Should a vessel sink or catch fire you could face the reality of having to get into a life-raft. Liferafts are often the last resort for survival in such circumstances. Liferafts are small, cramped and conditions inside are cold, wet and uncomfortable.

There are a number of people who have spent long periods inside these little survival capsules.

Poon Lim 133 days
Maurice and Marilyn Baileys 117 days
Steven Callahan 76 Days
Bill and Simonne Butler 66 days
3 Mexican Fisherman spent nearly 9 months adrift.

In an attempt to raise awareness for "Sail 4 Cancer" and to mirror conditions for anyone having to board a liferaft, 8 brave ladies will be spending a full 24 hours in a raft floating in the sea at Southampton. They have enough water for 24 hours, rationed food, and a lack of toilet facilities. You can watch the challenge live with an hour by hour account of what its really like being stuck into a liferaft with 8 others.

Will they all get on?
Will all the food go in the first few hours?
How do they manage to go to the loo?
Will they all survive?

Read their tweets, watch snapshot videos, listen to podcasts about what really happens inside. Live from 18.00, 9th November 2012 at Swanwick Marina and spectators are invited to come to the marina to support the ladies and heckle from the stability of terra firma!

Click here to view the profiles