There is something else and that is sea sickness. Having read books on survival at sea, this seems to be an issue if rescue is not there in short term notice.
The North Sea safety course is one week. One day with helicopter turn around, one day with general survival in the sea (the real sea) using all sorts of rescue equipment and with the suit. One day with first aid also, and fires and stuff. The course Boscomantico linked to bookes like the “real deal”. Lots of them in Norway from different companies and the price is about the same. The full 1 week course isn’t insanely expensive either, about 1.2-1.5 k€.
Martin wrote:
There are courses which offer training even in a simulated storm – waves, wind, rain, the whole lot.
I guess this is what navy seal training is about… My point was rather that it is difficult enough to get into a life raft in a warm, calm swimming pool. Impossible I would say for averagely trained people with wind and waves and water which has only 4 degrees. I have done quite a few dives in a lake in nothern Italy in spring and fall when the water temperature was aroung 8 degrees (C). After less than half an hour, even with full wetsuit and gloves, it was impossible to flex the fingers enough to turn a valve or operate the switch of the diving torch. Hold on to a rope in these conditions or climb on board a slippery dinghy with no gloves? Forget it.
And regarding boarding the life raft: They always tell us to inflate it on the wing (if you are lucky and your aircraft stays afloat long enough) and board it form there without getting into the water at all. You can stay there until either the aircraft goes under or you are spotted together with the aircraft.
In addition so much depends on the raft. My sailing raft for 8 is almost impossible to lift (unless you are very strong), some for 8 are easy to lift and all aviation rafts for four are relatively like pillows. The variation in rafts is enormous and not surprisingly those designed for the back of a four seater are also only just about designed for four people to get into and survive for a relatively short period of time. The water alone in my 8 man raft weighs more than a couple of aviation rafts.
Fuji_Abound wrote:
The variation in rafts is enormous and not surprisingly those designed for the back of a four seater are also only just about designed for four people to get into and survive for a relatively short period of time
Suddenly remembered one thing we used some time on. The raft often gets upside down in the water, and we trained to get it right again. With a big raft that is some serious business and requires teamwork (I seriously doubt you can do it without training the proper techniques). Also getting into it is much easier when you are more than one person.
Peter wrote:
The first one is dead easy for a fit person if there is somebody already in the raft, preventing it tipping back onto you.
In a light raft, that’s the perfect recipe for flipping the raft over the heads of both occupants.
jkv,
Still worth it? Or is the training to basic in your opinion?
I wouldn’t go to a training that costs only 100€; the one you spoke about sounds like a classroom lesson with subsequent bathing fun.
Peter wrote:
I don’t think the raft will capsize with somebody in it.
One could test it in real life conditions but it won’t be me. Wave pool was enough. It has happened in real life emergencies in the past and even SOLAS approved rafts can capsize (and they do have to have reflective elements on the underside). Good ballast will make boarding easier as well. PS: And wind won’t carry it as fast should you not be tied to it.
AeroPlus wrote:
There is something else and that is sea sickness. Having read books on survival at sea, this seems to be an issue if rescue is not there in short term notice.
You definitely want to carry something for that. Staying hydrated is important and vomiting doesn’t help with that.
I have just bought the Winslow ULO6 raft. Good features, small packaging and fairly light.
