Liferaft/dinghy combo
Hi Robert - I saw an article in Cruising World recently about a home-brewed hard shelled dinghy that was designed to double as a liferaft (I think it was in the December or January issue). It was an interesting read, as the author had incorporated several "lifesaving" features such as boarding transom, makeshift sailing rig, enclosed canopy, etc. However, as the magazine's "safety expert editor" (or some such title) pointed out, it would be rather difficult to deploy and board an open craft such as this in extreme conditions which would like be experienced if one were to need a liferaft. I'm a rigid sailing dinghy fan (I still use one as my sole tender), but I plan to invest in a real liferaft designed for emergency use before I venture offshore. Just my 2 cents, Trevor
