fake liferaft hydrostatic releases found.

[Nos4r2]

Just found this on another forum:-

just been emailed a copy of a press release, don't know if anyone out there has hydrostatic releases on their rafts but might be worth checking, unbelievable that anyone would want to fake something that vital for the sake of a few quid


The Vessel Safety department of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency request that the attached Hydrostatic Release Safety Alert be promulgated with some urgency within fishing fleets and the small commercial craft sector.

The alert is considered to be of high priority and your assistance in bringing the notice to the early attention of port users is specifically requested.

Should you have any queries regarding the content of the alert, please contact:

Dave Fenner
Vessel Policy Advisor
Tel 023 80 329 154
Fax 023 80 329 161

Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Bay 2/05
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG



PRESS RELEASE 2008-12-16
CM HAMMAR, GÖTEBORG, SWEDEN
SAFETY ALERT – DANGEROUS H20 FAKE COPIES!
It has recently come to our attention that someone is producing fake copies of our Hydrostatic Release Unit, the Hammar H20. To an untrained eye, the copy is almost identical to the original product, with Hammar’s logo and address on the labels. The fake might look almost like the original product, but there is one very important difference: the copy does not work!
We have tested several of the copies. Not a single one of them worked properly according to SOLAS’ specification – the fake H20 will definitely not release a life raft or an Epirb. We see this as a very serious situation. There can be a number of ships at sea that are sailing with fake Hydrostatic Release Units. If any of these ships were to sink, there will definitely be no life rafts or Epirbs that will help to rescue the seafarers in danger!
How can you quickly check that you have the original Hammar H20?
Always purchase your products through approved distributors or authorised service points for life rafts and Epirbs
Make sure that you receive the Hammar multilingual product manual and a raft label with each unit for life raft H20 or Hammar marking instruction for Epirb H20.
If you check on the underside of the Hammar H20 you should be able to find 5 (five) fabrication marks on all units produced since April 2006. Units produced before that date have only 2 (two) fabrication marks.
The serial number and production date can always be verified by contacting CM Hammar at info@cmhammar.com
The fabrication mark on the upper side of the unit must always point directly towards the rope.
If you have any questions regarding this matter please contact us.
Jan Calvert
Sales & Marketing Director
jan.c@cmhammar.com
Direct +46 31 709 65 61
Cell +46 708 49 92 60
www.cmhammar.com

[Dirk Diggler]

http://www.boatingbusiness.com/archi..._release_fakes

[Dirk Diggler]

Although I found this more interesting.

http://www.boatingbusiness.com/archi...endance_figure