What to check on a Open Lifeboat.
An open lifeboat is a rigid survival craft with no permanent weatherproof cover over the seating area - occupants are exposed to wind, spray, and rain, protected at most by a collapsible canopy that is not structural. This is the key distinction from an enclosed lifeboat, which has a rigid, self-righting hull-to-canopy structure sealing occupants inside, and from a partially enclosed lifeboat, which has rigid end sections but an open midsection. Open lifeboats predate the enclosed designs and were the standard type for decades; SOLAS has since phased out new…
What defines an open lifeboat
An open lifeboat is a rigid survival craft with no permanent weatherproof cover over the seating area - occupants are exposed to wind, spray, and rain, protected at most by a collapsible canopy that is not structural. This is the key distinction from an enclosed lifeboat, which has a rigid, self-righting hull-to-canopy structure sealing occupants inside, and from a partially enclosed lifeboat, which has rigid end sections but an open midsection. Open lifeboats predate the enclosed designs and were the standard type for decades; SOLAS has since phased out new installations of open lifeboats on most cargo ships and tankers in favour of enclosed types, so most open lifeboats now in service are on older tonnage or on vessel types where an exemption applies.
Main components
Hull
Fibreglass-reinforced plastic in almost all modern builds, with inherent buoyancy built into the structure so the boat floats even if the hull is holed, rather than relying solely on separate buoyancy tanks.
Propulsion
A diesel engine, air-cooled or with a closed cooling loop so it can run with the boat swamped, driving a propeller through a reduction gear; hand-cranked or oar propulsion is retained on some older or smaller boats as backup.
Davit falls and release gear
The wire falls lower the boat from the davit, and the on-load release gear lets it disconnect from the falls under load once waterborne - this release gear has the worst accident record of any lifeboat component and is the subject of a dedicated IMO retrofit requirement (MSC.1/Circ.1392 and related guidance).
Buoyancy tanks and seating
Separate air tanks supplement hull buoyancy, and rigid bench seating is arranged to the boat's certified capacity, with lifelines along the gunwale for occupants to hold in a seaway.
Equipment locker
Carries the SOLAS-mandated survival equipment pack - rations, water, flares, first aid, a painter, bailer, and sea anchor - stowed in a sealed container within the boat.
Selection and sizing
- Certified capacity in number of persons, fixed by the manufacturer's stability and buoyancy testing, not adjustable after build.
- Davit type and falls length compatible with the ship's freeboard and existing davit arrangement.
- Engine type and fuel arrangement suited to the trading area's expected sea state and required endurance.
- Release gear type, since retrofitted release gear must match both the boat and the existing davit falls attachment.
Regulations and class
SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code govern lifeboat carriage, construction, and equipment. Open lifeboats remain acceptable on existing installations under grandfathering provisions, but new cargo ship and tanker construction generally requires enclosed or partially enclosed types instead. On-load release gear on all lifeboats, open or enclosed, has been subject to mandatory evaluation and, where required, replacement under IMO resolution MSC.402(96) following a series of fatal accidents during lifeboat drills. Class surveys require an annual lifeboat launch, a five-yearly load test of the falls, and periodic overhaul of the release gear per manufacturer instructions.
Typical faults
| Fault | Cause | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Release gear fails to hold or fails to release | Wear, corrosion, or incorrect reassembly after maintenance | Fatal fall during drill, or inability to release once waterborne |
| Engine will not start after long lay-up | Fuel degradation, seized starting mechanism, flat battery | Boat launched but unable to manoeuvre clear of the ship's side |
| Buoyancy tank leak | Gelcoat cracking or impact damage not repaired | Reduced reserve buoyancy, boat sits low or swamps in a seaway |
| Exposure of occupants in poor weather | Inherent open design, no rigid cover | Hypothermia risk during prolonged time in the boat |
What to look for in a supplier
- LSA Code type approval certificate for the specific boat model and capacity.
- Compatibility of release gear with the ship's existing davit and falls, confirmed in writing before ordering.
- Documented compliance path for the on-load release gear retrofit requirement if replacing an older boat.
- Availability of five-yearly load testing service in the ports the vessel actually calls at.
Treat every lifeboat drill as a real test of the release gear, not a formality - the majority of fatal lifeboat accidents happen during drills, at the exact moment the gear is loaded and unloaded under crew hands rather than in open water.