Would you

[hummingbirdbassist]

If you could purchase a 16 person survival raft at a reasonable price would you?
Consider: size of boat
Area to sail or thinking of sailing
Weight of raft( 400lbs)
Chime in

 

[kloudie1]

Wouldn't even consider buying one that size. 16 person raft is huge! Check out the inspection and re-certification costs before you buy..

 

[Stu Jackson]

Why? Where ya goin'? Most stuff I've read says to maybe double the size of the raft to the # of occupants expected. Do you often sail where you'd need one with 8 people on a 30 foot boat?

Good question, though.

 

[Johnb]

The only downside I can see is the weight and maybe bulk.

Also there is as you say, intended purpose - if you want it for blue water is it up to that use?

One other thing, routine re packing costs, are you willing to keep up the schedule for maintenance?

 

[Benny17441]

It depends on what you intend to use it for, other than as a life raft on a pleasure craft.

 

[Mark Price]

One more thing to think about is in high seas and wind conditions you need to have raft loaded at a minimum with 1/2 the rate capacity or you risk the winds getting under the raft and flipping you over repeatedly. Not what you want when a good sail has already turned very nasty (or you would not be in that raft in the first place).