switlik life raft service

If the boat sinks prior to the rafts inflation, change in atmospheric pressure at a depth of approximately 12 feet will activate a sharp knife that releases the tie-down strap, allowing the life raft to float free. Nylon fabric coated inside and out with puncture and abrasion resistant Urethane. In an emergency, the raft is inflated by pressurized carbon dioxide mixed with a trace of nitrogen. I know for sure what is going on with the raft. Other kits such as the SOLAS A Pack, which would also carry food provisions, are not part of the lineup since they were assembled for commercial vessels operating 50 or more miles from shore. Steve Harvey, owner of Air-Sea Safety & Survival Inc., a survival equipment service center in Charleston, S.C., emphasizes that life raft repacking is a highly skilled service. The flap, shaped like a widely splayed V along one of the rafts exterior walls, channels rain to a plastic valve operated from inside the raft. During the process, moisture is removed by a series of dryers. Please note that your EPIRB's hydrostatic release will not be set up this way. Mechanisms that trigger inflation can vary by manufacturer. Better to pack the hand pump, the paddles, the rainwater catcher, the leak stoppers, fresh water, and flares. Some manufacturers recommend emptying, testing, and recharging the gas cylinder during each three-year repacking interval. These holes eventually allow moisture to enter the case and wreak havoc. This practice, still relatively new, has been shown to help prevent deterioration caused by moisture. Saved a lot of money and again, much better that ignoring it As has been pointed out by many, its almost to the point of if I have to spend that much, just buy an new one. 2022 Fisheries Supply Company 1900 N. Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98103, Galvanic Isolators & Isolation Transformers. 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Hello! Dan OConnor, commercial sales and training coordinator at Life Raft and Survival Equipment (LRSE) in Tiverton, R.I., said that 90 percent of the life rafts brought to his service center for repacking are expired, usually by a few months, but some are five or more years out of date. Auto erecting arches with a furled canopy provide an open platform making it simple to just jump in. The Hammar release has its own inspection cycle: every two years. Is it as good as having the pros do it? Air-Sea Safety & Survival picks up and delivers life rafts at the dock for a fee of $85 each way. O-ring gaskets on the inflation systems are always replaced. Raft Repair Clamp Kit (1sm 1 med. David's third crime novel, the thriller "Pacific Poison," delves into life among Japans tattooed Yakuza gangsters. A chess set? 2. One observation you might have overlooked? A hand-pump stowed aboard the raft would be used to top off as needed, fill the uppermost of the two floor chambers, and to keep the canopy-arch tubes rigid. Refer to our EPIRB FAQ for more information. At the six-year inspection, the cost increases to $1,000 because more supplies must be replaced. After all, routine repacking of life rafts aboard recreational sailboats isnt required by law, so its up to the boat owner to shoulder the burden of responsibility. Soft Valise is 21 (L) x 13(W) x 10 (H) and weighs only 39 lbs (17.6 kg) O-rings are replaced as a matter of routine. A third firing system made by SEI and Mirada Research relies on a slightly more complex plunger-style operation. Although the use of Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) has greatly cut down the time a mariner is likely to spend awaiting rescue in his life raft, Callahans experience still serves as a good example of the kind of stresses the sea can impart on a lifeboat and the enclosed survival gear. Its fun to see the YouTube community inflating rafts that are 40 years old 35 years past inspection and they work! P.S. Using blunt scissors, they cut away the bag, which looked like a shiny space blanket, to expose the international orange-colored folded raft and the single, pressurized carbon-dioxide inflation cylinder, which was secured into place with two thin lines. We address these topics in great detail in our ebook series, Survival at Sea: Liferafts. Many raft owners are unaware that a fiberglass hardshell case-seemingly impervious to weather-has drain holes in the bottom. The inflatable foot step just outside the door was pressure-tested and its seams were inspected, as was the webbing ladder tied across the raft floor; this provides handholds for those attempting to scramble aboard belly-first. On older systems, a yank on the painter causes a spring-loaded spike or knife blade to puncture a hockey-puck-like disk atop the cylinder; this releases the gas into the rafts air chambers. Same with your car. Chosen by the USCG and Royal Australian Air Force after extensive comparative testing in the industry as the best design for stabilizing a life raft. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Life Raft Emergency Supplies Vary by Pack Type. With the lid opened, they examined the vacuum-bagged raft. The sealed water pouches had a five-year lifespan and would be replaced as well. We got a Givens lifebuoy8 just before a Feb 93 delivery of a Jeanneau 37 cat to Bahamasand learned 1 year later didnt have its epirb/food. This testing included, limited occupants, overloading and extrac. You are using a web browser we don't support. The cost inspection at most places in the US is ridiculously high and far from being justified by the work or parts needed. Its not a job where you walk in off the street and start repacking life rafts, he said. (PS was also given a tour of the Winslow life raft service facility in Florida to observe and photograph its inspection process.). Give us a call and we'll gladly let you know! Even with a totally new unit. We provide services for life rafts and serve as a drop station for repack and certification. Give Shawn a call and he'll let you know which raft works best for you! A self inspected and repacked life raft will build higher trust by sailors, as theyll be able to test the raft inflation and proper operation more frequently, rather than trusting a black box. Theres a line we hear repeated by customers, Patrick Quill said with an amused grin. I have owned a 6-person Viking life raft for seven years. The odds are we can take care of your raft, no matter what brand or type it is. For more information about life raft selection and emergency gear, be sure to read our three-part series on this topic that ran in the March, April, and May 2007 issues. Although food items were not included in our test raft, they are required on some categories of rafts. Good morning! Candy? Example: "4 PERSON" indicates 4-man capacity, "6 PERSON" indicates 6-man, etc. The general rule is to stay tethered to the yacht for as long as possible without harming the raft or crew. The minimum purchase order quantity for the product is 1. And I say, Great. 1. This braided umbilical cord was later replaced with a new cord that complied with the manufacturers standards. The SAR-6 MKII is the marine version of the air-droppable life raft (Model LRU-20) we design for the United States coast guard's helicopters and fixed wing aircraft along with the Royal Australian Air Force. Multi-tiered compressors push the air into the raft. My main problem with boat fenders is that they appear to violate the cardinal rule of cruising: any object you bring aboard should serve at least two purposes (the way your crewmate's favorite yellow shirt makes a great Q flag). In a sense, the liferaft served its purpose albeit with a superhuman effort on the part of the survivor. Inspections can be a lifesaver. Makers warn against testing your own raft by inflating it as this can introduce water vapor to the inflation chambers that can cause problems over the long-term if not removed before repacking. In recent years, two life raft makers Viking (Thanner 65-type valve; recall announced in 2007) and Switlik (S-2630 inflation valve; recall announced in 2008) have issued voluntarily recalls due to concerns about the inflation valves. His solar-powered, water-making stills didnt work properly, and the packed galvanized fishing hooks had rusted and crumbled in his hands. Youre leaving out some important info given that the article is about liferaft inspections, i.e., was Callahans liferaft inspection current, and if so, what went wrong? 1. To find out what a life raft repacking entails, Practical Sailor observed the repacking of a five-year-old, eight-person Viking recreational-grade life raft at the Landrigan service center in Boston. If the result is low on the scale, some of the gas has obviously escaped, so the cylinder must be refilled. A technician at Winslow inspects the Miranda Research inflation valve for a Winslow life raft. Therefore, we dont have the necessary information to assess the risk of an out-of-date raft performing well or poorly. Perhaps members of your community could pay someone with liferaft repacking experience to conduct a workshop. I did and was overall very glad that I did. Flares are only good for three years. We can arrangeservice for the brands listed below: Autoflug Avon Beaufort BFG, Crewsaver DBC DSB Duarry, Dunlop Elliot Eurovinil Fujikura, Givens Mitsubishi ML Lifeguard Pirelli, Revere RFD Samgong Stomil, Sumitomo Survitec Switlik Toyo Rubber, Uzemik Viking Zodiac, 2021 by Annapolis Inflatables a Fawcett Marine Company. LRSE picks up and delivers from Maine to New Jersey for a fee of $150 each way. Now available to the recreational market. His solar-powered, water-making stills didnt work properly, and the packed galvanized fishing hooks had rusted and crumbled in his hands. It doesnt take a marine expert to realize how quickly a saltwater environment can take its toll on flares, batteries, and pretty much anything electrical like the strobe light atop the raft canopy or the interior dome light. I, too, would like to see that happen; at least one would know the extent of such a project, and as said above, it would be better than having out date l/raft of unknown condition. (Our June 2007 article on life raft survival gear included a long discussion on this topic.). Why not? To get a sense of the overall expense of life raft ownership, consider this: The new four-person Viking RescYou life raft is priced at $2,900 in a hardshell case and $2,750 in the valise. Most life rafts need to be serviced annually. A fender, however, does only one job-cushion the blow between the hull and something hard-and then it swallows up valuable lazarette or anchor locker space when that one job is not required. Service is usually completed within 3-6 weeks depending on the seasonal demand at the service centers,amount of service required, condition of the raft, availability of parts, and other factors. Some life rafts are certified at packing for three years, others for five, but many sailors simply ignore the expiration date, waiting a couple extra years before going through the expensive inspection and repacking process. That means that at five years, just about everything inside the raft must be replaced, OConnor said. No, but a good alternative that I now trust. Removed from the raft, the steel gas cylinder is weighed to determine whether its heft matches the number inscribed on the cylinder. The survival story told by solo sailor Steve Callahan in his book Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea, illustrates how important the condition of a raft can be in a survival situation. If five or six years have elapsed since your life raft was purchased or repacked, you are risking the chance that the raft wont deploy properly in an emergency. Quill did say that the inclusion of personal locator beacons (PLBs) is becoming more common now that technology has dramatically reduced the size and weight of such devices. Under the tropical sun, the package on deck is heating up to 150 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which affects things like the glue that holds the life raft together, he said. Inspite of a night of 74 kt breezes, we made it. Quill, who runs Landrigans service management office with his brother, Patrick, advises customers to stick with the maintenance schedule prescribed by the manufacturer. The hardshell case is closed, and the lid gaskets are inspected for proper contact. It depends on the brand of your life raft, but typically we guarantee a week or less! The technicians examined the window and door zippers, the Velcro closures, and the clear plastic window that allows occupants to peer out without exposing them to the weather. He also suggests getting the life raft repacked in the off-season, rather than rushing recertification to comply with the safety requirements of a sanctioned offshore race such as the Newport-to-Bermuda Race. We build the SAR-6 MKII using 16-oz./sq.yd. The CPR comes standard with four (4) wide, stiffened rung ladders that make it easy for someone to climb over a single tube. Switlik SAR-6 Raft 6 Person SAR-6100-117 Standard3 year Service Container. The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) supports safety standards prescribed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the non-governmental International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Soapy water was used to check for leaks at the pressurized seams. Id prefer dealing with a manufacturer who services what they make. The painter line, which secures the raft and its triggering system to the manufacturers metal cradle bolted to the boats deck, also appeared weathered. Immediate Action Placard Hanging from Arch Tube 1ea. Mailport: X-yachts, Soverel 33, tropical storms, Designing a Dump Line for the Multihull Mainsheet, Test Driving Furunos Cutting Edge Compass, Green Boating From a Practical Perspective, PS Advisor: Belaying Safety for Mast Climbing, https://www.practical-sailor.com/product/life-rafts. The line is vital for sailors to hang onto before climbing aboard or for regaining the life raft, if they get tossed out. So I thought that even if I cant finish it, Im no worse off. Nitrogen is considered a relatively dry gas and is added to ensure proper flow of the carbon dioxide, which tends to freeze when the cylinder is triggered. Regardless of who or when the liferaft was inspected, it is clear from Steves own account that the process would have benefitted from greater oversight. Life raft safety standards are also recommended by International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and some of these have been adopted by US Sailing, the governing body for competitive sailing in the U.S. (SOLAS standards are much more stringent than those governing recreational life rafts.) The gas used to inflate the raft is usually the samea dry mixture of carbon dioxide and a trace of nitrogen. Moisture also can affect the inflation firing-mechanism, or what OConnor describes as the heart of the life raft. Take a wave over the side, and there is a good chance that your raft canister will absorb a bit of water. Life raft survival kits used by the recreational yachting community can generally be divided into five categories based, in part, on the distance in miles the yacht will be sailing from shore. Once the raft was standing, the Quills replaced the canopy-top strobe lights lithium batteries. Im Captain LUCAS SASONE im a helicopter pilot of Argentinean Air Force and im in charge of the ALSE equipment of my Air unit (7th air base, Helicopters and special forces unit), we have here 3 life rafts WISLOW 710 FA-AV (UL) and 4 WISLOW 1421 FA-AVA (U) out of service because those life rafts need the 5 years inspection. The community need life-rafts that offers self service and inspection using a step by step guide. This testing included, limited occupants, overloading and extraction which brings heavy down wash from the helicopter. It cost a fortune and the case came back chipped and chunked out from some kind of abuse. Or I got somebody elses raft, who knows! This type of firing mechanism was highly rated by the inspection companies we spoke with for this article. A workbench test determines whether the cylinder needs additional attention. Neither Landrigan Corp. or LRSE honors customer requests to include additional items during life raft repacking, with the exception of prescription eyeglasses, vital medications, and photocopies of passports or credit cards. That would give the customer some added value. In the event that people are getting into the raft from the water. The Quill brothers snipped open the two plastic bands that held the gasket-rimmed hardshell case tightly closed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. MARINE SAFETY SERVICES, INC, 4255 23rd Ave W, Seattle, WA 98199, Marine Safety Services Alaska Marine Safety. The compressed gas and inflation system is regarded as the heart of the inflatable life raft. So far better than ignoring it is do it yourself. Please do not hesitate to call us - one of our technicians can walk you through the process. If your vessel travels more than 3 miles offshore, you are required to have a life raft aboard. Glad that I did it. Once the raft has been resupplied with emergency items, refolded and reconnected to the gas supply, the entire package is vacuum-packed-unless the model does not call for vacuum bagging. I can repack it with what I want. Also, how old was the raft, and when was its last inspection? When you buy a boat already with a raft or if you buy a raft used, the cost to repack is very daunting. As I recall Steve commented at one point in his gripping tale, that the rafts warranty (or certification?) 3. Continuing on with the inspection of the eight-man raft, the Quills spread it across the floor and carefully unfolded it. An avid sailor and American Sailing Association certified keel boat instructor, David Liscio is a journalist and novelist with a long background as a maritime writer and photographer. This professional grade life raft is now availblefor general aviation. Steves story is one of many similar anecdotes of substandard equipment being packed aboard, and problems with inflation systems. Spread over a projected 10-year lifespan, owning the raft in the hardshell case would cost $290 annually, plus another $200 to $335 per year for maintenance. The survival story told by solo sailor Steve Callahan in his book Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea, illustrates how important the condition of a raft can be in a survival situation. Let us help. The High Visibility Fluorescent Orange Canopy with Opaque Blue Inner Coating provides a perfect combination of visibility and a calming vertigo. Harvey noted that the European Nation (EN) standard for hydrostatic tank testing is every 10 years, not five. Im thinking I may just buy a another life raft from another manufacturer rather than go through this experience again. This important line serves as a handhold for people in the water. A technician at Landrigan Corp. inspects canisters prior to servicing. The inspection team at Landrigan quickly noted that the important safety information stickers on the Viking rafts yellowed hardshell case were severely faded, so the owners would not be able to read any of the important emergency instructions on the outside of the case. had expired. I had it serviced at an approved facility in Florida three years ago and the total price for the service was around $1300. It is constructed with the same pride and to the same high quality control standards as all Switlik life-saving equipment. Lithium batteries in the interior dome light were replaced before testing the magnetic contact used to switch on the appliance. Although that valve will be replaced along with a new vacuum bag, inspecting these valves and recording the wear pattern helps give manufacturers a better picture of their durability in the field. Some basic equipment is contained in all five recreational yachting packages, so these items are excluded from the accompanying PS contents chart. This is crucial to proper raft function. They also inspected the valve on the vacuum bag itself, which is essential for sucking air out of the bag during repacking. Hand Inflation Pump with 5" Extension 1ea. Need a life raft for a couple weeks? Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Vane Brothers Marine Safety & Services, Inc. ICON International/ South Bay Inflatables, Viking Life-Saving Equipment - Schwei West. Many life rafts today are fitted with a Hammar hydrostatic release in the tie-down strap that secures the life raft to the boat deck or life-raft cradle. Air Charge Inflation with visible Go/no Go Pressure gauge that lets you know your raft is ready to deploy. He has sailed Boston to Bermuda and back and crewed in Australias challenging Sydney-to-Hobart Race. All rights reserved. 35+ years of unsurpassed quality and service. One way to add an extra-layer of protection is to have the raft vacuum-bagged before it is packed into a soft valise or hardshell case. This should be easily found on the raft's placards. The inspection was conducted by technicians Chris and Patrick Quill. Most manufacturers require a one-year apprenticeship. In the May issue, testers compared the rafts quality and quantity of such items as emergency flares (handheld and parachute), signaling mirrors, bailers, drogues, paddles, and flashlights. Please use the latest version of one of these browsers. Christopher Quill, service manager at Landrigan Corp., a life raft sales and repacking business in Boston, Mass., points out that apart from the safety factor, regular inspections can actually save money. The U.S. Coast Guard conducts spot checks of life raft service centers and measures the moisture content. He can be reached at www.davidliscio.com. The food, water, and canopy light batteries are good for five years, as is hydrostatic [pressure] testing of the gas cylinder. For a more detailed analysis of life raft safety gear, see the May 2007 issue of Practical Sailor. Youve got seams, valves, and equipment in there that are constantly under pressure, and maybe the life raft is stowed in a hard case on deck or buried below in a valise, but in either instance, whatever is inside is feeling the wear, he explained. Catering to both the fixed and rotary wing aircraft, the CPR is TSO-C70a Type II approved. While most leisure-class life rafts today are vacuum-packed, Harvey said that Switlik owners are given the option of foregoing this process because the materials used in its raft are not as vulnerable as others to moisture. Switlik CPR Life Raft is the commercial version of the raft designed for and adopted by the U.S. Coast Guard for their Helicopter Operations. I agree with all comments on inspection costs being ridiculously high. SAR 6 The world's finest blue water ocean life raft. Proudly created with. If the moisture content is too high, the repacking operation can be shut down. The March issue offers a primer on life raft features, while the April issue features tests of six-man life rafts. Once the head is fired, a cable pulls out, and this lets the gas escape. Boarding a life raft can feel daunting. Check out those logo graphics below for reference. Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 2021 by Annapolis Inflatables a Fawcett Marine Company. Miscellaneous supplies and shipping can easily add another $200. Shipping to and from a certified repacking company is another consideration because compressed gas and lithium batteries are regarded as hazardous materials, which will push up the cost and the governmental red tape. Established in 1920, Switlik has been making safety products for boats for four generations and is known worldwide as a manufacturer of the highest quality sewn and heat sealed life raft and survival equipment for the marine market. Without this or more info, his story tells us nothing useful. In Callahans case, one of the rafts two floors deflated, exposing him to cold and shark attacks. Call us at: (813) 241-6654. Viking Life-Saving Equipment, S.A. de C.V. Viking Life-Saving Equipment Istanbul Denizcilik TIC AS. They say, I never even had to use it. These, too, must be replaced every five years. The reason: If the repacking company issues a new three-year certificate of compliance immediately following the third-year inspection, everything inside the life raft is technically still good for another three years. Since the certification centres do not trigger the existing mechanisms to test the raft, we do not have any data of potential failure rates. I get that the food and batteries wont be any good, but the essential purpose of safety flotation in an emergency is still served. This can be identified by brand name stickers on the raft. As a final touch, new safety and operation labels are affixed to the exterior. The inflation process is more complicated than one would think. Its also likely that some of the survival items stowed inside may now be useless. Give us a call or stop by our facility and we will be happy to set you up with a life raft rental. Under baking sun or exposed to brittle cold, the lift rafts rubbery fabric can also dry out and crack, especially along the folds. Any moisture introduced to the inside of the raft during the inspection process could stay in the raft as it is repacked, and this could accelerate deterioration. Four water pockets for superior stability, Four wide, stiffened run boarding ladders for ease of boarding, Internal Back-up sleeve for ensured buoyancy, Water Activated Exterior Locator Lights (2 ea.

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