LIFE RAFT & REGULATIONS

There are mainly two type of Life raft,

  Rigid and Inflatable life raft

Q1. what are the regulation
about Life Raft?

SOLAS REGULATION for Life Raft

Inflatable life raft contain CO₂ Gas inflation
cylinder. 

CO₂ gas containing small amount percentage of NITROGEN gas to act as an Anti-freeze

also CO₂ is NON-FLAMMABLE and also weight
is more than the AIR hence add buoyancy life raft,

Freezing point of CO₂ is -78⁰ c,
so it can inflate life raft even at -15⁰ c.

·        
It shall be  inflated
by ONE person only.

·        life raft shall not be Approved which
has a carrying capacity of less than 6 person.

·        
The total mass of the life raft with its its equipment and  container shall not become
more than 180 kg.

·        life raft inflation shall be completed within a period of 1 min at an ambient
temp. of between
18 degree c to 20 degree c, And
within a period of 3 minute at an ambient temp. of  minus 30 degree Celsius.

·        
A life raft shall be constructed like that to be capable of withstanding exposure for 30 days
afloat in any sea condition.

·        
A life raft shall be constructed so that when, packed in its container.

It is dropped into the water from a height of 18 meter the life raft and its equipment are not damaged.

A life raft, when afloat, shall be capable
of withstanding the number
of jumps onto it equal
to the  Number of members
of its complement, from a height of at least 4.5 m above its floor.

·        
A life raft
and its towing patch shall be so constructed as to enable the life raft to be towed
at a speed of 3 knots
in calm water
when it is loaded with its full complement and equipment and one of its
sea anchors is streamed.

·        
Life raft shall be provide INSULATION against HEAT and
COLD by means of either TWO layer of material separated by an AIR GAP. Shall be
provided to prevent accumulation of water in the
AIR GAP.

·        
It shall be provided with means to mount a Survival Craft RADAR TRANSPONDER at a height
of at least ONE meter above the SEA.

·        
Efficient PAINTER of length equal to not less
than 15 m.

A
manually controlled Lamp shall be fitted to the TOP of the life raft CANOPY; the light shall be WHITE and be capable of operating continuously for at least 12 hrs. With a luminous
intensity not less than 4.3 cd, in
all direction of the UPPER HEMISPHERE, the flashes rate not less than 50 and not more than 70 per minute.

Q2. What is
the Carrying Capacity of Life Raft on your ship? and Location
on your ship?

Minimum carrying capacity = 6 person.

Location on ship =
in forward (6 person)

At embarkation station in PORT and STBD side (It depends upon on your ship loaction and capacity may change )

Breaking Strength of Painter

·        
15 Kilo Newton for more than 25 person life raft permitted to accommodate.

·        
10 Kilo Newton for 9 to 24

·        
7.5 Kilo Newton anyhow

Equipment contain
in LIFE RAFT as per SOLAS

1. one Mirror / Heliograph
2. two Sponges 
3. Two Buoyant paddles 
4. Six Hand Flares 
5. Four Rocket parachutes = 4
6. Two Smoke signals
7. One EPIRB 
8. One SART 
9. Food Ration = 500 gram per person per days up to three days ( not less than 10000 kilo Joule per each person
   )
10. 500 Mill leter Water/ person / days up to 3 days
11. One Knife
12. One Survival instruction booklet
13. One Topping Up pump and Bellow
14. 50 Anti-sea sickness tablets 
15. 2 Buoyant bailers 
16. 1 Waterproof torch 
17. 1 Daylight signaling
    lamp.
18. 1 Radar reflector 
19. One box First Aid Kit in water
    proof case 
20. One set Fishing tackle 
21. One Compass
22. Two Sea Anchor 
23. One Whistle 
24. Three Tin opener 
25. Two Thermal Protective aid 

• Maker’s name or Trade
  mark
• Serial number
• Length of painter
• Date when last serviced
•  Maximum permitted height
  of stowage above water line
• Type of emergency pack enclosed
•  Date of manufacture ( month and year )
• Capacity of life raft
• Launching instruction
• SOLAS

Unfasten the ship hook from cradle than 

Two person will lift raft container from its cradle
and thrown it to overboard ( into sea ) make sure painter  point will be at ship side

Now after thrown
take out remaining painter from raft and after that give sharp pull but until the life  raft  inflate According to SOLAS Regulation it will inflate within
1 to 3 min depend on ambient temperature. 

Now pull it ship side with the help of same painter.

Now lower
the embarkation ladder or if height is less  than jump into water  or you can direct
jump into the life  raft if the height will not be more than
4.5 m from water line and also by using embarkation ladder you can
go down and jump it inside or
swim some distance and climb
up in raft.  if you are in cold weather should not get wet, keep dry as possible as you can

You must have to sit in
order  so raft will not be unbalance order wise means face to face.

SART and EPIRB  have to take along with you.

Head count must be taken After all person
get inside 

Now cut the painter  immediately by using knife and
using paddle or sea anchor get clear the ship because as ship will
start to sink there will be low pressure create in water nearby area of ship
and your raft will be possible to imbalance

LAUNCHING LIFE RAFT IN AUTO 

WHEN SHIP WILL SINK AND H.R.U WILL ACTIVATE AND LIFE RAFT WILL LAUNCH AUTOMATICALLY

When ship starts sink and it sink up to four meter the water pressure started  will activate sharp  knife in H.R.U it will cut the rope which secured around the container of the life raft and now float free. as the ship continue to sinking then painter line will stretch and which helps to inflate the raft. Due to buoyancy the red weak link will break around the force 2.2 kilo newton by which life raft will float on water surface.