jayemm
Interesting question wrt costs. Here is my compromise given I cross the channel a little less frequently than you, but in hired a/c:
I have always found either the hirer, or someone on the airfield is willing to lend/ hire me a liferaft - so I have never seen the need to buy one myself.
I have however bought a cheap 121.5 EPRB (approx £150). As my sea crossings are shortish channel routes, my view is that normally I'll get a mayday call out on the way down with an approx position (& I have a transceiver anyway). Then (after surviving the splash etc)the important thing is that a SAR helicopter can home in quickly. So I'm happy for it just to have 121.5 as I understand they are not going to be getting rid of the 121.5 homing on SAR helicopters in the near future.
Its also useful if you have the misfortune to go down in remote mountains, as was written up by the AAIB in the last year or so I think.
To all:
If you have not done so already, then I recommend downloading and reading the
CAA Safety Sense Leaflet No 21 on Ditching from the CAA. It covers allot of what is being discussed here and more on the actual recommendations for "landing" on water!
IO540:
Your maths wrt fuel are correct, but I assume you may get another few seconds out of the fact that the fuel tanks dont fill all the cavities in the wings, so there may be a short delay while they take on water? However personally, I think its another good reason to fly low wing a/c, preferably with retractable u/c
Finally a question for me to
whitingiom:
you mention "aquapacs" - I assume these are fully waterproof bags? Could you tell us if that’s true and where they can be obtained from. I have been on the look out for something like that, but failed to find anything of any quality