W.H. Brennan & Co Pte Ltd in Singapore very kindly sponsored us by repacking our liferaft free-of-charge.

Our PFD 6-man liferaft is stowed on the aft coachroof, where it is easy to access in an emergency. It is housed in a rigid casing that splits open when the liferaft inflates. Just tie off the painter and throw the case in the water, then give a sharp tug on the line. Don't forget to take a knife to cut the line if the boat goes down fast!

Ours operates on 406 MHz and can be picked up by aircraft and satellites. It is coded so that if an emergency transmission is received, the code can be looked up to give the boat details. The EPIRB allows position to be determined, so survivors can be rescued.

This unit came with the boat when we bought it. Having it serviced, reprogrammed to our new UK registration and replacing the battery cost about as much as a new EPIRB. So if you're buying or selling a boat, having an EPIRB adds nothing to the value!