Liferaft?

[FloridaMan]

I’m going to buy a raft for my Mooney. What is the standard raft that those of you who have them use?

[kpaul]

@Hyett6420I think this one is for you.

[flyboy0681]

We have a four man Survival raft. Very compact and can be easily grabbed from the rear seat.

http://www.survivalproductsinc.com/fourmanfaatso.html

 

[201er]

I have this one. Haven't tried it yet so I can't say how comfortable it is but from the description it sounds nice

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/ps/lifevests/revere_compact_4person_deluxe_kit.php

[jetdriven]

I have a EAM 2 man raft.  They're built to airline standards.  They also cost around 1000$ to re-certify.  They say every two years but mine went 18 and it was still good. 

[KSMooniac]

I bought a 4-person EAM from a local antique/junk store last year for $44. . I haven't sent it off for recertification yet but couldn't resist that deal.

Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk

[aggiepilot04]

I bought this one in July before a trip to the Bahamas:

http://www.liferaftstore.com/Winslow-4-Person-Super-Light-Rescue-Raft_p_109.html

[jetdriven]

Wow, thats a 5000$ raft. At some point you have to compromise.

[201er]

4 minutes ago, jetdriven said:

Wow, thats a 5000$ raft. At some point you have to compromise.

I'd like one with air conditioning and a mini bar too but you can't have it all.

[ArtVandelay]

I went cheap (but I'm not crossing the North Atlantic):

[jetdriven]

I keep forgetting Hyett lives in England and that surrounded by a lot of cold water. You probably need a substantially better raft for Coldwater. Also hey Hyett, wear wool pants they still keep you warm even when wet. 

[ArtVandelay]

I would get an immersion suit and a PLB if I was crossing hostile waters.

[201er]

1 minute ago, teejayevans said:

I would get an immersion suit and a PLB if I was crossing hostile waters.

Yes. But you should have a PLB regardless of whether you fly over the north sea or over a backyard pond.

[ArtVandelay]

Yes. But you should have a PLB regardless of whether you fly over the north sea or over a backyard pond.

I have this device called a cellphone with built in GPS

[201er]

Just now, teejayevans said:

I have this device called a cellphone with built in GPS

I would encourage you to watch this and reconsider reliance on a cellphone for an emergency landing. They may have 95%+ coverage in populated areas... but it's all the unpopulated areas you gotta be concerned about.

[jetdriven]

I wouldnt rely on a Cell phone to locate me or call for help. My last cross country drive, my iPhone 6 ATT had consistently 1 bar, and often dropped calls or even refused to dial. Its pretty remarkably bad, even moreso when you go overseas and see how much better they have it.

[Deb]

There is an extensive review/article on aviation life rafts here: http://www.equipped.org/avraft.htm. It's from 2000 and they didn't review Revere products (but they did in 1996). Aviation Consumer was involved in the testing for the article. Aviation Consumer most recently reviewed life rafts in July, 2013: http://www.aviationconsumer.com/issues/43_7/safety/Life-Raft-Test_6393-1.html (subscription required).

The Winslow Ultra-Light Offshore was highly rated in both articles but it weighs 32 lbs and is in the $3,500 range.

[FloridaMan]

1 hour ago, 201er said:

I would encourage you to watch this and reconsider reliance on a cellphone for an emergency landing. They may have 95%+ coverage in populated areas... but it's all the unpopulated areas you gotta be concerned about.

Not to derail my own topic, but I even carry my PLB when I’m hiking in fair weather. Even on well traveled trails there exists the chance of injuring yourself or finding someone who is injured and it can take hours for someone to hike down and find help. On that note, I also carry MREs, water, a life straw and a small survival hit. 

[Piloto]

A raft for 5 for $99

https://www.kotulas.com/deals/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10602&storeId=10152&productId=49319&langId=-1&utm_source=bingpla&utm_medium=Toys-Games-Pools-Summer-Toys&utm_content=52930

José

[Alan Fox]

5 hours ago, jetdriven said:

Wow, thats a 5000$ raft. At some point you have to compromise.

Hyett hates those cheap rafts , that rock in the waves , and spill your tea !!

[ArtVandelay]

Hyett, swells aren't the problem, it's the wind waves that are steep and will swamp the raft. Swells only becomes a problem as the water shallows they steepen.
If you are in rough seas, deploying a raft around the sharp edges of an aircraft while getting bounced around is going to be problematic, which is why I recommended the immersion suit, and the PLB that will stay with you. My pet peeve is all PLBs have custom batteries that require you to send them back every few years to replace them. Liferafts also require maintenance. It might be better to rent one when needed.

[lwikle]

Winslow Ultra-Light Offshore     i have this one.....its the real deal......

 

[Alan Fox]

18 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

Hyetts just trying save your life Alan, its upto you whether you listen or not.  Out there in the sea, there is only one friend and that is any good preperation you have done before,you got there.  

Don't get your panties in a bunch , I have a Survival Products 4 man , with canopy , and gear...

[carusoam]

Lwikle's raft...  https://www.lrse.com/products/winslow-ultra-light-offshore-life-raft

Best regards,

-a-

[ArtVandelay]

10 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

Not wishing to split hairs but swells are waves.  They are one and the same thing caused by the wind.  In a flat calm there is no wind and no waves or swell.  The wind is what moves the surface of the water causing the swell  

I understand your Emerson suit reasoning but you are still in the water in anyway.  You need to be out of the water.  The ideal would be an immersion suit, plb and raft.  If I do a North Sea run in winter then that's what I wear.  The suit gives me the minute or so I need to get into the raft before the cold gets me. 

Andrew

Let the hair splitting begin:

swells started as wind waves but as they travel away from the wind their wavelength stretches out. You can be on surfboard and stay dry in swells alone. Swells travel 100s if not a 1000 miles from their source of wind. Hawaiis big waves come from swells, very benign in deep water, brutal in shallow water.

 I agree with North Atlantic requirements, but my south Florida water isn't as hostile.