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OlyJeff
12-03-2017, 11:03 AM
I see quite a few used liferafts for sale on Ebay and Craigslist. I assume they haven't ever been deployed.

Would you be comfortable buying a used one?

What is the cost to get them recertified?

Sailronin
12-03-2017, 11:11 AM
Hi Jeff,
This is a difficult thing to answer as most used rafts will be OK but you won't know until it's repacked. If it fails the test you're out the price of the raft, if it passes you're fine and it will be certified for another 1 to 3 years. I've seen 15 year old rafts pass recertification with nothing but renewal of the survival supplies, batteries and flares and heard of 15 year old rafts coming apart at the seams during the inflation. Unfortunately you don't know at time of purchase unless it's just been re-certified.

DaveH
12-03-2017, 11:25 AM
I see quite a few used liferafts for sale on Ebay and Craigslist. I assume they haven't ever been deployed.

Would you be comfortable buying a used one?

What is the cost to get them recertified?

I would be comfortable buying a used one, but wouldn't ship out with a used one without having it professionally gone over & re-certified.

hard to say what the re-pack will run you, but my 5 year re-cert ran about $1700.

Relatedly, I might be persuaded to rent Domino's raft at a reasonable price to someone heading to Kauai this summer.
It is literally sitting on the shelf at Sal's, waiting for me to pick it up from aforementioned re-certification.

DH

BobJ
12-03-2017, 11:28 AM
A couple times I've sent the ads to Sal Sanchez to get his opinion. He knows the various brands/models/ages and which ones are likely to have problems.

But in the end I've always rented one of his for the Hawaii races - it was cheaper.

https://salsinflatables.com/pages/inspection-and-services

Daydreamer
12-03-2017, 12:38 PM
Relatedly, I might be persuaded to rent Domino's raft at a reasonable price to someone heading to Kauai this summer.
It is literally sitting on the shelf at Sal's, waiting for me to pick it up from aforementioned re-certification.

DH

I missed a good buy on a used one with current certification.
The ones I've seen lately would price out at the cost of a new one after getting re-certified.

Renting fron Sals for the Long-Pac was trouble free.

DH, I would be interested in discussing terms. You can PM me here. gca at goldrush dot com