Lost Poll - Take the raft or stay on the island?

[Dagger75]

I woulds stay. You would make your situation by getting on the boat.

 

[Steverooo]

I'd rather make my situation than have it made for me!...

 

[James Heard]

I wouldn't touch a boat until I had a more general idea of where exactly in the Pacific I was, so I could figure out if there was an island chain to aim for and hop from and which direction I should be generally heading so that I didn't end up trying to do the run from Borneo to Hawaii in one jump or something equally silly. I think I remember someone mentioning "thousands of miles from Fiji", and there hasn't been any air traffic or even far away and unapproachable liners - that doesn't say very many good things to me about where they could possibly be or the what current might be like. Furthermore while the boat looks sound I don't see them stocking up the on the massive amounts of fresh water that you'd need for a trip of any consequence. Finally, no one has said they even sailed motorboats or mentioned the season - which iirc should be pretty important for anyone deciding to run around in an untested watercraft in the deep Pacific.

I think the boat idea is good though. They should be making it to map the island by sea, teach themselves about sailcraft, use as a fishing platform, and look for the other people on the island (who, logically, have their own boats and therefore a beaching place unless they've managed to retain scuba gear or have gills).

I'm also wondering why they didn't use more elements from the plane in the construction of their boat (or more importantly, their shelters). Aluminum isn't THAT heavy, and it's a spot more sturdy than palm leaves and twine.