Liferaft and Grab Bag

When a boat is no longer safe during an offshore regatta – due to flooding, fire, rig failure or capsize – the liferaft and grab bag (emergency bag) are the last structured line of defence. Both systems complement each other: the liferaft provides a floating survival platform and weather protection; the grab bag secures communication, navigation, medical supplies and personal survival equipment that you take with you onto the raft in an emergency. Anyone planning the Fastnet Race, Rolex Middle Sea Race, Sydney Hobart or ORC offshore events must not only carry both components, but understand, maintain and practise them regularly.

World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) require an approved liferaft for Category 1 and above; the grab bag is mandatory or strongly recommended in virtually all serious offshore notices of race. Pre-start safety inspections check both – missing or outdated equipment means refusal to start.

Why liferaft and grab bag are essential in regatta sailing

Offshore regattas take crews hours or days away from fast assistance. Unlike inshore buoy racing, there are no safety boats in immediate proximity, and rescue services often need hours to arrive in difficult conditions. The liferaft bridges that time; the grab bag ensures you can still communicate, navigate and provide first aid after leaving the boat.

Levels of evacuation

Typical scenarios on offshore regattas

1. Flooding – structural hull damage, bilge pumps no longer sufficient.
2. Fire on board – gas, electrics or fuel; smoke makes staying below impossible.
3. Capsize or severe heel – especially on light racer yachts under storm sails.
4. Medical emergency – when boat and crew can no longer manoeuvre safely and evacuation is the only option.
5. Complete failure of onboard electronics – rarely the sole reason, but relevant in combination with weather and structural damage.

OSR requirements and regatta provisions

The specific equipment depends on the OSR category in the notice of race and sailing instructions. As a guide, the following minimum requirements apply:

Before every offshore start you should compare the sailing instructions line by line against your equipment. Organisers such as RORC (Fastnet Race) or CYCA (Sydney Hobart) frequently add to OSR minimum requirements: duplicate emergency radios in the grab bag, fixed mounting for the raft, documented crew lists for SAR.

The liferaft: selection, mounting and types

Capacity and approval

The liferaft must provide space for the entire declared crew – including reserve capacity if the SI requires it. Rule of thumb: never take a raft that on paper exactly matches crew numbers; tight conditions make movement, thermal management and casualty care more difficult.

ISO 9650-1 distinguishes:

• Group 1 – for extended offshore use, higher equipment level, longer survival time.
• Group 2 – for moderate offshore distances with shorter expected rescue time.

Fixed mounting vs. valise

Mounting principles for regatta boats

1. Ready to hand and labelled – every crew member must know the location, even at night and under stress.
2. Lee side and clear deployment – raft must not snag in rigging, shrouds or backstays.
3. Swimmer on board – with fixed mounting: clear rule who brings the raft to the crew and how the painter is led.
4. Regular visual inspection – corrosion on brackets, cracks on canister, legibility of labelling.

The grab bag: contents and organisation

The grab bag is a waterproof or highly water-resistant bag with everything you must take with you immediately when leaving the boat. It is stored separately from the liferaft canister, ideally at a fixed location near the exit (galley, chart table, cockpit locker).

Mandatory contents per common OSR and organiser lists

Communication and signalling:

• Handheld VHF with full charge and spare battery
• PLB or EPIRB reserve (if not already on person)
• Signal rockets and smoke signals (per SI)
• Signal mirror, signal horn, waterproof torch

Navigation and position:

• Handheld GPS or smartphone in dry bag (supplement only)
• Paper charts of the leg, pen, notepad
• AIS emergency information (MMSI, call sign on card)

Medical and survival:

• Extended first aid kit (offshore-capable)
• Crew medications (labelled with names)
• Emergency blankets (foil-based), spare lighters
• Drinking water in flexible container, energy bars

Documentation:

• Crew list with emergency contacts
• Boat data, insurance, SAR contacts
• Copy of safety inspection confirmation

Packing strategy for regatta crews

Pack the grab bag in logical inner pockets (communication, medical, signals) so you can access items purposefully in the dark and under stress. Label inner pockets with reflective text. Place a laminated contents list on top – safety officer and crew can check at inspection in seconds.

Grab bag packing – checklist

• VHF charged
• Flares valid
• Medications current
• Water present
• Charts match the leg
• Crew list current
• Bag waterproof tested
• Entire crew knows location

Evacuation protocol: from decision to raft

The decision to abandon ship is one of the hardest in offshore sailing. It should be discussed in advance in the safety briefing – not only when water is ankle-deep in the berth.

Decision criteria

Evacuation is justified when:

• the boat permanently loses buoyancy or steerability,
• fire or smoke poses an immediate threat to the crew,
• physical strain exceeds the crew and no improvement is foreseeable,
• the skipper, after consulting experienced crew members, sees the limit reached.

Step-by-step procedure

1. Mayday on VHF and DSC – report position, number of persons, type of emergency, intention to evacuate. Details on radio procedure: DSC radio and distress call.
2. Grab bag and personal equipment – life jackets on, harness released, take grab bag, no one leaves the boat without a life jacket.
3. Deploy liferaft – fixed mounting: HRU or manual release; valise: deploy at safe location and secure painter to boat.
4. Board raft – use boarding ramp or ladder; oldest and most vulnerable persons first aboard the raft.
5. Abandon boat – only when everyone is aboard the raft; cut painter only when raft is safely drifting clear of sinking boat.
6. SAR coordination – report position, start signalling, organise heat retention.

Offshore evacuation – procedure

Crew roles during evacuation

Maintenance, service and safety inspection

Liferaft service

Manufacturers and ISO standards require professional servicing every three years – sometimes more frequently with intensive use or after deployment. During service, seams, gas cylinders, raft contents (water, flares, medical) and release mechanism are checked. Document the service certificate on board; safety officers require it at Fastnet, Middle Sea Race and comparable events.

Grab bag maintenance

The grab bag does not need workshop service, but disciplined crew management:

• Check batteries and flares before every season
• Replace water and food after expiry date
• Repack completely immediately after every drill

Common inspection deficiencies

Crews with checklist discipline significantly reduce these deficiencies.

Checklist before safety inspection

• Liferaft service certificate valid and on board
• Capacity ≥ declared crew per SI
• HRU date (if fitted) not expired
• Grab bag complete per contents list
• All flares and pyrotechnics within validity date
• VHF handheld operational, test on channel 80/72
• Crew knows liferaft and grab bag location
• Evacuation protocol documented in safety briefing

Training and drills

An unpractised crew loses valuable minutes during evacuation – in cold water that can mean life or death. Professionals practise at least once per season a dry evacuation drill; ideally supplemented by a drill in the harbour basin with opened raft (only with manufacturer approval and without damaging the service seal – often as a "dry run" without deployment).

Drill format for regatta crews

1. Briefing (30 minutes) – roles, decision criteria, communication plan.
2. Walk-through on deck – routes to raft and grab bag without time pressure.
3. Timed drill – grab bag on deck in under 60 seconds, simulate liferaft deployment.
4. Debriefing – what took too long, which questions remained open?

Combine liferaft training with MOB manoeuvres and drills: those who can recover persons from the water also handle boarding the raft in a seaway better.

Integration into the offshore safety concept

Liferaft and grab bag are not isolated pieces of equipment. They belong in an overall concept with life jackets, MOB systems, emergency communication and weather decisions:

• Life jackets – everyone wears them offshore; automatic jackets with harness for night watch.
• Emergency communication – Mayday procedures and SAR processes in Rescue services and SAR.
• Weather limits – timely reefing and course adjustment before the point where evacuation becomes the only option; see Storm and heavy weather.

Liferaft vs. grab bag

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

1. Raft forgotten psychologically – "We will never abandon." Solution: treat evacuation as a real plan, not a nightmare scenario.
2. Grab bag stowed in berth – not reachable in emergency. Solution: fixed, accessible location, named in briefing.
3. Service overdue – saving costs in the wrong place. Solution: maintenance date in calendar like engine service.
4. Wrong capacity – raft too small for declared crew. Solution: match SI and crew list before registration.
5. No practice – panic at first opening of raft. Solution: annual drill plus briefing before every offshore start.
6. Communication only after evacuation – Mayday too late. Solution: report on radio at first serious doubt, not only when water is above the floor.

FAQ: Common questions about liferaft and grab bag

Can I use a valise instead of fixed mounting?

Yes, if the SI allows it; it must be stored ready to hand and protected.

How often must the liferaft be serviced?

Generally every 3 years by a certified workshop.

Is a small grab bag sufficient?

No; contents are governed by OSR and SI, not by storage space.

May the raft be opened during the regatta?

Only in real emergency or authorised drill; observe service seal.

What happens after deploying the raft?

Obtain replacement immediately; deployed raft is not repacked.

Related topics

• Offshore safety
• Emergency at sea
• DSC radio and distress call
• Life jackets and MOB systems
• Storm and heavy weather

Last updated: 4 July 2026