Small boat emergency raft

[haagermeister]

I own a Catalina 25 and am looking to sail from Detroit to the North Channel of Lake Huron this summer. I don't currently have any sort of emergency raft for the boat. With the limited size and storage space, I'm curious what others with small boats keep for this? I don't imagine venturing more than 25 miles from shore.

Thanks

 

[kappykaplan]

What about towing a dingy?

 

[jssailem]

Welcome back. I’m guessing you resolved the bilge issue and had a good 2024 sailing season. Now your planing an adventure in a small boat.

Being 1mile or 25miles from shore is pretty much the same if your in the water and the boat is gone.

You could tow an 8ft dingy. There handy to get to shore and back to the boat.

Not falling off the boat is the primary way many if not most solo sailors cross oceans in smallish boats. Study the threads here on SBO about jacklines and tethers. They will help reduce the chance of falling off the boat. Most boats like your 25 have internal floatation designed to help keep the boat floating. Staying with the boat while awaiting rescue is often the best option.

Prepare a sail plan.

Float Plan Central – Official site of the Float Plan

The USCG has a formal one that you can use. Fill it out and share it with a couple good friends. Let them know when you’re leaving and when you arrive safely. The plan will help the rescue should you not check in on time.

Have personal flotation devices for all bodies on board. Have an emergency water tight bag (your go bag) with the critical documents in it ready to grab. Carry a floating hand held VHF radio to use in an emergency. Know how to use it.

Be sure of the weather, both the start of your adventure and what it will be like during and at the end of your journey. Leaving in sunshine, but then arriving in a squall can spoil your day.

Those are some thoughts.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Might consider the Revere Coastal Compact 2-man life raft; Valise. Just know that a dinghy in the water (towed) may or may not be a viable alternative to a dedicated life raft in an emergency. Depends on the circumstances. If you are working in windy conditions & seas, a light dinghy under tow can flip. Life rafts are stowed safely aboard until deployed and are designed not to flip once in the water, etc.

 

[pgandw]

When I had my ODay 25, I had an 8ft Avon inflatable as dinghy - and a sort of lifeboat. The boat also had about a 30" draft, board up. The one time we had a taking on water emergency - returning from Dry Tortugas - I told the wife to head for and run it hard aground at a nearby Marquesas sand bank/cay while I bailed and tried to fix the problem. Turned out to be a hose had popped off a normally above the waterline thru hull. But the thru hull was below waterline while on port tack, which we had spent several hours on. Yes, ODay and I failed in not putting a seacock on the thru hull, but that's not the point.

Realistically, running hard aground is the among the easiest and best solutions for a sinking shoal draft boat - if there is shallow water nearby. Running aground means the boat is in a fixed position should a rescue be necessary, and the chances are very good none of the people on board will drown. If you are fortunate - like I was - you can fix the problem yourself before you even damage the boat.

2nd best option is the towed dinghy.

Last option is you enter the water voluntarily or involuntarily, hopefully with a PFD on, and a strobe and PLB attached.

Cruising with at least one other boat gives you another option for assistance which will slot in nicely with the above, depending on the nature of the emergency. I have really come to like small group cruises when I sail solo for that very reason.

Fred W
Stuart Mariner 19 #4133 Sweet P

 

[dLj]

Personally, given where you are sailing and staying close to shore as you state - I wouldn't worry about carrying a life raft. I'd make sure all my thru hulls and hoses were in good shape. I'd make sure hatches and all things on the boat that could let in water were in good shape. Your boat is your best life raft. I'd put in some safety systems to be sure I stay onboard. Watch the weather - enjoy the trip.

dj

 

[Kings Gambit]

Yeah. If you don’t need to abandon ship, then you don’t need a life raft, etc. We never carried one before the last 6 years when we started cruising more often in cold water near Santa Cruz Island. In 65-deg F one has maybe 4 hr expected survival time. Of course, it would be longer in the warmer summertime temps of the Great Lakes. However, depending on sea conditions it could take a rescue boat minimally 2 hr to reach out to 25 n.mi., etc. If no life jacket is donned a victim would likely drown in less time. (At least no sharks!)

 

[colemj]

Spend the money on an EPIRB, a DSC VHF if not equipped already, and new seacocks and hoses if needed. One hand for the boat at all times.

Mark

 

[haagermeister]

Thanks all. Sounds like many are not too concerned with the life raft. Just for clarification, we are undecided if we would carry a dinghy. We may bring some paddle boards to get to shore, but part of this is deciding whether we should even have a dinghy

 

[jssailem]

When waters are calm and warm a paddle board provides fun with some utility. When conditions go from pleasant to brisk and chilly the fun and any level of utility declines.

Dinghies are primarily utility. They can also supply a measure of fun. Some are great rowers others can be rigged to sail. They provide dry transport for a couple of crew and or essential provisions.

This is your adventure you get to choose the story.

 

[colemj]

You will want a dinghy in the North Channel. Many great little islands and coves to explore away from the main boat, but further than I'd want to take a SUP.

Also, weather can turn on a dime unexpectedly, where even a small rowing dinghy would be better if caught downwind and in rain.

Mark