open Avon Liferaft

[letterman]

I have a 6 person Avon Liferaft that I would like to inspect. I don't know how to open it, so I emailed Avon and got this response..Hello Tom,Your email inquiry has been forwarded to my desk.The Avon raft in a white case would be an Emergency Life Raft!You should never attempt to open this case!!!!!!!If this case is opened incorrectly it could possibly cause serious bodilyharm to you and irreparable damage to the life raft and/or its equipment!Any and all life rafts MUST be inspected by a factory authorized servicingfacility.The service intervals are based on the age of the life raft.Older units (built before 2003) must be inspected every year.Avon rafts built in 2003 & 2004 can go three (3) years before the firstservice and then every year there after.Avon & Zodiac life rafts manufactured after Sept. 2005 require inspectionservice every three (3) years for the first fifteen (15) years from date ofmanufacture.Not knowing the age or service history of your raft I can't recommend aservice schedule, but the service center closest to you is;Samsel Supply Co. 1285 Old River Rd. Cleveland, OH. phone,216-241-0333They should be able to assist you with any questions you might have.If not - Please let me know and I will help you in any way that we can.Thank you for choosing Avon!Best Regards,Keith NowellAs Will Rogers would say "well now, gosh darn gee". I knew I could get hurt if I did it improperly, so I thought I would ask, and they tell me I can get hurt, which really didn't answer my question. They must have MBA's to be so smart. So does anyone know how to do this? If not, I'm going to take this sucker to Kissing Bridge Ski Resort, take it to the top of the hill, pull the ripcord and ride it as far down as I can!! Then, I think I shall sue Avon for not telling me that too could be dangerous.

 

[Larry Wilson]

do you want to test it or play with it?

Pull the activator cord, and if it inflates, it's all good. You might want to stand back a ways when you do this. Then pay to have it inspected and certified.Or not. If you don't plan to use it as a life raft, it doesn't matter. If you do, don't you want someone that you could sue to inspect it?

 

[caguy]

C'mon Letterman pull the cord!!!*YKS

Just have your video camera ready so you can share the fun with us.

 

[Robert Gainer]

A raft is reasonably expensive

A liferaft during a test is usually inflated with a low pressure air source. Something like a vacuum cleaner in reverse. Never pull the cord unless you don’t intend to have it recertified. If you want to inspect it yourself (not recommended) you cut the seal (fiberglass canister only) with a knife that has a blade just a touch shorter then the width of the seal. The test for the fabric is to measure the air volume loss over a measured time. The standard is different for different brands. You also need to weigh the cylinder and replace batteries and other time stamped things like first aid kits and flares.A raft is reasonably expensive and if it were mine I would want to be sure it was in working condition so I have mine properly inspected. But I also pay insurance on the boat and do other things to try and protect myself. To each his own I guess.Good luck,Robert Gainer

 

[wrenchs wench]

ditto

i say pull the cord and sue the CAGUY!!!!

 

[letterman]

another area to consider

They use to make these things out of rubber, that deteriorated over time, even in the fiberglass valise, according to Avon. If you have a rubber one, it's worthless. There are stories of people in the middle latitudes that had the need and found out their liferaft sunk after a day or two in the sun and salty water. Of course Avon doesn't have to recall them, so they have their qualified techies tell you that, after they take it apart. Then they charge you anyway. I suppose that is a good thing, in retrospect...but COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN AM I a Pirtate after all?Am I not a guy!@??Don't I like challenges??The answer is HELL YES!! I didn't get kicked out of college for nuthin!!!Maybe I should sell it on Ebay. But where is the adrenalin rush? I ask you? As I use to say in the factory...PUSH THE BUTTON JOE!!!!!

 

[Ross]

Life rafts are a lot like parachutes if they

Don't work bring them back for a refund. Back in the dark ages when I was in the Air Force All of the "Ditch Equipment" was tested on a regular schedule.To my knowledge none of it ever had to pass a real operational test. But they did strap parachutes to sand bag dummies and drop them for the boys the the shop.

 

[Benny]

Yes liferafts are expensive to own and maintain.

For a full time cruiser it may be a well worth expense but for the rest of us there is the alternative of renting. You can rent a larger, better raft than you could probably justify purchasing for that trip you take once a year. For those that own a raft and no longer need it have it inspected and recertified and go ahead and sell it.