Certainly, I understand the need to have a life raft certified by professionals if one ventures offshore, but for those of us who just happen to have one laying around, I don't see the point. I was just curious as to what happens to an expensive life raft when it's protected from the elements by a sealed fiberglass case. No UV, no water intrusion, and protected from salt air.

My trawler is big enough that I have plenty of room to carry the life raft. I guess if I was sinking I'd try to deploy it and if it fell apart I'd abandon ship to the Boston Whaler. On second thought, it would be better to toss the raft into the whaler and take it with me, in case the whaler sunk.