollable fire is the only other time you should board a life raft! I've also heard that Coast Guard rescue crews will sometimes ask a disabled vessel to deploy their liferaft to facilitate hoisting crew to a helicoper, as the sailboat rigging can interfere with the rescue line, so that might be another time.
You should attempt to board survival craft ‘dry foot’ if at all possible; entering the water to board is usually as a last resort, not first usually, when you are forced to. If there’s time and opportunity to prepare, don as much warm clothing as you can, grab portable VHFs, EPIRB, flares, Ditching Bag, log book, food, water and juice, first aid kit. No PCOC card needed!
Loved the video, I was curious, would the rain collector catch any spray from the water if you got caught in a storm? It doesn't seem like a good idea to be drinking from it if there was spray
I think you’re absolutely right - probably want to only use the rainwater collector when there isn’t too much spray! Thankfully the life raft does contain some water rations, so you shouldn’t need to collect any rain water in the first day or two.
It’s not ‘too much pressure’. It’s too much CO2 gas. The pressure level is fine for self inflating. The excess compressed CO2 is released through the pressure relief valve for the given tube volume. Otherwise the tubes could burst.
"Thank you for explaining this Life Raft. It is light weight, and it could be used in aviation for most small aircrafts. Personally? I feel every aircraft should have one of these instant inflatable raft stored underneath the seat of an exit door located at the rear of the aircraft for safe finding during an unplanned emergency. The Federal Aviation Administration must approve the portable raft for all crafts due to many operators uncertainly. We must all remember? Sharks(And other predators) in the waters, and during a crash; blood is uncontrolled and sharks gather quickly. Only an instant raft such as this can save passengers. We must take this raft seriously, whereas? Passengers only have seconds to deploy once they are engaged with the water. My aim is not to make anyone that travel afraid, but to caution one another once they are traveling due to this reality". ~Think safe operators? BUY The raft if your traveling, your passengers are depending on you.~
The escape slides on airplanes are designed to float aswell - basically a 2 in 1 system. Though I am wondering if they would last long enough. At least I have seen aviation training videoes where they raise a canope over the inflated slides in a ditching scenario. BUT: No large plane landed on the water without breaking apart, so you wouldnt have time to detach the slides or open the doors if you sink within like 20 seconds if you dont swim up, so....
There are only 3 real tip for survival on a life raft. They’re all tiny and they all suck. 1. Make sure your up to date on maintenance 2. Make sure you bring a charged radio with as many spare batteries as possible. 3. Get a EPIRB
Yes your suggestions are spot-on, and everybody who had the opportunity should take an ISAF Safety at Sea course so you can experience first-hand just how terrible it is inside a life raft and that's in a pool!
