Life Rafts Required for Alaska Com Fish

I wonder if or when this will reach the recreational boating community.

From National Fisherman:

The Loud Hailer

Life raft requirements
Coast Guard crew members use a boat hook to pull in an empty life raft during a 2013 rescue. David Weydert/USCG photo.


Southeast Alaska fishermen taking their small boats further than three miles offshore will soon be required to have a life raft on board, says the Coast Guard.

Starting Feb. 26, boats under 36 feet will be required to carry an inflatable life raft.

Coast Guard officials were traveling throughout the region in early February to answers questions and address concerns about the new rules, as well as offering free dockside inspections.

Some fishermen at these meetings were concerned about not being able to order and have a raft on their boat before the deadline. According to Alaska Public Media reports, Jim Paul, the Coast Guard’s fishing vessel examiner in Ketchikan, said fishermen would get a 60-day extension if they could prove with a receipt that they had ordered one.

Anyone out fishing without a raft after the deadline could be sent back to port with a potentially hefty fine.

Probably not....recs don't go out in unreasonable conditions as often as the commercial guys.

While everyone up there should think about it, I am sure it is as much for crewman who run the risk of going to sea with a cone headed skipper and this helps their survival chances.

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

I wonder if or when this will reach the recreational boating community.

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I would think not soon and that's probably ill advised. Ironic that larger boats are required to have them, yet smaller boats are more likely to encounter problems at sea. I guess the assumption is they won't go out in rough conditions and won't go far out.

Another thing I'd toss out for thought and that is the type of life raft and the ability to quickly deploy. Most manufacturers have many models from Coastal to Ocean less than 24 hours. Some are and some are not SOLAS approved. Every flag state has it's own rules. Then open vs. fully enclosed. We have life rafts that meet all requirements but still questioning whether there are better choices available that we should have.

Now I do think for the small recreational boat, cost starts to become a large factor. Not just the cost of the raft but regular servicing of it.

psneeld said:

Probably not....recs don't go out in unreasonable conditions as often as the commercial guys.

While everyone up there should think about it, I am sure it is as much for crewman who run the risk of going to sea with a cone headed skipper and this helps their survival chances.

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I wish I felt you were exaggerating but I'm afraid unfortunately you're understating the situation if anything.

Tom, does this only apply to commercial fishing boats or recreational boats too?

How's about survival suits too?

GFC said:

Tom, does this only apply to commercial fishing boats or recreational boats too?

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For now just commercial.

I have the Gumby suits.....

We have gumby suits and a SOLAS approved open ocean life raft.

Here in Alaska we have something they call their 50/50 rule.

If you find yourself in the water you have an approx 50% chance of making it 50' to shore.

ksanders said:

We have gumby suits and a SOLAS approved open ocean life raft.

Here in Alaska we have something they call their 50/50 rule.

If you find yourself in the water you have an approx 50% chance of making it 50' to shore.

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Even where it's 5/500 still a great idea.