Yes I am considering the circumstances. The perfect solution is to wear a suit, if you decide the risk is unacceptable. Why bother getting a solution to a very remote problem which isn't going completly solve the problem in the first place and actually works out more expensive in the long run with a few trips than getting the solution which completely solves the problem.
As far as I can see you can hire a raft for ? 120 quid? for the weekend. Which might if you get all the planets together, the right people on board, the sea in the right state, the right ditching conditions, the aircraft has a low wing. Or you hire suits for the weekend which scary enough costs the same 120 quid fully does the job you don't have to worry about all the things which are going to cock you up with the raft, and you are up to 12 hours plus survivial time in sub 5 deg water for 4 suits for hire.
Buying a raft costs at least 900 quid for the wendy house option which you must admit is pish and totally useless in british waters for anything over a sea state 2, for which you could buy over 9 suits off ebay which will allow you to survive in hurricane conditions. Bitch to store I will admit.
My whole point is you might as well not bother at all. The only thing which is going to really do anything for your survival is a beacon.
All i wear under my dry suit is a pair of pants and a t-shirt. I am sure they will have more than that on. If you ever get a wooly bear you will never get your wife out of the thing in the house. Its like a giant adult baby grow made out of fleece, zero chance on getting your hands on her bits.
Its not the zip that annoys its the neck seal. A silcone seal solves the problem.
the point I making is that a raft doesn't solve the problem you are trying to solve in British waters. Yes in the crib or FL etc but not here.
Anyone want to buy a yellow brick? 1 pound extra for a thick tape to tie onto your mother in law.
A few links to prove a point that you are fecked if you get wet without a suit
http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/TP/.../chapter-3.htm
And
http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/TP/.../chapter-1.htm
The graph is quite interesting half way down. It states that at 10deg water temp you go from 1 hour to death in clothes to 12+ hours wearing a suit.
You will also note as well the cold swim shock stuff. And the difference between dry shod life raft entry and wet. And to be honest your going to be wet in UK waters even if you get in dry with a 4 man wendy house.
I really hope though we can agree that the marine transport dept for canada know what they are talking about when it comes to getting cold.
In summary, from 1945 until 1995 a great deal of scientific, industrial, training and legislative effort has been put into the prevention of hypothermia. As a result, in both Europe and North America, particularly Canada, there are very good survival suit regulations
My reading of the report is that life rafts are pish and suits work why bother with something that doesn't work?