A boat life raft is the one piece of safety gear most boaters hope they never unpack. Whether your boat needs one depends on how and where you use it. Federal law does not require a life raft on recreational boats in the United States, but commercial fishing vessels, ships that follow SOLAS rules, and most offshore races all have their own life raft requirements. And every raft, required or not, has to be inspected on schedule to work when it matters.
This guide explains who must carry a raft, what SOLAS means for you, how often a raft is inspected, what happens during a service, what to check between services, and the viking life raft accessories that mount and release a container raft. Still deciding which raft to buy? Read our guide on how to choose between a coastal and offshore life raft.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Life Raft?
- Is a Life Raft Required on a Recreational Boat?
- What Are the Life Raft Requirements for Commercial Fishing Vessels?
- Do Charter and Passenger Boats Need a Life Raft?
- What Are SOLAS Life Raft Requirements, and Do They Apply to You?
- What Life Raft Requirements Apply to Offshore Races and Rallies?
- What Are the Life Raft Inspection Requirements?
- What Happens During a Life Raft Service?
- What Should You Check on Your Life Raft Between Services?
- Which Viking Life Raft Accessories Does Your Raft Need?
- Can You Rent a Life Raft Instead of Buying One?
- What Should You Carry With Your Life Raft?
- Where Can You Find Life Raft Safety Gear in Annapolis?
- Frequently Asked Questions On Life Raft Requirements and Inspection
What Is a Life Raft?
A life raft is an inflatable survival craft that keeps people out of the water if a boat has to be abandoned. It is packed tightly into a hard container or a soft valise and inflates on its own in seconds when its painter line is pulled, which fires a compressed gas cylinder. Once inflated, it has buoyancy tubes to keep it afloat, a canopy to shelter the people inside, ballast pockets under the floor that fill with water to keep it stable, and an emergency equipment pack. Unlike a dinghy, it is built for one job: keeping people alive until rescue arrives.
Is a Life Raft Required on a Recreational Boat?
No. U.S. federal law does not require a boat life raft on recreational vessels of any size. The Coast Guard's equipment requirements for recreational boats are a minimum standard, not a complete safety plan, and survival craft are not on that list.
That does not make a raft unnecessary. Many boaters assume life rafts are only for ocean crossings or commercial vessels, but anyone running offshore, even on a day trip, should consider carrying one. A raft is worth having aboard if you:
- Run offshore or cross large stretches of open water
- Boat in early spring, late fall, or winter, when the water is cold
- Make overnight passages or trips far from the nearest harbor
- Enter offshore races or cruising rallies
Insurance policies and event organizers can also set their own rules, so check your policy and the requirements of any event you plan to enter.
What Are the Life Raft Requirements for Commercial Fishing Vessels?
Commercial fishing vessels must carry Coast Guard approved survival craft under 46 CFR 28.120. The type of survival craft depends on the vessel, the waters it operates in, and how far it goes from shore.
Two examples show how the life raft requirements scale with distance:
- Documented fishing vessels operating more than 50 miles from the coastline must carry an inflatable life raft with a SOLAS A pack.
- Since 2016, commercial fishing boats under 36 feet generally need an inflatable life raft to operate more than 3 miles offshore.
What Is the Survival Craft Hierarchy?
The regulation ranks survival craft from most to least capable:
- Lifeboat
- Inflatable life raft with SOLAS A pack
- Inflatable life raft with SOLAS B pack
- Inflatable life raft with coastal service pack
- Inflatable buoyant apparatus
- Life float
- Buoyant apparatus
A survival craft higher on the list can always replace one lower on the list. The rules also require rafts to be maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions, so the manufacturer's service interval is the one that applies. Check the full tables in 46 CFR 28.120 for your vessel type and operating area.
Do Charter and Passenger Boats Need a Life Raft?
Inspected passenger vessels must carry the survival craft listed on their Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection. Small passenger vessels, those under 100 gross tons, follow the survival craft rules in 46 CFR Subchapter T, where the type and amount of survival craft depend on the vessel's route and operating area. Larger passenger vessels and uninspected charter boats fall under different rules.
If you run a charter or carry passengers for hire, confirm what applies to your boat with your Certificate of Inspection or your local Coast Guard sector before you buy or rent a raft.
What Are SOLAS Life Raft Requirements, and Do They Apply to You?
SOLAS, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, sets the safety standards for commercial ships. It does not apply to recreational boats, and most recreational rafts are built to the ISO 9650 standard instead. SOLAS life raft requirements matter to you if you operate a commercial vessel, own a SOLAS-rated raft, or enter an event that calls for one.
The core servicing rule is simple. SOLAS requires inflatable life rafts and reusable hydrostatic release units to be serviced at intervals of no more than 12 months.
What Are Extended Service Interval Life Rafts?
Some SOLAS rafts are approved for longer gaps between services. These rafts can go up to 30 months between services at an approved service station for the first 10 years of their life, and then return to annual servicing. VIKING's S30 range is one example: it combines a simple three-step onboard inspection each year with a full service every 30 months at a certified VIKING S30 service station.
What Are SOLAS A and SOLAS B Packs?
SOLAS A and SOLAS B are emergency equipment packs carried inside the raft. In the Coast Guard's survival craft ranking for fishing vessels, a raft with a SOLAS A pack ranks above one with a SOLAS B pack, which ranks above a raft with a coastal service pack. The pack your vessel needs depends on its type and where it operates.
What Life Raft Requirements Apply to Offshore Races and Rallies?
Most offshore races and rallies require a certified raft, even though federal law does not. US Sailing's equipment rules have required each boat to carry life rafts with enough capacity for the entire crew, approved to SOLAS, ISAF, ISO 9650-1, or ORC standards, and holding a current certificate of inspection.
Rally organizers often set service intervals too. World Cruising Club rules, based on the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations, have called for:
- ISO 9650 rafts packed in a valise: serviced at least every 3 years
- Hired valise rafts: serviced every year
- SOLAS rafts: serviced every year
- Servicing certificate: carried on the boat, as the original or a copy
Equipment rules change between editions, so always check your event's current notice of race and safety requirements. As a matter of good seamanship, consider having your raft serviced as part of race preparation, even if its certificate is still valid.
What Are the Life Raft Inspection Requirements?
For recreational rafts, the life raft inspection requirements are set by the manufacturer. SOLAS and commercial rafts are serviced every year, or on an approved extended schedule. In every case, the inspection must be done by a service station approved or certified to service that raft.
For Viking Life Rafts in the RescYou yachting range, VIKING recommends a full service every three years. Some newer recreational designs from other brands offer longer intervals, so always check the label and manual for your raft. The next service date is usually marked on the raft's container or valise.
| Raft or Use | Typical Service Interval |
|---|---|
| Recreational raft (for example, VIKING RescYou) | Every 3 years, or as the manufacturer states |
| SOLAS raft | Every 12 months |
| SOLAS extended service interval raft | Up to 30 months for the first 10 years, then every 12 months |
| Hired valise raft for a rally | Every 12 months |
| Commercial fishing vessel raft | As the manufacturer requires |
What Happens During a Life Raft Service?
A service is a full inspection of the raft and everything packed with it, carried out by a certified technician. During a viking liferaft service, for example:
- The raft is unpacked and inflated with compressed air.
- All chambers go through a 60-minute working pressure test, including the inflatable floor if the raft has one.
- The gas cylinder is checked for the correct contents and weighed. Under Coast Guard servicing rules for approved rafts, a cylinder that has lost more than 5% of its charge must be recharged.
- Rafts 10 or more years old face extra testing. Coast Guard rules call for a Necessary Additional Pressure (NAP) test at each annual service of these rafts when a gas inflation test is not done.
- Expired items in the emergency pack, such as flares and seasickness medication, are replaced.
- The raft's logbook is updated, the raft is repacked, and a certificate of re-inspection is issued.
Should You Attend Your Life Raft Service?
Yes, whenever you can. Maritime guidance recommends that owners attend the inflation test to see their raft fully inflated. It shows you how the raft works, and it lets you see problems for yourself. In one reported case, an inflation test watched by a yacht's crew showed both rafts had water inside, mold, corroded fittings, and disconnected gas cylinder firing pins.
The same habit of regular inspection applies to the inflatable life jackets your crew will be wearing. Our guide to inspecting and servicing inflatable PFDs explains what to check.
What Should You Check on Your Life Raft Between Services?
A few quick checks between services make sure your raft is ready when you need it:
- Service date. Confirm the next service date on the container or valise, and book the service before it lapses.
- Hydrostatic release unit expiry. Disposable units such as the Hammar H20 need no servicing but must be replaced every 2 years. A unit without a properly marked expiry date is not approved.
- Hydrostatic release unit handling. Do not power wash or paint the unit, and replace it if it has been dropped or hit.
- Painter line. Make sure it is secured to a strong point on the boat and rigged through the weak link exactly as the manufacturer instructs.
- Container or valise. Check that the cradle straps are tight and the container has no cracks. Store a valise somewhere dry and easy to reach.
- Crew briefing. Make sure everyone aboard knows where the raft and grab bag are, and who launches the raft.
Winter is a convenient time to book a service, while the boat is laid up and the raft is not needed. Add it to your list when you lay up your sailboat for winter.
Which Viking Life Raft Accessories Does Your Raft Need?
A raft packed in a soft valise stows in a locker and needs no mounting hardware. A raft in a hard container is mounted on deck and needs the right viking life raft accessories to stay secure and release properly.
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Cradle
A cradle is required to mount any life raft packed in a container. It holds the container in place and carries the lashing straps. VIKING makes cradles with lashing to fit specific raft sizes, such as its cradle for 6 and 8 person RescYou rafts and all RescYou Pro rafts.
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Rail Mount Adapter
If your deck has no room for a cradle, a rail mount adapter lets you fit the container to your rail. The VIKING rail mount adapter comes with brackets for three rail sizes, 3/4 inch, 1 inch, and 1 1/4 inch, and is used together with the correct cradle and lashing.
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Hydrostatic Release Unit
A hydrostatic release unit frees the container from its cradle if the boat sinks, so the raft can float up and inflate on its own. VIKING offers the Hammar H20 hydrostatic release unit for its small rafts. The mounting bracket and raft are sold separately, and the unit must be replaced every 2 years.
Containers can be mounted on the deck, a railing, the pushpit, or a bulkhead, depending on your boat's layout. Annapolis Inflatables carries Viking Life Rafts, and you can browse its Viking life raft range to see container and valise models.
Can You Rent a Life Raft Instead of Buying One?
Yes. Life raft rental is a practical option if you only go offshore once or twice a season. Several established service organizations rent out certified, professionally packed rafts for a single crossing or offshore race.
Renting also works alongside a raft you already own. If you usually sail with a small crew but sometimes go fully crewed for a race or delivery, adding a rented raft covers the extra people without buying a second one.
Before you rent, confirm two things:
- The certificate covers your trip. Rally rules have required hired valise rafts to be serviced every year, so check that the service date is current for the full length of your passage.
- The raft meets your event's rules. Make sure its type and equipment pack match what your race or rally requires.
What Should You Carry With Your Life Raft?
A life raft keeps you out of the water, but it does not call for help. Life rafts are not packed with EPIRBs, personal locator beacons, or VHF radios. That equipment belongs in a grab bag, also called a ditch bag, that goes into the raft with you.
A well-stocked grab bag includes:
- A personal locator beacon or EPIRB to alert search and rescue with your position. In the U.S., 406 MHz beacons must be registered with NOAA.
- A personal strobe light so rescuers can spot you at night
- A waterproof handheld VHF radio with a spare battery
- A first aid kit and seasickness medication
- Drinking water and a signal mirror
The ACR RapidDitch Abandon Ship Bag is built for this job. It floats up to 25 pounds of gear, and its shoulder strap converts into two 4-foot tethers that clip to life jackets, keeping survivors connected in the water. For beacons and lights, Fawcett's EPIRBs, AIS, and PLBs collection includes a personal locator beacon with AIS and a water-activated personal strobe.
Every person aboard should also wear a properly fitted life jacket, especially when boarding a raft from the water. Our guide on how to choose the right life jacket for your boating activity and water conditions covers the options.
Where Can You Find Life Raft Safety Gear in Annapolis?
At Fawcett Boat Supplies, we have helped boaters prepare for the unexpected since 1948. A boat life raft is not required by federal law on recreational boats, but commercial fishing vessels, SOLAS ships, and offshore races all have clear rules, and every raft depends on regular inspection to work when it counts. Know which rules apply to you, keep your service dates current, and pack a grab bag that can call for help. Visit our store at 919 Bay Ridge Road in Annapolis or shop online for grab bags, personal locator beacons, strobe lights, and life jackets to go with your raft.
If you are ready to choose the raft itself, our team at Annapolis Inflatables can help. They carry Viking Life Rafts and Revere rafts for coastal, offshore, and commercial use, and can walk you through raft size, packing, and mounting options for your boat.