Joe:
We have used a life raft on our IP 35 for years. First we had a Winslow valise soft pack, 4 many raft and that was great. We stored that under the nav desk. I prefer that best. Next we now have a 6 man offshore Avon in a hard case at about 70 lbs and large. We keep this stored in the bottom of the sail locker when coastal cruising. When we head offshore we pull it out and lash it to the helm in front of the folded down table. When we arrive, we re-store it in the sail locker.
I wish I had stayed with the soft pack, winslow raft and that I could keep it under the nav desk., but this hard case is just too large. We need more weight up forward on our IP 35 to counter the AB 10 foot dinghy and 15 yamaha. I have thought about mounting on the bow under the staysail boom area and forward down low infront of the cabin. This would work, it would be out of the way, but look crazy. Another idea we are thinking about is to modify the space under the v-berth and store it up there, that too could work for the 35.
So, for us, weight in the stern is a problem and this raft is heavy in the sail locker.
Hayden
