The RYA, with the support of the MCA, is to increase its involvement in the development of industry servicing standards for recreational liferafts. This step follows the most recent Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s (MAIB) report on the investigation into a collision between two fishing boats in Falmouth Bay in October 2007, in which one of the boats liferafts did not inflate fully.

Photo caption: Corroded liferaft gas inflation cylinder

RYA Technical Manager Ken Kershaw comments “The RYA is leading the development of a new servicing standard for liferafts is a natural progression from the work we have already been involved with in writing the liferaft construction standards.” He continued “We are pleased the MCA considers the RYA the best placed organisation to carry out this work.”

To date the RYA has been instrumental in developing and writing the new ISO standard recently adopted for construction and manufacture of liferafts for recreational use. Essential features, such as areas of operation, fabric and construction, boarding ladders, safety of the gas inflation bottles and equipment carried in the raft itself formed the basis for this standard.