The single most expensive piece of safety kit on a cruising boat — and the one you most hope to never use. Five liferafts compared, from coastal budget to bluewater premium, plus the buying guide that explains ISO 9650-1 vs 9650-2, cradle vs valise, Pack 1 vs Pack 2, and what a decade of service really costs.
1. Do you need ISO 9650-1 or ISO 9650-2?
9650-1 = offshore, full equipment, designed for 24+ hour survival. Required for ocean passages, transatlantic, any route where SAR response could be more than a day. 9650-2 = coastal, lighter pack, designed for sub-24-hour rescue expectation. Fine for inshore, day-sailing, and well-patrolled coastal waters. The 9650-1 costs 30–60% more but is mandatory for serious offshore work — do not try to save money here if you are crossing the Bay of Biscay or going further.
2. Cradle or valise?
Cradle (canister) on deck — accessible instantly, deploys overboard with a single pull, but exposed to UV and weather (canister provides protection). Valise in locker — protected from elements, cheaper to mount, but you must physically carry 30–45 kg to the rail in a crisis. Offshore boats: cradle on deck. Coastal boats where deck space is limited: valise is acceptable but mount it within 5 seconds reach of a helmsman.
3. Pack 1 or Pack 2?
Pack 1 = full survival contents (24+ hours of food and water, full signalling kit including parachute flares and dye marker, repair kit, fishing kit, first aid, thermal protection). Pack 2 = coastal subset (limited food, basic signalling, repair patches). Pack 1 is non-negotiable offshore; Pack 2 is acceptable inshore if your grab bag fills the gap. Pack 1 typically adds £300–500 to the raft price.
4. How many persons?
Liferafts are rated by maximum capacity. Buy for maximum on-board count, not normal — if you ever take 6 people out on a 4-person raft, you have a problem. Common sizes: 4, 6, 8, 10. A 6-person raft is typically £200–400 more than a 4-person of the same model. For a couple, a 4-person raft is the right balance of capacity margin vs cost.
Plastimo Cruiser ISO 9650-2
Best budget coastal~£1,500· 9650-2 (coastal)· 4 person· Pack 2 (<24h)· Valise or cradle
The default coastal cruising liferaft for European sailors on a budget. ISO 9650-2 means up to 24-hour rescue expectation, double floor for thermal insulation, twin buoyancy tubes, self-righting in moderate seas.
Why pick it
Weekend and coastal cruising in European waters where you are within reasonable SAR response time and not expecting to be in the raft for more than a day. Plastimo service network is extensive across the UK and Mediterranean.
Watch out
ISO 9650-2 is not rated for ocean passage. The 3-yearly service interval is shorter than some premium rafts. If you plan to cross a sea (Bay of Biscay, Channel crossing in winter, Adriatic crossings), step up to a 9650-1.
Ocean Safety Ocean ISO 9650-1
Best offshore overall~£2,200· 9650-1 (offshore)· 4 person· Pack 1 (>24h)· Valise or cradle
British-built offshore liferaft. ISO 9650-1 rated for ocean passages, Pack 1 survival kit (24h+ rations, signalling, repair kit, first aid), insulated double floor, twin buoyancy tubes, full canopy with rainwater collection.
Why pick it
Bluewater cruisers, Channel crossings, Bay of Biscay, transatlantic plans, ARC participants. The Pack 1 contents give you real survival capability beyond the first 24 hours. Ocean Safety is a UK manufacturer with strong service support.
Watch out
Heavier than coastal rafts — 38 kg in valise form is at the limit of one-person deployment in difficult conditions. Cradle-mounted is the safer choice for offshore. Higher annual service cost than coastal rafts (~£300–400).
Crewsaver Hire ISO 9650-2
Best for charter & hire~£1,400· 9650-2 (coastal)· 4 person· Pack 2 (<24h)· Valise
Crewsaver Hire is the workhorse of the UK and Med charter fleet. ISO 9650-2 coastal rating, designed for high-cycle hire use, lower acquisition cost balanced by annual service requirement.
Why pick it
Charter operators, sailing schools, hire fleet operators. Easier to insure for commercial use than premium rafts and cheaper to replace at end of service life. Crewsaver service centres exist in every major UK port.
Watch out
Annual service interval costs ~£200/year — over 3 years the total ownership cost approaches a Pack 1 raft with 3-yearly service. Not the cheapest if you keep it for a decade. Coastal-only rating.
Viking RescYou Pro ISO 9650-1
Best premium~£2,800· 9650-1 (offshore)· 4 person· Pack 1 (>24h)· Canister (cradle-mounted)
Danish-built premium offshore raft. SOLAS-grade construction in a recreational package. Reinforced canopy, larger water ballast pockets for stability in heavy seas, premium survival pack.
Why pick it
World cruisers, ARC participants, anyone planning a route that may put them out of SAR range for extended periods. Viking is the manufacturer behind most commercial-ship liferafts — the build standard is genuinely higher than typical recreational rafts.
Watch out
Canister-only — must be cradle-mounted on deck. Heavier than valise rafts. Annual service is mandatory and costs ~£350. The 12-yearly mandatory inflation test costs ~£600. Total ownership cost is higher than headline price.
Switlik MD-4
Ultra-premium / racing offshore~£3,800· 9650-1 (offshore)· 4 person· Pack 1 (>24h)· Canister (cradle-mounted)
US-built premium offshore raft. Used by US Navy and Coast Guard for SAR. Compliant with ISAF / World Sailing offshore racing rules. Triple buoyancy tubes, oversize ballast pockets, reinforced canopy and floor.
Why pick it
Offshore racing (RORC, ARC, Sydney Hobart), serious bluewater cruisers, anyone who wants the same liferaft the US Coast Guard uses. Compliant with most international offshore racing rules out of the box.
Watch out
Significantly more expensive than European equivalents. Service network outside the US is thinner; allow time and cost for shipping to authorised service centres. Heavier and bulkier than ISO-spec rafts.
The sticker price is only the first cheque you write. Service is mandatory, and a decade of services typically costs more than the raft itself. Approximate 10-year ownership cost for a 4-person raft:
Service intervals — actually mandatory
Liferaft service is not optional and not DIY. Skipping a service voids your insurance and almost certainly means the raft will not inflate when you need it. Service intervals are 1 or 3 years depending on the model and the service tier. The first service after purchase is sometimes deferred 2 or 3 years from the date of manufacture — read the documentation that comes with the raft.
Where to mount it — actually critical
A liferaft is only useful if it is reachable and deployable in seconds, by one person, in heavy weather. Coachroof, transom rail, or pushpit are the standard locations on cruising yachts. Lazarette stowage works for valise rafts if you can physically move 35 kg through a hatch quickly. Test the deployment path with a fender or weight before you trust it.
Grab bag — the missing piece
Even a Pack 1 liferaft survival pack is the minimum kit. A properly-prepared grab bag (waterproof, briefcase-sized) doubles your effective time in the raft. Contents: handheld VHF with DSC, PLB, EPIRB (if separate from the raft pack), passports, additional water and rations, hand-held flares, fishing line, spare prescription medicine, a knife. See our emergency procedures guide for the full grab bag list.
Hire vs buy
Several UK suppliers (Premier Marine, Adec) offer liferaft hire from ~£200 per week or ~£500 per season. Worth it for one-off offshore passages (ARC qualification, one summer cruise) where you do not need a permanent raft. Ownership becomes cheaper than hire at around 18 months of regular use.
Used liferafts — sometimes fine, sometimes a trap
Used liferafts can be a real saving — but only if the service history is documented and the raft has time left before its end-of-life inflation test. A used raft with no service paperwork is worthless. Budget for an immediate service after purchase (~£250) and check the manufacturer-specified maximum age (typically 12–15 years from manufacture).
Do I need a liferaft for coastal cruising?
Not legally for private craft in UK or most EU jurisdictions for coastal use — but every cruising school and offshore racing rule requires one. In practice: if you sail more than 5 nm from a safe haven, the answer is yes. A liferaft is the difference between a sinking event being a story and a tragedy.
What is the difference between SOLAS and ISO 9650 rafts?
SOLAS rafts are commercial-shipping spec — built for 30+ day survival, much heavier, much more expensive (£5,000+). ISO 9650 is the recreational standard — fit for purpose for sailing yachts. Buying a SOLAS raft for a sailing yacht is over-spec and the weight penalty matters more than the survival margin. Stick with ISO 9650-1 or 9650-2.
When should I replace it entirely?
Manufacturers specify a maximum age — typically 12 years from date of manufacture, with some allowing 15 years if service history is clean. Beyond that, the fabric degrades and the raft cannot be certified for service. Plan to replace it at that point, or earlier if a service ever reveals a failed pressure test or significant fabric damage.
Can I deploy a liferaft for practice?
Yes — some service centres offer training deployments where you inflate the raft, get in, and learn the drills. Costs ~£50–100 in addition to the service. Strongly recommended once in the first year of ownership. The first time you should pull the painter should not be in a real abandon-ship.
How long does it take to deploy?
From decision to a fully-inflated raft in the water with the painter attached: typically 30–60 seconds for a cradle-mounted canister with a strong, prepared crew. From locker with valise: 2–4 minutes if everything goes well, much longer if it does not. This is why cradle-mounted is the safer choice offshore.
Affiliate disclosure: Amazon links above are affiliate links — Elio may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We have no commercial relationship with Plastimo, Ocean Safety, Crewsaver, Viking, or Switlik. For a purchase this large, we strongly recommend buying from a specialist marine retailer (Force 4, SVB, Marine Super Store) rather than Amazon — the service relationship is what you are buying as much as the raft.