Posted by goldbdan (goldbdan@…>)
Anyone have a view as to whether it’s worth the extra money to get a Winslow or
Switlik over,
say, a Revere? We are sailing from the U.S. east coast to Bermuda with a
crusing rally. That
really will be the extent of our blue water sailing; otherwise, it’s all coastal
or the Bahamas.
My thinking is that it’s not worth the extra money, unless of course I end up
needing the
thing. 
The difference in cost, all in, is about $1900; $2300 for the Revere
and about
$4200 for the Winslow; the Switlik is substantially more expensive. An
additional advantage
of the Winslow is that it is so light (about 40lbs v. 80lbs compared to just
about any other
raft).
I know this is not Freedom specific, but it’s still about sailing and I plan to
use the raft on our
Freedom, so what the heck.
DG
“Miracle”
Posted by george huffman (thatboatguy2@…>)
Why not rent one? Many people do this for single offshore passage situations and there are a multitude of companies renting rafts… just google around. :)Georgegoldbdan <goldbdan@…> wrote: Anyone have a view as to whether it’s worth the extra money to get a Winslow or Switlik over, say, a Revere? We are sailing from the U.S. east coast to Bermuda with a crusing rally. That really will be the extent of our blue water sailing; otherwise, it’s all coastal or the Bahamas. My thinking is that it’s not worth the extra
money, unless of course I end up needing the thing. The difference in cost, all in, is about $1900; $2300 for the Revere and about $4200 for the Winslow; the Switlik is substantially more expensive. An additional advantage of the Winslow is that it is so light (about 40lbs v. 80lbs compared to just about any other raft). I know this is not Freedom specific, but it’s still about sailing and I plan to use the raft on our Freedom, so what the heck. DG “Miracle”
Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it’s updated for today’s economy) at Yahoo! Games.
Posted by goldbdan (goldbdan@…>)
George, thanks for the thought. I’ve considered that, and it’s possible I’ll do
it. But, the
cost to rent is only about $1,000 less than buying the cheaper raft, and I’m
reasonably
confident that the rental companies don’t provide the more expensive rafts. Not
that
$1,000 is nothing (obviously I’m debating because of a cost differential of
about $2,000),
but if it turns out that I ever want to make the Bermuda trip a second time or
anything like
an overnight “offshore” (even just running up to Maine or something), then I
think I would
be better off buying a raft. That is, I think I’m better off buying the less
expensive raft
than renting, but that may not hold true re: the more expensive rafts.
DG
— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, george huffman <thatboatguy2@…>
wrote:
Why not rent one? Many people do this for single offshore passage situations
and there
are a multitude of companies renting rafts… just google around.
George
goldbdan <goldbdan@…> wrote: Anyone have a
view as to whether
it’s worth the extra money to get a Winslow or Switlik over,
say, a Revere? We are sailing from the U.S. east coast to Bermuda with a
crusing rally.
That
really will be the extent of our blue water sailing; otherwise, it’s all
coastal or the
Bahamas.
My thinking is that it’s not worth the extra money, unless of course I end up
needing
the
thing. The difference in cost, all in, is about $1900; $2300 for the
Revere and about
$4200 for the Winslow; the Switlik is substantially more expensive. An
additional
advantage
of the Winslow is that it is so light (about 40lbs v. 80lbs compared to just
about any
other
raft).
I know this is not Freedom specific, but it’s still about sailing and I plan
to use the raft
on our
Freedom, so what the heck.
DG
“Miracle”
Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
Play Monopoly Here and Now (it’s updated for today’s economy) at Yahoo! Games.
Posted by michel.capel (michel.capel@…>)
Dan,
Before the cost issue is tackled, isn’t it better to
first ‘calculate’ your risk and then decide how to mitigate this?
Let’s try and make a risk calculation:
Plus- factors (increase risk):
of shipping lanes to cross;
of commercial port entries to cross;
of obstacles (e.g. oil rigs) in cruising waters;
of reefs and rocky bottoms in sailing grounds;
of seaworthy crew on board;
chance of winds over 50 kn and duration of these periods;
availability and quality of rescue services in cruising grounds;
Minus factors (decrease risk):
mostly warm waters; less risk of hypothermia with single bottom raft;
shallow sandy waters;
sufficiently populated islands in cruising area;
etc.
Good luck,
michel
— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, “goldbdan” <goldbdan@…>
wrote:
George, thanks for the thought. I’ve considered that, and it’s
possible I’ll do it. But, the
cost to rent is only about $1,000 less than buying the cheaper
raft, and I’m reasonably
confident that the rental companies don’t provide the more
expensive rafts. Not that
$1,000 is nothing (obviously I’m debating because of a cost
differential of about $2,000),
but if it turns out that I ever want to make the Bermuda trip a
second time or anything like
an overnight “offshore” (even just running up to Maine or
something), then I think I would
be better off buying a raft. That is, I think I’m better off
buying the less expensive raft
than renting, but that may not hold true re: the more expensive
rafts.
DG
— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, george huffman
<thatboatguy2@>
wrote:
Why not rent one? Many people do this for single offshore
passage situations and there
are a multitude of companies renting rafts… just google
around.
George
goldbdan <goldbdan@> wrote: Anyone
have a view as to whether
it’s worth the extra money to get a Winslow or Switlik over,
say, a Revere? We are sailing from the U.S. east coast to
Bermuda with a crusing rally.
That
really will be the extent of our blue water sailing; otherwise,
it’s all coastal or the
Bahamas.
My thinking is that it’s not worth the extra money, unless of
course I end up needing
the
thing. The difference in cost, all in, is about $1900;
$2300 for the Revere and about
$4200 for the Winslow; the Switlik is substantially more
expensive. An additional
advantage
of the Winslow is that it is so light (about 40lbs v. 80lbs
compared to just about any
other
raft).
I know this is not Freedom specific, but it’s still about
sailing and I plan to use the raft
on our
Freedom, so what the heck.
DG
“Miracle”
Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
Play Monopoly Here and Now (it’s updated for today’s economy) at
Yahoo! Games.
Posted by Geoffrey Schultz (geoff.freedom@geoffschultz.org>)
— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, “goldbdan” <goldbdan@…>
wrote:
Anyone have a view as to whether it’s worth the extra money to get
a Winslow or Switlik over,
say, a Revere? We are sailing from the U.S. east coast to Bermuda
with a crusing rally. That
really will be the extent of our blue water sailing; otherwise,
it’s all coastal or the Bahamas.
My thinking is that it’s not worth the extra money, unless of
course I end up needing the
thing. The difference in cost, all in, is about $1900; $2300
for the Revere and about
$4200 for the Winslow; the Switlik is substantially more
expensive. An additional advantage
of the Winslow is that it is so light (about 40lbs v. 80lbs
compared to just about any other
raft).
I know this is not Freedom specific, but it’s still about sailing
and I plan to use the raft on our
Freedom, so what the heck.
DG
“Miracle”
I would suggest renting one as there are significant costs associated
with owning one. You need to have the liferaft repacked on a regular
basis. The manufactures suggest yearly repacking, but I often go 2+
years between repacks. (BlueJacket, a 40/40, spends most of her time
in the Caribbean where it’s very hard to find places to service the
liferaft). A typical repack runs $1000 +/- $200.
So, don’t look at this as a one time expenditure. It’s an on-going
cost and if you’re not going to cruise in locations where it’s
important to have one, it’s an expensive addition that needs to be
maintained. The last thing that you want is to rely on it and have
it fail when you deploy it.
– Geoff