SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA C95 



Regulation 4 



Ready Availability of Lifeboats, Liferafts and Buoyant Apparatus 



(a) The general principle governing the provision of lifeboats, liferafts and 

 buoyant apparatus in a ship to which this Chapter applies is that they shall 

 be readily available in case of emergency. 



(b) To be readily available, the lifeboats, liferafts and buoyant apparatus 

 shall comply with the following conditions : — 



(i) they shall be capable of being put into the water safely and rapidly 

 even under unfavourable conditions of trim and of 15 degrees of list; 



(ii) it shall be possible to effect embarkation into the lifeboats and life- 

 rafts rapidly and in good order; 



(iii) the arrangement of each lifeboat, liferaft and article of buoyant 

 apparatus shall be such that it will not interfere with the operation 

 of other boats, liferafts and buoyant apparatus. 



(c) All the life-saving appliances shall be kept in working order and 

 available for immediate use before the ship leaves port and at all times during 

 the voyage. 



Regulation 5 



Construction of Lifeboats 



(a) All lifeboats shall be properly constructed and shall be of such form 

 and proportions that they shall have ample stability in a seaway, and 

 sufficient freeboard when loaded with their full complement of persons and 

 equipment. All lifeboats shall be capable of maintaining positive stability 

 when open to the sea and loaded with their full complement of persons and 

 equipment. 



(b) (i) All lifeboats shall have rigid sides and internal buoyancy only. The 

 Administration may approve lifeboats with a rigid shelter, provided that it 

 may be readily opened from both inside and outside, and does not impede 

 rapid embarkation and disembarkation or the launching and handling of the 

 lifeboat. 



(ii) Motor lifeboats may be fitted to the satisfaction of the Administra- 

 tion with means for preventing the entry of water at the fore end. 



(iii) All lifeboats shall be not less than 24 feet (or 7 • 3 metres) in length 

 except where owing to the size of the ship, or for other reasons, the Administra- 

 tion considers the carriage of such lifeboats unreasonable or impracticable. 

 In no ship shall the lifeboats be less than 16 feet (or 49 metres) in length. 



Ch. 3 



