Youlong liferafts: identification and service guide
A label-first process for identifying Youlong inflatable life-saving equipment and confirming the exact model before authorised service.
Sources checked August 2, 2026
Youlong equipment may be encountered through vessel inventories, approval records or service-station directories even when current public manufacturer information is difficult to retrieve. That makes physical identification and documentary traceability especially important. The correct service decision must rest on the unit, approval and current technical data—not on an image match.
The Safety Pelican services Youlong equipment within its current authorised scope in Sint Maarten. Send the complete label and previous certificate before delivery so the station can confirm the model, support position and applicable process with the manufacturer information available to authorised personnel.
A complete, readable photograph
Records with the same identity
Confirmed against that exact unit
Make the physical label the primary source
Photograph the packed appliance from all sides and take close, sharp images of the manufacturer plate, approval marking and last service label. Record the manufacturer's full legal name as shown, model, serial number, capacity, approval number, manufacture date, pack, container type and service dates. Keep original punctuation and suffixes because those details can separate variants.
If any marking is in more than one language, photograph every version rather than translating it from memory. Add the previous certificate and vessel inventory, but flag any mismatch. Do not open the container, scrape a label or operate the painter to find hidden information; the station can decide the safe identification route.
- Full manufacturer name
- Model, suffix and serial
- Approval and capacity
- Pack and container
- All service labels and records
Confirm station scope against the exact unit
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency's public service-station finder lists Shanghai Youlong among life-saving appliance manufacturers, demonstrating why manufacturer and station records are useful cross-checks. A directory listing is not, by itself, approval for every model at every station. Current authorisation, technical instructions, parts and test capability still need confirmation.
Send identification early enough for that check. If the manufacturer document, approval or service history cannot be reconciled, the correct result may be a request for more evidence or a referral rather than an improvised service. Traceability is a safety control, not paperwork added after the technical work.
- Manufacturer record cross-check
- Model-specific station scope
- Current technical data
- Parts and test capability
- Referral if identity cannot be resolved
Document condition and installation before removal
Show how the raft is stowed and released. Include the cradle, straps, painter, weak link and hydrostatic release where present, together with close images of cracks, impact, deformation, missing fasteners, corrosion, broken seals or suspected water entry. Note any period of unprotected shore storage or exposure to fuel, solvent or heat.
The workshop process addresses the accepted raft under the applicable procedure; external installation components may have separate dates or replacement rules. Agree which items are included and who will reinstall them. A freshly serviced raft cannot compensate for a painter routed incorrectly or an expired hydrostatic release left aboard.
- Stowage overview
- Painter and release components
- Container damage
- Contamination or exposure
- Removal and reinstallation scope
Build a service file that survives crew changes
Provide the vessel name, flag, use, port, required date, responsible contact and regulatory context. Add the full photographic identity set and every available certificate. If records are missing, say so plainly; an incomplete but honest file is safer than a guessed manufacture date or copied interval.
At return, compare the model and serial across raft, service label and certificate. Record repairs, replaced items, next-service information and external installation work in the vessel register. Store the photographs with the certificate so a later request can be confirmed without relying on a weathered deck label alone.
- Vessel and authority context
- Complete photographic identity
- Known record gaps
- Returned certificate reconciliation
- Updated equipment register
Official sources
Manufacturer and authority references for this guide. Check the current requirements for your equipment and vessel.
- Shanghai Youlong Rubber Products
Shanghai Youlong
- Find a service station for inflatable life-saving appliances
UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency
- Recommendation on conditions for approval of servicing stations for inflatable liferafts
International Maritime Organization