Davit

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Boat suspended from radial davits, instead of a moving the bend of a goose neck,
it is mechanically lowered
A davit is any of various cranelike devices used on a ship for supporting, raisi
ng, and lowering boats, anchors, etc. [1]
Davit systems are most often used to lower an emergency lifeboat to the embarkat
ion level to be boarded. Davits can also be used as man-overboard safety devices
to retrieve personnel from the water.
The lifeboat davit has falls (now made of wire, historically of manila rope) tha
t are used to lower the lifeboat into the water.[2] Davits can also refer to sin
gle mechanical arms with a winch for lowering and raising spare parts onto a ves
sel and for lowering any other equipment from the deck of a vessel or a pontoon
to the water. The maintaining and operation of davits is all under jurisdiction
of International Maritime Organization. The regulations are enforced by the coun
try's own Coast Guard.
Contents [hide]
1
Development
2
Lifeboat davit types
3
Basic Parts
4
Releasing mechanisms
5
Free Fall
6
Procedure
7
Gallery
8
References
Development[edit]
The development of the davit from its original "goose neck form" to the current
devices advanced greatly when A.P. Schat patented a number of systems in 1926 th
at allowed the lifeboat to glide over obstructions on a ship's hull, known as th
e "Schat Skate". This was followed by a self-braking winch system that allowed t
he lifeboat to be lowered evenly. The standard became so common that shipyard sp
ecifications call for Schat-type davits which are available from various sources
. Similar systems developed by Schat companies are used on offshore oil or gas r
igs, being placed around the structure.
Development of the davit has also been in terms of material. Traditionally davit
s have been made in aluminium or steel but recent advances in composite material
have led to the manufacture of davits in carbon fibre which has an excellent po
wer to weight ratio. This means davits can be stowed away when not in use and th
e same davit used in multiple deck sockets fitted permanently on deck. [3]
Lifeboat davit types[edit]
Davits are designed to fit into deck spaces that the naval architects deemed nec
essary:
Radial (obsolete)
Hand powered davit. This type was used on the Lifeboats of the
RMS Titanic. Each arm must be rotated out manually; uses manila rope falls. Goo
se-neck shape to the arm that is swung out.[4]

Mechanical (obsolete)
This type is like the radial davit, but both arms are move
d out at the same time using a screw system; uses manila rope falls.[4]
Gravity (industry standard)
wire falls.[4]
Roller

There are multiple forms; one man can operate; uses

Davit slides down a track, bringing the davit to the embarkation deck.

Single pivot
aft.

One pivot point where the lifeboat is moved over the side of the cr

Multi pivot
ited.

Common on promenade decks of cruise ships. Useful where space is lim

Free fall
Lifeboat slides right off vessel. Lifeboat must be an enclosed type. M
ain type of Davit on merchant ships now. This type does not use falls.
Fixed
Common on oil rigs. Lifeboat is hung above the water (at embarkation level
) and lowered into the water. [5]
Basic Parts[edit]
Liferaft: These can be Enclosed, partially enclosed, or open. (There are picture
s of these on the page already so no description is added)
Frapping Lines: These lines are used on all davits except the fixed and freefall
davits. The frapping line are used to pull the lifeboat over to the embarkation
deck along with the tricing pendent to be loaded.
Gripes: Ropes used to hold the Lifeboat in the stored position while underway.
Tricing pendants: Lines used to initially pull the lifeboat over to the embarkat
ion deck so that the Frapping lines can be connected.[5]
Falls: The wires which lift or lower the lifeboat are known as falls.
Releasing mechanisms[edit]
There are 3 basic systems used to release the lifeboat from the davit. (Coast Gu
ard Questions are for the Rottmer, On-Load releasing gear) [6]
On-load: For this style of release mechanism, the lifeboat can be released at an
y point from the davit. This type of system allows a lifeboat to be released whe
n it is not in the water, whether this is because of the emergency or an acciden
t. Because of this, during an evacuation the release mechanism must be watched t
o make sure there is not an accidental activation. [7]
Offload: This release mechanism requires the weight (load) of the lifeboat to no
t be on the hook when it is released. This includes the titanic era Monomony hoo
k design that requires someone to remove the hook from the lifeboat by hand. But
this type also includes the hydrostatic system many lifeboats use now. For this
, a float is raised up and engages the release once the craft is in the water to
the right depth. [7]
Free Fall[edit]
This type of release mechanism is very basic. The (enclosed) lifeboat is on a ra
mp and slides down and off of the ship when engaged. This is done by pumping a l
ever that is inside the lifeboat by the pilot. [7] If there is not enough hydrau
lic pressure to release the stop fall. A pump on the inside must be rotated to b
uild up the hydraulic pressure to release the lifeboats stopfall hook. Once the
stopfall hook (hook attaching the lifeboat to the davit that holds it to the shi
p) is released the lifeboat will slide off the ramp and into the water. This typ

e of lifeboat is more common due to its quick deployment and ease of operation.[
8] This is the type of davit used for lowering (dropping) the enclosed lifeboat
in the movie Captain Phillips (film).
Procedure[edit]
For all lifeboats using a roller gravity davit and Rottmer releasing gear, this
is the procedure:
1. Make sure the Davit tracks are clear of debris
2. Remove the lifeboat cover if applicable
3. Put in the lifeboat plugs
4. At this time the Rottmer releasing gear is checked to be secure.
5. Attach the sea painter to the bow of the ship.
6. Remove the gripes from the lifeboat.
7. Make sure the gripes preventing bar is free from the track.
8. Have the assigned brake man life the braking bar and lower the lifeboat to th
e embarkation deck.
9. Now that the Tricing pendants have pulled the lifeboat in close, attach the F
rapping lines to the wire falls by passing them to a worker who is on the lifebo
at.
10. Load the lifeboat. Load one person at a time and seat them so their weight i
s distributed between the two sides.
11. Have the brake man raise the lifeboat slightly so the workers can release th
e Tricing pendants.
12. Brake man lifts bar and lowers the vessel into the water.
13. Operate the Rottmer releasing gear and release the davit on the crest of a w
ave.
14. If ship is sinking, pull toggle pin to release the sea painter from the ship
.
[9]
During this procedure, if the lifeboat has air-cooled engines start it at the be
ginning. If it has a water-cooled engine start the engine after the lifeboat is
in the water.
Gallery[edit]
Gravity multi-pivot on cruiseferry Scandinavia
Gravity Roller Davit
Gravity multi pivot davit holding rescue vessel on North Sea ferry
Freefall lifeboat on the Spring Aeolian
Frapping line
Labeled Tricing
Gripe
Steps to launch davit

Roller Gravity Davit

References[edit]
Jump up ^ Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, 2010 K Dictionari
es Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House
Jump up ^ "Davit Systems | Applied Technical Services". Atslab.com. Retrieved 20
14-02-21.
Jump up ^ http://www.atlascarbonproducts.com
^ Jump up to: a b c Hayler, William B. (2003). American Merchant Seaman's Manual
. CMP: Cornell Maritime Press. pp. 10 15
10 17. ISBN 978-0-87033-549-5.
^ Jump up to: a b SIU AFL-CIO. (1991). Water survival manual. (p. 37). Piney Poi
nt, Maryland: Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship.
Jump up ^ Murphy, J. (2009). U.S. Coast Guard license examination preparation fo
r the professional mariner . Wareham, Massachusetts: Academy Publishing Company.
Retrieved from http://mdnautical.com/murphy-s-deck-officers-guides/7-murphy-s-d
eck-officer-study-guide-7-lifeboatmen-2009.html.
^ Jump up to: a b c Wankhede, A. (2010, december 22). Types of lifeboat release
mechanisms & solas requirements for lifeboats. Retrieved from http://www.marinei
nsight.com/misc/maritime-law/types-of-lifeboat-release-mechanisms-solas-requirem
ents-for-lifeboats/.
Jump up ^ Maritime Training Services. (n.d.). Launching and recovery system of '
free fall life boats'. Retrieved from http://www.maritimetraining.com/Product/La
unching-and-Recovery-System-of-Free-Fall-Life-Boats.
Jump up ^ Suny Maritime College. (2011, 30 03)