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Choose the right liferaft for your vessel

Match the raft to the vessel, voyage, people aboard, approval basis, launching arrangement and service support before comparing price or brand.

A liferaft is not selected by capacity alone. Two rafts carrying the same number of people can have different approvals, emergency packs, launching arrangements, stowage limits and service requirements. The right starting point is the vessel and voyage: who is aboard, where the vessel operates, how the raft will be launched and which authority or standard governs the installation.

Use this guide to organize that decision before approaching a supplier or service station. It does not replace the vessel's flag, class, surveyor, manufacturer or competent authority. It helps you ask the questions that prevent a convenient-looking raft from becoming the wrong equipment once it is mounted on board.

Sources checked August 2, 2026

Start with the vessel's actual operation.

Record the vessel's flag, use, certification, operating area and maximum persons aboard. A private yacht, commercial yacht, workboat, fishing vessel, passenger vessel and SOLAS ship can face different carriage and approval requirements even when their dimensions look similar. A previous owner's raft or a sister vessel's equipment list is evidence to investigate, not authority for the current operation.

Changes matter. Reflagging, entering charter, increasing passenger numbers, changing route or moving from coastal to offshore operation can alter what must be carried. Put written flag, class or survey instructions beside the vessel particulars before looking at models. If the governing requirement is unclear, resolve that first rather than asking a manufacturer catalogue to answer a regulatory question.

  • Flag and vessel use
  • Maximum persons aboard
  • Operating area and voyage
  • Class, coding or survey status
  • Written authority instructions already received

Choose the approval family before the product family.

Pleasure-craft liferafts may be built and approved to ISO 9650 arrangements, while convention vessels may require SOLAS/LSA Code equipment and administration acceptance. High-speed craft and some passenger operations can use open-reversible or other specialised arrangements. These labels are not quality grades. They describe different design, equipment, testing and operating contexts.

Read the complete approval and its limitations. Type, group, emergency pack, maximum stowage height, launch method and area of use can all matter. A product page showing a familiar standard mark is not enough if the specific variant, pack or capacity differs from the certificate. Ask for the exact model designation and approval document that will accompany the supplied raft.

  • Exact standard and approval
  • Model and capacity covered
  • Emergency pack variant
  • Maximum stowage or launching height
  • Any flag or area limitation

Match the raft to the launching arrangement.

Throw-overboard, davit-launched and open-reversible rafts solve different problems. A throw-overboard raft must be moved or released safely from its stowage position and boarded in the manner covered by its instructions. A davit-launched raft forms part of a lifting and embarkation arrangement that includes the davit, falls, release system, installation and operational procedure. An open-reversible raft is intended for operations where rapid access from either side is important and carries its own approval context.

Check how the raft is secured and released. A float-free canister arrangement may include a hydrostatic release unit, weak link, painter routing, cradle and securing strap that must work together. A valise can suit a different installation but needs dry, protected, immediately accessible stowage. The raft should not be selected first and forced into a location that compromises handling, inspection or deployment.

  • Throw-overboard, davit-launched or open-reversible
  • Canister, valise, cradle and securing method
  • Painter and weak-link arrangement
  • Hydrostatic release unit where required
  • Safe handling path from stowage to launch

Treat capacity and emergency pack as separate decisions.

Capacity must cover the complement required for the vessel's operation, but a larger number on the canister does not answer distribution, redundancy or launching questions. Consider where people are located, whether one raft could be inaccessible after an incident and how the vessel's approved arrangement divides capacity. Weight and canister dimensions also affect whether crew can handle the raft and whether the intended deck structure and cradle are suitable.

The emergency pack determines what survival equipment is packed inside for the intended approval and voyage. Do not assume that a familiar model name always carries the same pack. Confirm the exact suffix, pack designation and any separately stowed grab bag. Expiry-controlled contents and batteries also influence later service work, so the supplied documentation should state the configuration clearly.

  • Required complement and distribution
  • Raft weight and handling
  • Canister dimensions and deck space
  • Exact emergency pack
  • Separately stowed grab bag or equipment

Plan the service life before purchase.

A liferaft remains dependable through controlled storage, inspection and manufacturer-authorised servicing. Ask where the chosen make and model can be serviced on the vessel's normal route, whether trained stations and genuine parts are available, and how records move with the raft. A low purchase price can become expensive if every service requires long transport, uncertain spares or a temporary replacement raft.

Do not copy a service interval from another raft. The applicable interval can depend on the product, environmental packaging, approval, manufacturer instructions and flag acceptance. Extended-service variants may still require scheduled onboard checks and specific conditions. Record the exact next-service date from the supplied label and certificate, then keep it with the equipment register rather than relying on memory.

  • Authorised service network
  • Parts and documentation support
  • Manufacturer and flag interval
  • Onboard checks between services
  • Transport, rental cover and downtime

Compare the complete offer, not one headline feature.

Request a written schedule showing the exact raft, capacity, approval, pack, canister or valise, cradle, hydrostatic release equipment, delivery documentation and any installation work. Compare weight, dimensions, launch height, warranty conditions, service network and expected support alongside price. If an option is described as equivalent, ask which approval and vessel requirement make it equivalent.

Before committing, have the vessel's responsible person check the proposed arrangement against the fire and safety plan, operating documents and physical stowage location. The final question is not whether the raft is well made in general. It is whether this exact configuration can be installed, handled, maintained and accepted for this vessel and voyage.

  • Exact model and supplied configuration
  • Installation and stowage compatibility
  • Approval documents
  • Service and warranty network
  • Written confirmation against the vessel requirement

Official sources

Check the current authority text.

Requirements can change and may depend on the vessel, flag, class and operation. Use these links to verify the current source.

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