Reversible life raft and method therefor

A reversible life raft comprising:

• a self-inflatable raft body with upper and lower inflatable, peripherally disposed bladders defining a closed geometric shape;
• a floor closing said geometric shape of said upper and lower bladders;
• a reversible, collapsible ladder attached to an exterior portion of said upper and lower bladders, said ladder including an outboard platform having a proximal end coupled via a flexible link to an area at or near an intersection between said upper and lower bladders and having a distal end coupled via upper and lower flexible straps to upper and lower areas on said upper and lower bladders, respectively;
• and
• upper and lower reversible ballast pouches attached to an exterior portion of said upper and lower bladders, respectively, at a location opposite said reversible, collapsible ladder.

A reversible life raft comprising:

• a self-inflatable raft body with upper and lower inflatable, peripherally disposed bladders defining a closed geometric shape;
• a floor closing said geometric shape of said upper and lower bladders;
• and
• a reversible, collapsible ladder attached to an exterior portion of said upper and lower bladders, said ladder including an outboard platform having a proximal end coupled via a flexible link to an area at or near an intersection between said upper and lower bladders and having a distal end coupled via upper and lower flexible straps to upper and lower areas on said upper and lower bladders, respectively.

A method for establishing a reversible life raft for survivors in a body of water comprising:

• inflating upper and lower inflatable bladders;
• simultaneously inflating upper and lower inflatable masts pneumatically coupled to said upper and lower bladders;
• deploying first and second canopies via inflation of said first and second masts respectively above-water and below water;
• stabilizing said life raft with said below water deployed canopy.