Spring Safety Checklist- Life Rafts

Starting the safety check list on life rafts ..Do you have a life raft? If not you should consider it a purchase for your Spring Boating needs. You can expect to pay between $1200.00 for a very simple single tubed life raft and up to $6000.00 or more for a top of the line offshore life raft.  Always access your boating needs and trips to determine which new life raft will best suit them. Different life raft manufactures require different servicing intervals on each life raft so that may be a consideration during purchasing as well.
 When purchasing a new life raft remember to consider the number of persons on your boat most of the time and try to match that number to the person capacity of the life raft.
Purchasing a life raft can be a tough decision so let someone help you.


Servicing a life raft is super important to the life of the life raft as well as the functionality. I have written other posts on servicing a life raft such as this one and this one and the point is always the same ...If you do not service the life raft you are taking a big risk that the life raft will not function properly. In one of the posts I highlighted the importance of servicing because the batteries in the flash light became corroded and battery acid leaked out all over the rest of the equipment. The raft had not been serviced one time in it's 10 year life... That particular raft should have been serviced 3 times. 

I don't know about you but I would hate to be the first one in that life raft after struggling in a desperate situation just to find out I had no flash light, no first aid kit, and no flares thanks to leaky batteries.... Can servicing always guarantee a working raft so every one is spared from the worst, no but it can up the odds a lot. Remember being safe on the water involves a lot of factors and having the best equipment and knowledge are your best defense against a bad situation.

Here is a good quality Made in the USA Life Raft
The Switlik MD-3
Offshore Life Raft
ISO-9650-1 approved
6 Person capacity
$5190.00 in a soft valise
$5255.00 in a hard fiberglass container

EPIRB and PLB Spring Check List

If you read THIS POST last week then you know we are trying to help you check the safety gear on your boat before Spring arrives and lots of boating gets under way. This week will will focus on EPIRBs and PLBs. Both EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon)  (**note that the link is very helpful but a bit dated as the 121.5 MHz signal is no longer monitored as an emergency response signal and is now used as a fly over homing signal only**)and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacon) operate in the same way. There are differences including a longer battery life, floatation and deployment options, but they all have a battery life and expiration date! 

EPIRBs and PLBs operate on the 406 MHz frequency, if you still have 121.5 EPIRB you will need to replace it.
Starting on 1 February 2009, the Cospas-Sarsat System stopped processing signals from the deprecated 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz beacons; now only signals from 406 MHz beacons are processed. The switch to 406 MHz is expected to result in a substantial reduction in wasted use of SAR resources on false alerts while simultaneously increasing the responsiveness of the system for real distress cases.

COSPAS-SARSAT

If you have an EPIRB or PLB locate the battery expiration date and check it.

If you do not have one you should strongly consider purchasing one.

The gentleman in this post was not going to buy one but we encouraged him to purchase at least a PLB and it saved his life.

EPIRBs have to have a minimum battery life of 48 hours, they are designed to float in the water up right and transmit a signal, they also have a tether line to tied them to you or your life raft. EPIRBs come in Manual Deployment Versions and Automatic Deployment Versions. The Automatic Deployment EPIRBs have a housing and a Hydrostatic release unit that will set the EPIRB off and release it from the housing, allowing it to float to the surface and transmit. EPIRBs are also available with and with out a GPS transmitter built in. The GPS will help narrow down the search area.

PLBs will have a minimum operation time of 24 hours, they all have to be manually deployed and even though some models float they are not designed to float up right and transmit in the water like and EPIRB. PLBs usually have to be held with the antenna facing the sky. This doesn't mean your signal would not transmit if there was not a clear view of the sky, it is simply the best case scenario. Most PLB models have the built in GPS transmitter which will give rescuers a better idea of exactly where the user is.

So the check list is as follows:

Be sure the EPIRB is a 406 MHz and not a 121.5 MHz operating unit. It is OK to have both.

Be sure the battery is not expired

If the battery is expired find a factory authorized replacement center in your area.

Preform the manufactures self test

If it is an Automatic Deployment Unit check the date on the Hydrostatic Release

(good for 2 years)

Make sure the Housing is in working condition

For PLBs

Check the battery and perform the self test.

Safe boating is the best boating. Come back later in the week as we highlight some rescue stories and introduce you to AMVER (Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System , there are some rescue stories like these that resulted because of AMVER.

Also don't forget to fan us on Facebook for our Daily Deal section of our Website using QR Code and a password only fans get... the savings are Awesome!!

Spring is On the Way

Spring begins on March 20th....Have you made plans for using your boat? Are you getting ready for a fun summer on the water?
Triad Marine has everything you need to spruce up an old dinghy including a full service factory authorized repair facility.
We have parts and accessories as well as repair materials for the hands on do it yourself kind of people.
If you don't think your dinghy is worth sprucing up and you are thinking of a new one we can help. We sell quality name brand inflatable boats.
Our sales staff is committed to knowing about the boats we sell. We do not sell products that we have no knowledge of. We are an inflatable boat dealership not a warehouse store and not a super marine store. Why settle for any inflatable boat when you can buy a quality inflatable boat.

Spring specials and closeouts available take a peak at Triad's Webstore

Warm Weather is Coming..

Did you know that we can put a bimini top on your inflatable boat? Well we can and if you come before April 15th you can save $20 on any installed bimini top!

Don't let the sun beat down on you all summer long!

Reminders for Spring

This should cover most of your list come and see us or call today!

Now until April 15th save $20 on any installed Bimini top

 Save $10 on any boat cover

Save $10 off of the ACR Aqualink PLB

 Get professionally installed Boat Number Plates for any inflatable for $140.00!!!

Under Seat Storage bag with Cushion $40.00

Visit our website Triad Marine