LIFE RAFT

LIFE RAFT
LIFE RAFT INFLATED
LIFE RAFTS
• Life rafts are provided as a life-saving appliance on every
seagoing merchant or passenger ship, in addition to the
lifeboats.
• Life rafts are much easier to launch as compared to lifeboats
and in case of emergency situations, evacuation from the ship
can be done without manually launching any of them as the life
rafts are designed with an auto-inflatable system.
• SOLAS Chapter III gives all the details for types and the
number of life rafts to be carried as per the size and type of the
ship.
Where Are Liferafts Located On Ships?

• Life rafts are normally located on muster station, on port and

starboard side near the lifeboat.
• The location generally depends on the size of the ship.
• Life rafts are stored in a fibreglass container, incorporated with
a high-pressure gas used for inflating life raft at the time of
emergency.
• A Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) is connected to raft container
and ship, which release the raft even after the ship sinks in
water.
LIFE RAFT
• The particulars of the raft are stencilled on the container which
includes the capacity, manufacturing date, servicing date,
company name etc. along with the launching procedure with a
photogenic display for easy understanding.
• The basic survival items are already stored in the raft which
includes rations, pyrotechnics, etc.
• Some ships carry a davit launching system which allows the
crew to inflate and board the raft on the deck, avoiding the risk
of going into the seawater.
Important Solas Requirements For Life Rafts

• All liferaft provided on ships should be stowed with its painter permanently attached to the
ship
• Each liferaft or group of liferaft should be stowed with float-free arrangement complying with
the requirements so that each floats free. If it is an inflatable raft, it should inflate
automatically when the ship sinks.
• Liferafts should be stowed in such so as to permit the manual release of one raft or container
at a time from the securing arrangements.
• Davit-launched liferafts should be stowed within reach of the lifting hooks, unless some
means of transfer is provided which is not rendered inoperable within the limits of trim and
list as required or by ship motion or power failure
• Liferafts intended for throw-overboard launching should be stowed so as to be readily
transferable for launching on either side of the ship.
• All liferafts shall be serviced at intervals not exceeding 12 months (if impracticable, the
administration may extend this period to 17 months) at proper service stations with proper
servicing facilities and trained professionals
Important Requirements for Life rafts and Carrying
Capacity

• The lift raft should be capable of withstanding exposure for 30 days afloat in all sea
conditions
• When dropped into the water from a height of 18 metres, the life raft and all
equipment in it will operate satisfactorily
• The floating life raft should be capable of withstanding repeated jumps on it from a
height of at least 4.5 metres above its floor both with and without the canopy erected
• Can be towed at 3 knots with its full equipment, compliment of persons and one
anchor streaming
• Canopy to provide insulation and protection against heat and cold by two layers of
material separated by an air gap
• Interior to be of a non-discomforting colour
• It shall admit sufficient air for the occupants at all times, even when the entrance is
closed
 Important Requirements for Life rafts and Carrying
Capacity

• It shall be provided with at least one viewing port

• It shall be provided with a means of collecting rainwater
• It shall be provided with a means to mount a survival craft radar transponder
(SART) at a height of at least 1 meter above the sea level
• It shall have sufficient headroom for the sitting occupants under all parts of the
canopy
• Minimum carrying capacity must be at least 6 persons
• Maximum weight of its container, as well as the equipment, should not exceed
185 kilos
• The life raft shall be fitted with an efficient painter of length equal to minimum
10 metres plus the distance from the stowed position to the waterline in the
lightest seagoing condition or 15 metres, whichever is greater
Important Requirements for Life rafts and Carrying
Capacity

• A manually controlled lamp shall be fitted on the top of the canopy and the light shall be white
and it must operate for at least 12 hours with a luminous intensity of not less than 4.3 candela
• If the flashlight is fitted, it shall flash at a rate of not less than 50 flashes and not more than 70
flashes per minute for the 12 hours that it burns
• When the liferaft is loaded with a full complement of persons and equipment, it should be
capable of withstanding a lateral impact against the ship side at an impact velocity of not less
than 3.5m/s and also drop into the water from a height of not less than 3 metres without
damage
• Inflation is done by CO2 with a small quantity of N2 which acts as an anti-freezing element.
Also, CO2 is non-flammable and also weighs more than air hence adds buoyancy to the raft.
The freezing point of CO2 is -78 degrees so it can inflate life raft at really low temperatures
• Location on a ship:
– Forward
– At embarkation stations on both port and starboard sides
Safety Features on a Life raft

• Some of the main safety features on a life raft are:

• Pressure relief valve
• Stabilizing pocket
• Insulated canopy with two layers for protection against heat and
cold
Important Liferaft Equipment

• Rescue quoits with minimum 30-metre lines

• Non-folding knife with a buoyant handle. If the life raft holds more than 13 persons,
then a second knife
• For 12 persons or less, 1 bailer. For more than 13 persons, 2 bailers should be kept
• 2 sponges
• 2 buoyant paddles
• 3 tin openers
• 2 sea anchors
• 1 pair of scissors
• 1 first aid waterproof kit
• 1 whistle
Important Liferaft Equipment

• 1 waterproof torch for communicating morse code with 1 spare

set of batteries and bulb
• 1 signalling mirror/heliograph
• 1 radar reflector
• 1 life-saving signals waterproof card
• 1 fishing tackle
• Food ration totalling not less than 10000 kJ for each person
• Water ration- 1.5 litres of freshwater for each person
• One rustproof graduated drinking vessel
Important Liferaft Equipment

• Anti seasickness medicine sufficient for at least 48 hours and

one sickness bag for each person
• Instructions on how to survive (Survival booklet)
• Instructions on immediate action
• TPA sufficient for 10% of the number of persons or two,
whichever is greater
• SOLAS ‘A’ Pack
• 6 Hand Flares
• 4 Rocket Parachute Flares
• 2 Buoyant Smoke Signals
Methods of launching
• Auto release with Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU).
• Manually launching.
• Launching by Davits.
Auto Release with Hydrostatic Release
Unit (HRU):
• The life raft HRU plays an important role when it comes to
saving a life during an abandon ship situation.
• SOLAS 74 clearly specify the requirements for construction and
positioning of the HRU at the life raft.
Working of HRU(4 min)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRTMSPbxOLY
Auto Release with Hydrostatic Release
Unit (HRU):
• HRU acts as a connecting media between life raft container and
ship deck, where it is stored.
• The HRU comes in action under the pressure of water exerted
on HRU when the ship sinks below 4m of water level.
Auto Release with Hydrostatic Release
Unit (HRU):
• HRU acts as a connecting media between life raft container and
ship deck, where it is stored.
• The HRU comes in action under the pressure of water exerted
on HRU when the ship sinks below 4m of water level.
• The HRU consists of a sharp knife or chisel which is used to cut
the strap lashed over the container carrying life raft, but it still
holds the painter at the weak link.
Auto Release with Hydrostatic Release
Unit (HRU):
• HRU acts as a connecting media between life raft container and ship
deck, where it is stored.
• The HRU comes in action under the pressure of water exerted on
HRU when the ship sinks below 4m of water level.
• The HRU consists of a sharp knife or chisel which is used to cut the
strap lashed over the container carrying life raft, but it still holds the
painter at the weak link.
• The HRU is connected to the container through a lashing arrangement
which can be disengaged quickly by means of slip hook when
launching the raft manually.
• The HRU is connected to a strong point on deck through a weak link.
Auto Release with Hydrostatic Release
Unit (HRU):
• When vessel sinks, the HRU cuts the rope and the container
floats to the surface of water.
• As vessel sinks further, the tension in the painter causes the life
raft to inflate out of the container.
• The tension acting on the weak link will cause it to break
making the life raft free from the ship.
MANUAL LAUNCHING VIDEO (13
MIN)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl3tfYPOhMg
MANUAL LAUNCHING
• Check that one end of the painter of the raft is well secured to a
strong point on ship’s deck or structure.
• Remove the lashing from the container of the raft and open the
way to portable rail if available.
• Check the ship side where the raft to be launched is clear.
• Two people should lift the container from both sides horizontally
and throw the container.
• Make sure the painter is still fixed at a strong point so that the
raft should not be waved away by waters.
MANUAL LAUNCHING
• Pull the painter with a hard jerk to fire the gas bottle to inflate
the raft.
• The life raft will take 20-30 sec to inflate.
• Board the life raft one by one using ladder or rope.
• Avoid sharp objects like knives, shoes and other sharp objects
etc which may damage the raft surface.
• When everybody is aboard, after a headcount, cut the painter
with a sharp knife.
DAVIT LAUNCHED (9 Min)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU59HeeXPjs
DAVIT LAUNCHED
• Open the lashing and remove the raft container from HRU by
opening the manual slip hook.
• Tie up the one end of the painter of raft into a strong point at
deck.
• Keep the container in the open and attach the davit hook to the
given eye in the canister/ container
• Take up the raft load by davit and keep the container hanging at
embarkation deck area.
• Pull the painter and inflate the raft. Have a thorough check on
the inflated raft.
DAVIT LAUNCHED
• Start boarding the raft without the shoes and other sharp object.
• After the boarding is completed, check the bottom is clear and
release the securing lines, if any.
• Someone inside the raft will detach the hook of the davit from
the raft when the raft is just above the water.
• The davit operating person will board the raft either by jumping
in to the sea, raft or by other boarding means if provided.
• Cut the painter and cast away the raft from ship.
Rigid Liferafts
Rigid Liferafts
Rigid liferafts Launching

• Release heavy weather straps.

• Remove cover and plastic sheeting.
• If necessary, move raft to a position of launching.
• Remove any lift-out railings or safety chains.
• Await order for launching. Check painter made fast on the ship.
• Check water below launching point is clear and launch liferaft.
• Pull on painter and tug hard to erect both liferaft canopies. Pull raft alongside with
painter and board using embarkation ladder if possible. Remove shoes and sharp
objects and try to avoid injury to persons in the raft if it is necessary to jump. Jumping
should be avoided if possible.
• When all persons are on board, cut the painter as far away from the raft as possible.
(Knife stowed near painter.)
• Paddle clear of ship and join other craft. Stream the sea anchor or drogue.