LIFE RAFT

Compiled by: Capt.Amol B. Athalye

LIFE RAFT
 LIFE RAFT & Construction
1. Either rigid or Inflatable
2. Launched fully loaded by Davit or by throwing in water
3. Every liferaft shall be so constructed as to be capable of withstanding exposure
for 30 days afloat in all sea conditions.
4. The liferaft shall be so constructed that when it is dropped into the water from a
height of 18 m, w/o occupants, the liferaft and its equipment will operate
satisfactorily. If davit launched, at a height not less than 3 m but fully loaded with
occupants & equipment.
5. If the liferaft is to be stowed at a height of >18 m above the waterline in the
lightest seagoing condition, it shall be of a type which has been satisfactorily drop-
tested from at least that height.
6. The floating liferaft shall be capable of withstanding repeated jumps on to it from a
height of at least 4.5 m above its floor both with and without the canopy erected.
 LIFE RAFT & Construction
 The liferaft shall have a Canopy to protect the occupants from exposure, which is automatically set
in place when the liferaft is launched and waterborne. The Canopy shall comply with following: -
1) The Canopy made of two layers of fabric separated by an air gap for insulation against cold & heat.
2) Each entrance shall be clearly indicated with adjustable closing arrangements. L/R with more than
8 persons shall have 2 entrances opposite to each other.
3) It shall admit sufficient air for all occupants, even with entrances closed.
4) Be provided with at least 1 viewing port.
5) Be provided with means of collecting rainwater.
6) Provided with means to mount a survival craft radar transponder, at a height of 1metre above the
sea.
7) Sufficient head room for sitting occupants under all parts of the canopy.
 No life raft shall be approved which has a carrying capacity of less than six persons & more than
185 kg
 Inflatable life raft is a round or oval shaped
 Source of buoyancy being inflatable tubes on its periphery made of rubberized cotton or nylon
fabric, also the floor is made of 2 layers of fabric like an inflatable mattress. Valves with air pump or
bellows provided to inflate manually .
PARTS OF A INFLATED LIFERAFT
 Construction (2)
 Two independent tubes provide buoyancy
 Floor is made of two layers of fabric like an inflatable mattress.
 Thwart across the life raft keep it in shape
 Doors, ramp, ladder, handholds , viewing port, life lines inside and outsides, a fixed light
inside, a flashing light on top of the canopy are provided 50 flashes per min for at least 2 hrs.
Both lights can be controlled to burn for at least 12 hrs. Visible for 2 M
 Four adjustable pockets are provided to reduce drift and prevent capsizing
 Two righting loops are provided under the life raft for righting it.
 A Senhouse slip in the securing strope permits quick release.
 A Hydrostatic Release Unit is also fitted in the securing strope
 A painter attached to life raft is connected permanently to the ship through a shackle
senhouse slip and a weak link. The inner end is connected to the gas cylinder.
 Giving a jerk to the painter operates the gas cylinder and inflates the life raft.
 LIFE RAFT & Construction
 Painter be provided of length 15 m or at least twice the height of stowage
above light water line, whichever greater.

 The liferaft and its fittings shall be so constructed as to enable it to be towed at

a speed of 3 knots in calm water when loaded with its full complement of
persons and equipment and with one of its sea-anchors streamed.
 Highly visible colour from outside and pleasant colour inside.
 Operating Instructions of the L/R must be posted on the outer cover (valise) of
the L/R.
STOWAGE OF LIFERAFT ON SHIP
 Operation

 Confirm the Painter is firmly secured to the ship

 Knock out the senhouse slip out of the securing
strop
 Throw the life raft container over board
 Pull out the painter and give sharp tugs to the
painter.
 The gas, which is non toxic, will be released and
life raft will inflate
 Markings on the Container of Life raft
 Maker’s name
 Serial Number
 SOLAS
 Approving authority
 Date when last serviced
 Capacity of life raft
 Type of Emergency pack
 Length of painter
 Maximum height of stowage above water line
 Launching Instructions
 In addition - Name and port of registry in case of Rigid life raft
 Additional Requirements

 At least two diametrically opposite entrances capable of closing from

inside. Life raft of less than 8 persons may have only one entrance.
 Capacity - Not less than 6 and weight including container and equipment
not more than 185 kg unless davit launched and non portable
 Life lines are bracketed inside and outside the life raft
 Arrangements are provided for erecting antennae of radar transponder
beacon and portable radio equipment
 Davit launched life rafts should not take more than 3 minutes for boarding
and should be fitted with mechanism for unhooking from falls. At least
one entrance fitted with ramp for boarding
 A hand hold should be provided inside the raft above the entrances
Float Free Operations -HRU
Float Free Operations –HRU Attachment
 Float Free Operations -HRU
 HRU fits into the securing strops of life raft
 Life raft can be released manually by knocking off the senhouse slip
 If the slip is not released and HRU reaches a depth of 4 m with the sinking ship, its
upper apart separates from the main unit
 It frees the securing strop and a ring to which life raft is attached.
 The painter of the life raft is attached to ship though this ring via a weak link
 Life raft container now floats up and the painter is pulled out when it becomes taut,
the life raft inflates
 As the sinking ship exerts a pull on the painter, the weak link breaks and the life
raft gets detached from the ship.
 The weak link should be strong enough to pull out the painter and inflate the life
raft but weak enough to break with the buoyant force exerted by the life raft.
LIFERAFT MANUALLY LAUNCHED SHOWING
ARRANGEMENTS OF OPERATING CORD
OPERATION OF HYDROSTATIC RELEASE
 RIGHTING A RAFT

 Many times so happens that raft does not inflate in upright position and it
has to be made upright.
 The process of making raft upright is called righting the raft.
 It can be carried out by one person but he should be a good swimmer.
 Bring life raft facing the wind. Climb on to the gas cylinder and hold as
high as possible on the righting strap.
 A pull on the strap together with a downward pressure on feet on the
cylinders at the same time throwing the weight of body backward
 Life raft becomes upright.
RIGHTING A RAFT
Contents of a life raft- SOLAS ‘A’ Pack- Carried by all cargo ships and most
passenger ships
 Buoyant rescue quoits : It has a 30 m of buoyant line attached with, the same can
be used to bring the isolated survivor to close.
 Hatchet of knife- One non folding , blunt pointed knife with buoyant handle and
lanyard used for cutting the painter
 Buoyant bailer – one for 12 men LR and two for larger LR
 Two sponges for mopping up
 Sea anchor (2)- one is permanently fitted and gets streamed automatically. Reduce
the drift caused by the wind. The other is spare to be used as desired.
 Buoyant oars(2): They are provided to give adequate headway for getting away from
ship and maneuvering. The oars should float in water.
 First aid outfit in water tight container
 Whistle - One mouth blown non pea plastic whistle
 Contents of a Life raft- SOLAS ‘A’ Pack
 Torch must be provided, water proof, with spare bulb and spare batteries, It is designed in
such a way that the passenger can send a Morse by flash .
 A radar reflector is provided to be rigged as per the instruction It will give a blip in the Search
and Rescue Vessel/Aircraft’s Radar.
 Daylight signaling mirror: It is provided to attract the attention of Search and Rescue craft
by focusing the sun light. The direction of usages is imposed on it.
 One set of fishing tackle
 One rust free graduated container for drinking water
 One water proof copy of Life Saving signals
 A survival manual to give adequate guidance to the survivors.
 Food rations: It is provided for every person (ie.10000 kJ of energy per person) . Validity is 5
yrs.
 1.5 liters of water per person. Only one liter in case desalting apparatus is provided.
 Contents of a life raft- SOLAS ‘A’ Pack

 Distress signals
 Parachute flares(4 No's):They are provided in the same watertight container.
 Hand flares(6 No's):They are provided in watertight container.
 Smoke signals (2)
 Tin openers (3 No’s): They are used for cutting the tinned food.
 6 Sea sickness tablets per passenger to be provided and a vomiting bag.
 Thermal Protective Aid: It provides insulation to the passenger. It is provided for 10% of the
life raft capacity. or Two in number whichever is greater.
 One repair kit and one air pump or bellows is provided for leaks and punctures
SOLAS ‘B’ Pack by passenger ships which do not go far
from the coast

Does not contain the following-

 Food and Water
 Tin openers
 Drinking Vessel
 Fishing tackle
 Half of the Distress signals
 Davit Launched Life Raft
 In addition to the above requirements, a liferaft for use with an approved launching
appliance shall: when the liferaft is loaded with its full complement of persons and
equipment, be capable of withstanding a lateral impact against the ship's side at an
impact velocity of not less than 3.5 m/s and also a drop into the water from a
height of not less than 3 m without damage that will affect its function; be provided
with means for bringing the liferaft alongside the embarkation deck and holding it
securely during embarkation.
 Every cargo ship davit-launched liferaft shall be so arranged that it can be boarded
by its full complement of persons in not more than 3 min from the time the
instruction to board is given.
 The liferaft painter system shall provide a connection between the ship and the
liferaft and shall be so arranged as to ensure that the liferaft when released and, in
the case of an inflatable liferaft, inflated is not dragged under by the sinking ship.
 All Markings as seen before w/ Pack A /B
 Rescue Boat

 Rescue boats may be either of rigid or inflated construction or a combination of both

and shall: be not less than 3.8 m and not more than 8.5 m in length; and be capable
of carrying at least five seated persons and a person lying on a stretcher.
 Unless boat has adequate sheer, it shall be provided with a bow cover extending not
less than 15% of its length. Provided with effective means of bailing or automatic self
bailing.
 Rescue boats shall be capable of manoeuvring at a speed of at least 6 knots and
maintaining that speed for a period of at least 4 hrs.
 Rescue boats shall have sufficient mobility and manoeuvrability in a seaway to enable
persons to be retrieved from the water, marshal liferafts and tow the largest liferaft
carried on the ship when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment or
its equivalent at a speed of at least 2 knots.

 A rescue boat shall be fitted with an inboard engine or outboard motor. If it is fitted with
an outboard motor, the rudder and tiller may form part of the engine. Its fuel tanks
protected against fire & explosion
 Rescue Boat
 Arrangements for towing shall be permanently fitted in rescue boats and shall
be sufficiently strong to marshal or tow liferafts.
 Inflated rescue boats shall be so constructed as to be capable of withstanding
exposure: when stowed on an open deck on a ship at sea; for 30 days afloat
in all sea conditions.
 The buoyancy of an inflated rescue boat shall be provided by either a single
tube subdivided into at least five separate compartments of approximately
equal volume or two separate tubes neither exceeding 60% of the total volume.
Each compartment provided with non return valve.
 In addition to complying with the requirements lifeboats, inflated rescue boats
shall be marked with a serial number, the maker's name or trade mark and the
date of manufacture.
 The inflated rescue boat shall be maintained at all times in a fully inflated
condition.
 Fitted with weathertight stowage for small items of equipment.
Boarding and Inflatable Chute
 Boarding and Inflatable Chute
 Used for boarding life raft
 Walls are formed by double layers of airtight fabric
 Space between two layers is filled with CO2 and N2 gas
 Upper end of the chute stays on the embarkation deck and the lower end
terminates in a platform that floats on the surface of the sea
 Platform is also inflatable and attached to it are a number of life rafts
 Survivors simply slide down the chute on to the platform and board the life raft
easily
 For a single life raft, the chute descends down directly in to the life raft
 Swiveling connection allows the chute to take any angle depending on wind and
sea.
 Survivor is never exposed to weather
 Care and Custody of LSA
 Ensure instruction booklet for every Life saving Appliance for onboard
maintenance is available onboard and shall be followed strictly
 Boat falls shall be turned for end to end every 2.5 years and shall be renewed
every 5 years or earlier if necessary
 Spares and repair equipment for LSA should be available
 Every inflatable life raft and Hydrostatic Release Unit shall be serviced at
intervals of not more than one year at the approved service centre.
 Every week - Emergency Alarm shall be tested. Engines of Lifeboat and
Rescue boat shall be run ahead and astern for at least 3 minutes. All the
Survival craft and their launching appliances shall be visually inspected.
 Every month - Other LSA and all lifeboats equipment shall be inspected and a
report of inspection shall be recorded in the Official Log Book.
 BUOYANT BUOYANT OARS
RESCUE QUOITS

RADAR REFLECTOR
 HATCHET

:HELIOGRAM

SEA ANCHOR

HAND FLARE SMOKE SIGNAL

 GLOBAL MARITIME DISTRESS AND SAFETY SYSTEM
• The EPIRB is provided to all the vessels to alert
search and rescue services in the event of an
emergency and to guide them to the position.

• It is designed to transmit a coded message on

distress frequency 406MHz / 121.5Mhz which
identifies the exact vessel to which the EPIRB
is registered.

• The message is relayed via satellite to nearest

rescue coordination centre.

• It also homes rescue team to its position. After

receiving the distress message from EPIRB the
satellite can determine your ship particulars
and position of ship and pass on to concerned
authorities.
SEARCH AND RESCUE RADAR
TRANSPONDER (SART)
• All ships must carry at least
two SART.
• The principal use of the set is to
help rescue services quickly
locate the ships position.
• It is a Radar transponder , which
will operate with most maritime
radars.
• The working range is 40 miles
from Air craft and 5 miles from
ship.
• When it transmits a line of dots
seen on the Radar display .
PORTABLE WATERPROOF VHF RADIO
SET
• The principal use of these sets are
to provide a means of
communication with other rafts
and to liaise with rescue services
as they approach.

• They are also used to transmit

MAY DAY, monitor channel 16 for
rescue activities and during man
overboard recovery.

• As the batteries have a maximum

life of 12 Hours.