Self Righting Systems

[kach22i]

Self Righting System

Question:
How common place is it to have one of these installed on a RIB or boat?

Do you get an insurance discount?

Has anyone ever installed "self-righting bags" to a hovercraft?

RIB example:
http://www.henshaw.co.uk/default.cfm/loadindex.4

Whether your Rigid Hull Inflatable is being used in a commercial, leisure or sporting environment and likely to encounter heavy weather, a Self Righting system should be considered as a key feature of your RIB.

The Henshaw Self Righting System is a market leader because of its simple, durable and proven construction. Each bag is manufactured from the same heavy-duty Hypalon coated fabric used in the construction of the collars, to ensure maximum durability and strength in any condition. The optimum volume of each individual bag is calculated by taking into account the weight, beam and load of the boat, ensuring rapid self-righting every time.

I did not know that these even existed before today. Seems like a good feature to have on any rescue craft should it run out of gas in bad seas.




How does it work?
http://www.henshaw.co.uk/default.cfm/loadindex.54

The Hypalon inflatable bag is attached to the top of the ‘A’ frame at the stern of the RIB, which in turn is connected to a CO2 bottle via a hose assembly. In the unlikely event that the boat capsizes, the bag can be instantly inflated, via the manually operated CO2 system, the bag inflates within a time scale of between 12 and 20 seconds, and the boat will self right, allowing the crew to re-board.

The product is effective, the procedure is simple and the process saves lives. Henshaw Inflatables self-righting bag is highly specified, and is made to suit individual boats, depending on size, and fully laden weight.

Price guide:
http://www.henshaw.co.uk/default.cfm/loadindex.156

[jim lee]

You mean to tell me that that outboard motor just fired right off after being soaked upside down for um-teen minutes?

Wow!

-jim lee

[Crag Cay]

Yep, the RNLI have their engines modified to not only make them more water resistant, but to also use the EP Barrus Fast PIRS system that purges the engine of any water that has got in and guarantees them to restart within 40 secs.

It's the need to combine the self righting bags with the modified engines to get a truly worthwhile system, that really limits the application of this technology to the RNLI and some commercial users.