CaptBill, that is very interesting. Why then do they sell Type I vests not only without a whistle and a light, but without an obvious place to add them?

I know the answer, but it's appalling anyway.

Pros and Cons of mounting a life raft to the front deck?

We just received a winslow coastal life raft that we bought at the miami show.

The canister is much larger than the valise/Pelican case that was displayed at the show.

What are the pros and cons of mounting it to the front deck on a cradle vs stowing it below? I can think of visibility and weight (~75 lbs) vs trying to find some room for it below. It also may be difficult to reach and launch in heavy seas on the deck. We haven't bought a hydrostatic release yet.

Another option would be to mount it on the lowest level of the tower - would require some custom fabrication though.

Thanks for the reply!

Boat is a 32' combi and (even with some customizing of the trim tabs) likes to ride with the bow up pretty high unless running at full cruise rpm's. So I'd hate to put it on the cabin top/deck. But even with a rather large bottle of halon in the engine room I agree that a fire is a possibility (like fuel hitting turbo) and wouldn't want to keep it down below.

The front of the lowest level of the tower (soft top) protrudes out towards the bow enough from the next level up (floor of the tower) that I would think that something could be fabricated to mount the bracket to. Radar is on the next level up as well so the canister wouldn't be in the way of the beam.

We already have a stocked ditch bag as well as two epirb's (figured we'd just keep the older generation cat 1 in its bracket or else we would have to patch the holes).

What is your opinion of SSB vs Sat phone? We have only been running to the near offshore the last few season but would like to hit the canyons if the fish (and regulations) cooperate.

Jeff & Hoog,
Yep,, you're 100% correct, a SSB is definitely a worth-while investment. Many of the boats that I've taken to the canyons and other distant places in the world were so equipped. Basically a ham (150 W) setup on the boat with vast transmitting capability. If you've got to scream for help, it's nice to know that you're putting out a signal that can be heard a long ways off.
The only problem with SSB's is that, unless you're running frequently to canyons or doing MANY offshore trips, the cost of a SSB and antennae system that performs well will be roughly around $1500.00 on the low end of the spectrum (with simplex and duplex channel capability). Some are cheaper,, but you generally pay more for performance and ease of operation with the SSB sets. You also must have the space and capability on a boat to install the big wand. The majority of the boats on this board don't fall within that category.
Mega-yachts have satellite communications systems that cost $$$$- big domes on big boats. They are the ultimate communications setup,, but space, size, and price would preclude this option for most everyone on the CTF board.
Top end VHF's will reach out as far as 50 miles,, boat to boat,, on a GOOD day with an antennae mounted with good height (transmission distance being a function of height).
It'd be even odds if the CG would hear you on a rough day if you're more than that distance off. I'm typically in contact with several other boats well within 25 miles of my position on the VHF at all times- passing along fishing info or just gabbing 'on the side.' That's one of the nice things about having a multitude of 'buddies' while out upon the water,, you know that they'll probably reach you before the CG can if you get into trouble.
Sat phones have come down considerably in price,, and if you use them judiciously,, they're cost effective as you can take them wherever you might roam- land or sea. When I'm fishing out of the Keys- down into the Carribbean areas- we've found that the majority of guys who're heading well offshore have gone over to the handheld satellite phones, even with SSB aboard because of the ease, privacy, and clarity of signal. I've used them on many occassions and found that they perform pretty well, but you'll quickly learn that battery life is the most important consideration when using them. AC/DC battery chargers come with the package,, but if you go for a ride in the raft,, that option would be out of the question so be sure that you know how long the battery will hold a charge, both in use and/or storage.
Cell phones are totally 'iffy' while upon the bounding blue (other than LIS) although I've had surprisingly good service from well offshore. However, I've frequently gone into a 'roam' mode since I'm being picked up by other providers' toweres and got charged $$ for it (even though I've got nationwide service with my cell plan) and then had to battle Verizon to get the charges deleted. However, I wouldn't bet my life on a cell phone while upon the offshore arena on the outside of BI or Montauk.
From a practical standpoint, I'd go with a raft, sat phone, and the best 406 EPIRB with GPS positioning capability as my primary locater (which will be nearly instantly triangluated and allow them to come up with encripted name of vessel, operator, homeport, and contact numbers- if it's registered),, with a SSB- if and when you can afford it.
Personally, I have a raft, two 121.5's, and a 406- certified and current- EPIRBs aboard. (along with three bridge VHF's; and a handheld VHF in the ditch bag).

Lots of great info here!

One important thing I learned from free flare day...

Parachute Flares!!! Keep them in your ditch bag. Expensive, but well worth the investment. Look for 75,000 candela with a burn time of 30 seconds. They are about $70 for three.