Your Complete Guide to Life-Saving Equipment for Offshore Adventures
Life rafts represent the ultimate safety backup aboard any vessel. When you find yourself requiring one, your circumstances are already critical, and alternative options have likely been exhausted. That's why we consulted with Jamie Reme, an experienced operations vice president at GPS Store located in Queen Isle Beach, North Carolina (thegpsstore.com), to provide expert insights on essential considerations before venturing offshore, drawing from the specifications of the Viking RescYou Pro offshore life raft.
Thermal Protection
Prioritize a life raft equipped with an insulated floor system to guard against hypothermia. The RescYou Pro six-person model features an advanced insulated double-layer floor designed to prevent hypothermia when floating in frigid water environments.
Entry and Exit Options
Boarding ramps provide superior accessibility compared to traditional ladders, especially in emergency situations where time and ease of access are critical factors.
Superior to Standard
Verify that your selected raft incorporates no fewer than two independent buoyancy chambers. This redundancy ensures flotation capability even if one chamber experiences failure.
Stabilization System
Ballast bags, such as the four 15-gallon capacity bags featured on the Viking model, are essential for maintaining raft stability during heavy seas and rough weather conditions.
Adequate Capacity
What's your crew size? Search for a life raft that satisfies the Coast Guard requirement of 4 cubic feet of interior space per person onboard. Viking manufactures rafts accommodating four, six, or eight crew members comfortably.
Location Beacon
A strobe light mounted on top significantly aids rescue teams in locating you quickly, particularly during nighttime or low-visibility conditions.
Proper Orientation
The RescYou Pro incorporates a self-righting mechanism to prevent swamping in heavy seas, automatically positioning itself correctly regardless of initial deployment orientation.
Structural Integrity
A life raft can be constructed from PVC, neoprene, or rubber materials. Viking utilizes vulcanized rubber with double-taped and adhesive-sealed seams to prevent structural failure in demanding conditions.
Additional Equipment
Search for a raft with pre-stocked safety items inside, including SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) aerial flares, hand-held flares, a flashlight, a whistle, drinking cups, and even a fishing kit for extended survival scenarios.
Hydration Supply
A rainwater collector positioned on the canopy top supplies additional drinking water for the crew, extending survival capabilities during prolonged rescue operations.
Blue Instead of Green
A blue interior produces a calming effect on occupants and helps prevent seasickness, maintaining crew morale and physical condition during emergency situations.
Dual Entry Points
Rafts featuring two entrances facilitate multiple people boarding simultaneously, which conserves critical time and further minimizes exposure to frigid water temperatures.
Hydrostatic Release: Proceed With Caution
A hydrostatic release mechanism, which automatically deploys the raft's canister after submersion, appears to be an excellent feature. "Commercial vessels have these installed and they're engineered to activate at water pressures found in 4 to 6 feet of water," he explains. However, if you're operating a smaller boat, you don't want to wait for it to sink that far down before the raft inflates and deploys.
Ensure Your Safety on the Water
Equip your vessel with professional-grade offshore life rafts designed to meet the highest safety standards.
Superior Life-Saving Offshore RaftThe U.S. Coast Guard is requesting all boat owners and operators to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage, and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers. Essential steps include: wearing a life jacket at all times when underway on the water; never boating under the influence (BUI); successfully completing a boating safety course; and getting a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) annually from local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Power Squadrons(r), or your state boating agency's volunteer vessel examiners. The free VSC program is strictly educational and focuses on safety awareness, voluntary compliance with boating safety regulations, and courtesy examinations to verify the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by state and federal regulations.
Always consult with maritime safety professionals and verify that your safety equipment meets current Coast Guard requirements. Regular maintenance and inspection of life rafts are essential for optimal performance during emergencies.