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scottebulger@comcast.net

Sat, Oct 7, 2006 2:35 PM

I need to decide where to locate a life raft on my Nordhavn 40. The PO purchased a 4 man offshore life raft, but its currently stored in a fabric case in the saloon. Id like to get it in a canister on the deck. Options are on the boat deck or cabin top.

I can think of 3 reasons I would need to deploy and use my life raft:

    The boat is sinking, it is going to sink, nothing I can do is going to stop it.  In this case you step up off the sinking boat into the life raft

    Pirates have taken the boat, and you are being set adrift, IF the pirates are willing to let you get in the life raft or perhaps the dingy.  If you have faced this scenario, you are probably very happy to have this choice!

    The boat is on fire, the fire is out of control, it can not be stopped, and the boat is going to sink.

In the fire scenario I have concerns about being able to reach the raft and get it deployed prior to the boat being consumed in the fire. Id like my wife to be able to deploy the raft in case I need to fight the fire. If this is the case, I think having it someplace it can be deployed by tipping it over the side is important. She is not going to have the strength to lift it over the boat deck railing. There is a location on the port side, just outside the pilot house where a canister would fit. I lean toward using that location, but it has the downside of not being readily accessible for inspections. Id appreciate thoughts from others on factors they have considered in locating their life rafts on deck.

Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle Wa

I need to decide where to locate a life raft on my Nordhavn 40. The PO purchased a 4 man offshore life raft, but its currently stored in a fabric case in the saloon. Id like to get it in a canister on the deck. Options are on the boat deck or cabin top. I can think of 3 reasons I would need to deploy and use my life raft: - The boat is sinking, it is going to sink, nothing I can do is going to stop it. In this case you step up off the sinking boat into the life raft - Pirates have taken the boat, and you are being set adrift, IF the pirates are willing to let you get in the life raft or perhaps the dingy. If you have faced this scenario, you are probably very happy to have this choice! - The boat is on fire, the fire is out of control, it can not be stopped, and the boat is going to sink. In the fire scenario I have concerns about being able to reach the raft and get it deployed prior to the boat being consumed in the fire. Id like my wife to be able to deploy the raft in case I need to fight the fire. If this is the case, I think having it someplace it can be deployed by tipping it over the side is important. She is not going to have the strength to lift it over the boat deck railing. There is a location on the port side, just outside the pilot house where a canister would fit. I lean toward using that location, but it has the downside of not being readily accessible for inspections. Id appreciate thoughts from others on factors they have considered in locating their life rafts on deck. Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle Wa

JH

John Harris

Sat, Oct 7, 2006 3:18 PM

In any scenario - except cooperative pirates - the life raft should be your
last option - the ship is a safer place to be than the life raft. This is
based on the Force 10 book that John Romanyar wrote following the Fastnet
deaths about ship safety. Therefore, I would suggest that the raft belongs
on the roof.

As far as a fire is concerned, if there is a chance of extinguishing the
fire that should be your first priority - there is no need to separate the
crew while that is still an option. Only when there is no option is the
life raft the appropriate action.

Good - and safe - sailing
John Harris
World Odd @ Sea

In any scenario - except cooperative pirates - the life raft should be your last option - the ship is a safer place to be than the life raft. This is based on the Force 10 book that John Romanyar wrote following the Fastnet deaths about ship safety. Therefore, I would suggest that the raft belongs on the roof. As far as a fire is concerned, if there is a chance of extinguishing the fire that should be your first priority - there is no need to separate the crew while that is still an option. Only when there is no option is the life raft the appropriate action. Good - and safe - sailing John Harris World Odd @ Sea

RR

Ron Rogers

Sat, Oct 7, 2006 6:41 PM

At the Safety At Sea Seminar, they always said that you should step UP into
your liferaft. It is your last resort. It should be in a location from which
you can safely launch it and control it. This would suggest bridgedeck,
cabin top, etc.

Ron Rogers

At the Safety At Sea Seminar, they always said that you should step UP into your liferaft. It is your last resort. It should be in a location from which you can safely launch it and control it. This would suggest bridgedeck, cabin top, etc. Ron Rogers

PP

Peter Pisciotta

Sat, Oct 7, 2006 8:49 PM

I need to decide where to locate a life raft on my
Nordhavn 40.

Hey there Scott - I'm trying to remember where the
liferaft was stored on the couple of N40's I
delivered. It's a tough question - typically, the raft
is designed to float free and be inflated once it
reaches the end of a short, hydrostatically controlled
tether. If your N40 has paravanes and a flybridge, the
options are a bit more narrow as you'll face the same
issue as sailors: risk that the raft will be ensnared
in rigging.

I'd certainly pose this question to the Nordhavn
owners group - surely they have devoted some thought
to this. Personally, I have always liked the way many
European boats mount liferafts: the cradle is integral
to a rail and holds the hardshell on its side. For the
N40, this would be one of the rails encircling the
boat deck. Perhaps there is a down-side to this
installation (beyond the expense of fabricating an
entire rail section), but it sure looks slick!.

This is a great subject - figuring out where to place
a liferaft so it's handy yet doesn't get in the way is
difficult on a small boat. I'll be eager to know what
you decide.

Peter
www.SeaSkills.com

> I need to decide where to locate a life raft on my > Nordhavn 40. Hey there Scott - I'm trying to remember where the liferaft was stored on the couple of N40's I delivered. It's a tough question - typically, the raft is designed to float free and be inflated once it reaches the end of a short, hydrostatically controlled tether. If your N40 has paravanes and a flybridge, the options are a bit more narrow as you'll face the same issue as sailors: risk that the raft will be ensnared in rigging. I'd certainly pose this question to the Nordhavn owners group - surely they have devoted some thought to this. Personally, I have always liked the way many European boats mount liferafts: the cradle is integral to a rail and holds the hardshell on its side. For the N40, this would be one of the rails encircling the boat deck. Perhaps there is a down-side to this installation (beyond the expense of fabricating an entire rail section), but it sure looks slick!. This is a great subject - figuring out where to place a liferaft so it's handy yet doesn't get in the way is difficult on a small boat. I'll be eager to know what you decide. Peter www.SeaSkills.com

PP

Peter Pisciotta

Sat, Oct 7, 2006 9:04 PM

the
life raft should be your
last option - the ship is a safer
place to be than
the life raft.

As other's have said, you should step "up" into a
liferaft. I wonder if the sailors in Fastnet and
Sydney/Hobart had repeated these sayings too. Yet many
still abandoned ship, some perished while the boat
they abandoned survived, the gist of the reminder that
a liferaft should be the very last resort.

My observation: if these sailors did not know this and
simply made a bad decision to leave their boat, then
it's reasonable to believe a knowledgeable sailor in
the same situation would act more prudently and not
abandon ship.

However, if the sailor was indeed knowledgeable,
perhaps having repeated the very same phrase to yacht
club buddies over the years, then something about the
conditions drove him/her to abandon ship - perhaps an
otherwise sane/rational person was pushed beyond
reasonable thought. In this case, we learn nothing and
will follow in his perilous footsteps should we ever
face the same choice.

I have to assume that offshore racers are generally
quite knowledgeable, especially since many modern
races vet both equipment and crew to assure
seaworthiness (I doubt the Fastnet did, I'd guess the
Sydney/Hobart race did).

I wonder, what pushes someone to make a decision to
abandon ship when the ship does not sink? How does an
offshore sailor prepare mentally to make the right
decision?

Peter
www.SeaSkills.com

=======================
Peter Pisciotta
415-902-8439

> the > life raft should be your > last option - the ship is a safer > place to be than > the life raft. As other's have said, you should step "up" into a liferaft. I wonder if the sailors in Fastnet and Sydney/Hobart had repeated these sayings too. Yet many still abandoned ship, some perished while the boat they abandoned survived, the gist of the reminder that a liferaft should be the very last resort. My observation: if these sailors did not know this and simply made a bad decision to leave their boat, then it's reasonable to believe a knowledgeable sailor in the same situation would act more prudently and not abandon ship. However, if the sailor was indeed knowledgeable, perhaps having repeated the very same phrase to yacht club buddies over the years, then something about the conditions drove him/her to abandon ship - perhaps an otherwise sane/rational person was pushed beyond reasonable thought. In this case, we learn nothing and will follow in his perilous footsteps should we ever face the same choice. I have to assume that offshore racers are generally quite knowledgeable, especially since many modern races vet both equipment and crew to assure seaworthiness (I doubt the Fastnet did, I'd guess the Sydney/Hobart race did). I wonder, what pushes someone to make a decision to abandon ship when the ship does not sink? How does an offshore sailor prepare mentally to make the right decision? Peter www.SeaSkills.com ======================= Peter Pisciotta 415-902-8439

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where to place a life raft?