Life Rafts: The Complete Guide (Offshore & Coastal)

Life rafts save lives—but only if you understand when to abandon ship, how rafts are built, and what features actually matter offshore. In this video we cover the “stay with the boat” mindset, common life raft design (dual tubes, canopy, boarding device, ballast pockets), and why features like a canopy and double floor can be critical for exposure and hypothermia protection. We also break down the difference between coastal vs offshore rafts, canister vs valise configurations, how deployment works via painter line + CO₂, what hydrostatic releases do, and what to expect if a raft capsizes (righting straps/handles). Finally, we touch on equipment packs, capacity, typical service intervals, and how to think about lifespan and durability. Go deeper on offshore emergency prep: https://www.nauticed.org/bundle/view/captain?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=zLZaCbk14XQ Looking for a life raft check out LRSE: https://www.lrse.com 00:00 - “Stay With the Boat” Principle 00:19 - Liferaft Anatomy (Tubes, Canopy, Boarding) 01:22 - Coastal vs Offshore Life Rafts 01:46 - Canister vs Valise (Stowage + Use Cases) 01:57 - How Inflation Works (Painter Line + CO₂) 02:55 - Capsize Risk + Ballast Pockets 03:18 - Equipment Packs (Basic vs Offshore) 03:39 - Must-Have Features Checklist 04:01 - Service Intervals + Expected Lifespan 04:17 - Brand/Build Priorities (Weight vs Durability) #sailing #offshore #boating #liferaft