As a leading provider of marine safety equipment, we offer a diverse range of marine life rafts tailored to various maritime settings. In this blog, we aim to assist you in selecting the most appropriate life raft from our extensive marine life raft inventory.
What Is Life Raft?
A life raft is a portable inflatable raft designed to provide emergency shelter and flotation in case of a marine disaster or emergency situation such as a shipwreck. Life rafts are essential safety equipment on boats, ships, and offshore platforms, offering a means of survival and protection for individuals in distress at sea. These rafts are typically equipped with necessities like food, water, signaling devices, and other survival gear to support occupants until rescue arrives.
What Is The Difference Between A Lifeboat And A Liferaft?
A lifeboat and a life raft are essential marine safety assets with distinct roles. The lifeboat, larger and rigid, evacuates ship passengers in emergencies, boasting a higher capacity and robust construction for durability in harsh seas. Equipped with survival essentials, it launches from the ship via davits. In contrast, the inflatable life raft offers flotation and shelter when abandoning the ship, available in various sizes to accommodate different numbers of individuals. This raft, with basic survival gear, can be manually or automatically deployed, providing essential support during maritime crises.
Considerations Of Choosing Life Raft
- Capacity: Ensure the inflatable life raft can accommodate all passengers and crew comfortably.
- Launch Type: Evaluate manual and automatic deployment options based on vessel layout and crew capabilities.
- Material: Choose a raft made from durable, puncture-resistant materials suitable for rough conditions.
- Quality Inspection: Check seams and construction for reliability and sturdiness.
Our Life Raft Capacity
Our inflatable life rafts cater to a range of vessel sizes and functions: The 6-person raft suits small boats, yachts, and fishing vessels. An 8-person option accommodates small to medium-sized vessels like recreational boats. For mid-sized crafts such as sailing yachts, the 10-person raft is ideal. A 12-person raft is fitting for medium commercial vessels and larger yachts. The 15-person raft is perfect for larger commercial fishing vessels and passenger ferries. Medium-sized cargo ships and passenger vessels benefit from the 20-person raft. Larger passenger ferries and small to mid-sized cruise ships can use the 25-person raft. The 30-person raft is suitable for mid-sized cruise ships and larger cargo vessels. For large vessels like passenger ferries and cruise ships, the 48-person, 52-person, and 64-person rafts provide ample capacity.
Life Raft Types We Supply
We supply three types of life rafts:
Davit-Launched Raft
- Suitable Vessels: Larger ships such as cargo vessels, passenger ferries, and offshore platforms where davit systems are commonly installed.
- Ideal for: Ships with deck space and infrastructure to support davit launching.
- Davit launched life raft is connected to a davit and inflated at deck level, allowing passengers to board from the deck before being launched into the water.
- For safety, a liferaft must be at least 9 meters forward of the propeller.
Self-Righting Raft
- Suitable Vessels: Particularly important for vessels operating in rough seas or those at higher risk of capsizing, such as offshore supply vessels, fishing boats, and smaller commercial vessels.
- Ideal for: Vessels where automatic self-righting capability is crucial for passenger safety in adverse conditions.
- Self-righting rafts automatically return from a capsized to an upright position, ensuring passengers are kept safe and stable in challenging conditions.
Throw-Over Liferaft
- Suitable Vessels: Standard on various vessels, including smaller boats, yachts, recreational vessels, and some commercial vessels.
- Ideal for: Vessels without davit systems and those where quick manual deployment is necessary, such as small pleasure craft and fishing boats.
- Released from a cradle, throw-over inflatable life raft is thrown overboard or slides automatically into the water.
- Upon contact with water, it inflates with a pull of the painter line, ready for passengers to board.
Life Raft Material
Consider environmental conditions when choosing a marine life raft material. Neoprene, polyurethane, hypalon, and GRP rafts excel in specific settings for maritime safety.
Neoprene Raft
The neoprene raft is ideal for use in colder climates and regions where low temperatures are common. It offers good resistance to cold weather and is less prone to stiffening or cracking in cold conditions. This raft is commonly used in polar regions and areas with harsh winter conditions.
Hypalon Raft
The Hypalon raft is known for its durability and resistance to chemicals, oil, and extreme weather conditions. It is well-suited for use in hot and humid environments, as well as areas with high UV exposure. The Hypalon raft is commonly used in tropical regions and offshore platforms where resilience in harsh conditions is crucial.
Polyurethane Raft
The polyurethane raft is versatile and suitable for a wide range of environments. It offers high resistance to abrasion, UV exposure, and oil contamination, making it suitable for use in a variety of marine environments, including tropical climates and areas with high UV exposure. The polyurethane raft is commonly used in commercial shipping, offshore industries, and recreational boating in diverse conditions.
GRP Raft
GRP rafts, also called fiberglass rafts, offer durability and weight efficiency, perfect for smaller vessels prioritizing lighter materials. Resistant to corrosion, they excel in saltwater environments, making them ideal for coastal regions and various maritime applications, including recreational boating, yachting, and smaller commercial vessels where a blend of lightweight construction and durability is essential.
