How to Test a Life Raft
A life raft is a necessity if you use your boat on large bodies on water. You should test all life-saving equipment frequently, and that includes life rafts. All cruise ships do a complete run-through of all life-saving equipment weekly. Even if a person knows his way around boats, the placement and use of a life raft will be different on every vessel.
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Instructions
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Test your life raft in a controlled environment. If it is a small raft, you can use a swimming pool. For a larger one, a lake or other body of water without traffic would be ideal. To avoid accidents, never attempt to do this alone.
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Make sure anyone participating in the test is wearing comfortable clothes or whatever they would wear on board the boat. You want the test to resemble a real situation as much as much possible.
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Toss the life raft onto the water. The hold line or tether line should be attached firmly. The raft should open and begin inflating by pulling on this line. Pull the line and make sure your raft opens in a reasonable amount of time for its size.
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Open the top to its full height so that passengers will be able to enter easily. Allow the raft to float and make sure it remains upright.
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Check for leaks by looking at the base of the raft for air bubbles forming in the water. Mark any areas that might be leaking with a black waterproof marker. They will need to be repaired.
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Tell each person taking part in the test to come to the side of the pool or boat while wearing their life vest. This is a good time to check life vests and be sure they are functioning properly. Instruct all passengers in the proper way of wearing a life vest.
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Know the weight the life raft can carry safely. Using that number, determine how many people can fit on the life raft. Ask those participating in the test to remove their shoes unless they are wearing rubber-soled shoes.
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Ask each person to jump into the water and head for the raft which should be tethered to a stationary object for the purposes of the test. Tell them to make their way to the raft in a calm and orderly fashion.
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Monitor the arrival of each person to the life raft. Tell the most able person to enter the raft first. He can then help less able people get into the raft. Make sure that the raft is balanced by having equal weight on all sides.
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Allow the raft to float for 15 minutes after the last person boards. Make sure it remains inflated and the orange top stays upright. Check for emergency equipment such as oars and flares. Make sure they are in working order. Check the closure flaps on top of the raft. There should be nothing impeding the opening and closing of these flaps.
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Steer the raft toward a flat surface such as a dock. Help the passengers out of the raft. Inspect the raft for any visible damage. If you have marked any areas that leaked, have them repaired.
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Inspect the hold or tether ropes to make sure they are also in good shape and not fraying. Change any that may need to be changed. This test might be time-consuming, but in the event of a storm or other dangerous situation that will cause you and your passengers to leave the main vessel, properly working life rafts are literally lifesavers.
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Tips & Warnings
If your vessel requires more than one raft, use the tether rope to tie them together so that you do not separate in high waves.
Never board a vessel for even a short trip without ascertaining that your safety equipment is in proper working order.
References
- Photo Credit rafters image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
