Safety inflation

[Piraten]

I just saw what I think was an awesome setup.

I saw another Irwin 28 owned by Matt an Linda Mac(something) and had to stop and babble with them about it.  It looked like they were decked out for cruising and I wanted to see where they've been.  Turns out they've been cruising for ten years with 2 going on 3 circumnavs.  They got the boat 12 years ago for free, it was sunk in a channel and had to be moved.  The deal was if they could get it out, it was theirs.  Matt spent the next two years MODYFING the snots out of it for ocean crossings.  I noticed a high pressure gauge mounted in their cockpit.  So listen to this.

They mounted a 110cuft scuba tank on the transom inside the engine compartment.  The tank is hooked to three lift bags that Matt made and built into a three 2-1/2" deep boxes.  One under each port and starboard seteas and a larger one under the v-berth.  When the air is released all three bags fill and expand out of these boxes three feet up.  He had quick disconnects so that the other two 80cuft scuba tanks they use for diving can also be hooked up if needed.  He claims total inflated capacity is about 280cuft.  He built the bags himself using what a RIB was made out of.  The entire system takes up very little space and if I hadn't noticed the gauge I would have never guessed it was there.  I wish I had a camera with me.