SURVIVAL LIFERAFT

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PRICE from £999 plus VAT 

A club I fly from has a communal liferaft. However, it is 30lb and a sizable package. Where the Survival Liferaft comes up trumps is in the weight – just 12lb. It’s also surprisingly small. At 4 inches thick, 12 inches wide and 14 inches long it’s not going to take up much space. It’s the lightest, most compact liferaft available. The top model (£1150 plus VAT) also comes with an incredible amount of kit: a sea anchor (helps stability), bailing bucket, compass, day/night signal flare, signal flashlight, desalting kit, first aid kit, fishing kit (come on chaps – no time for that), repair kit, utility knife, food rations, water rations, hand paddles, metalised blanket, signal whistle and signal mirror. Blimey – it’s almost a yacht.

The extra kit adds another 10lb and comes in the same size pack as the raft.

At Old Buck where we did the photo shoot everyone was amazed at the size and weight. Conversations moved onto how useful these are if you had to ditch in water.

Would you have time to unsecure it and get it from the rear of the aircraft? Not so much of a problem if you have passengers but would you manage it on your own? One pilot we spoke to had been on a ditching course – he said it was an incredibly difficult manoeuvre.

So size and weight are important. Lugging a whopping great liferaft out of the door as you head into the murky waters is going to be a tough one but this is compact and not heavy. Your passengers might thank you for the space once they are in it as well!

The price with the canopy is £999 (plus VAT) from Harry Mendelssohn.
W. www.gps.co.uk

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