RESCUE BOAT EQUIPMENT

As per International Life Saving Appliances Code adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in order to provide international standards for the life-saving appliances required by chapter III of the 1974 SOLAS Convention.

5.1.2 Rescue boat equipment

5.1.2.1 All items of rescue boat equipment, with the exception of boat-hooks which shall be kept free for fending off purposes, shall be secured within the rescue boat by lashings, storage in lockers or compartments, storage in brackets or similar mounting arrangements, or other suitable means. The equipment shall be secured in such a manner as not to interfere with any launching or recovery procedures. All items of rescue boat equipment shall be as small and of as little mass as possible and shall be packed in suitable and compact form.

5.1.2.2 The normal equipment of every rescue boat shall consist of:

.1 sufficient buoyant oars or paddles to make headway in calm seas. Thole pins, crutches or equivalent arrangements shall be provided for each oar. Thole pins or crutches shall be attached to the boat by lanyards or chains

.2 a buoyant bailer

.3 a binnacle containing an efficient compass which is luminous or provided with suitable means of illumination

.4 a sea-anchor and tripping line if fitted with a hawser of adequate strength not less than 10 m in length

.5 a painter of sufficient length and strength, attached to the release device complying with the requirements of paragraph 4.4.7.7 and placed at the forward end of the rescue boat

.6 one buoyant line, not less than 50 m in length, of sufficient strength to tow a liferaft as required by paragraph 5.1.1.7;

.7 one waterproof electric torch suitable for Morse signalling, together with one spare set of batteries and one spare bulb in a waterproof container

.8 one whistle or equivalent sound signal

.9 a first-aid outfit in a waterproof case capable of being closed tightly after use

.10 two buoyant rescue quoits, attached to not less than 30 m of buoyant line

.11 a searchlight with a horizontal and vertical sector of at least 6° and a measured luminous intensity of 2,500 cd which can work continuously for not less than 3 h

.12 an efficient radar reflector

.13 thermal protective aids complying with the requirements of section 2.5 sufficient for 10% of the number of persons the rescue boat is permitted to accommodate or two, whichever is the greater; and

.14 portable fire-extinguishing equipment of an approved type suitable for extinguishing oil fires.* 

5.1.2.3 In addition to the equipment required by paragraph 5.1.2.2, the normal equipment of every rigid rescue boat shall include: 

.1 a boat-hook

.2 a bucket; and

.3 a knife or hatchet.

5.1.2.4 In addition to the equipment required by paragraph 5.1.2.2, the normal equipment of every inflated rescue boat shall consist of: 

.1 a buoyant safety knife;

.2 two sponges;

.3 an efficient manually operated bellows or pump;

.4 a repair kit in a suitable container for repairing punctures;

.5 and a safety boat-hook

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