What to check on a Freefall Davit.
A gravity (davit-launched) system lowers the lifeboat on wire falls under a winch brake, with the option to stop or recover it partway. A freefall davit instead holds the boat on a steep ramp and releases it to slide off under its own weight, entering the water bow-first with enough momentum to clear the ship's side even in a moderate swell. The crew stay strapped into their seats for the release, which is the point: freefall does not depend on the ship's power supply or on anyone operating a winch…
What sets a freefall davit apart from gravity davits
A gravity (davit-launched) system lowers the lifeboat on wire falls under a winch brake, with the option to stop or recover it partway. A freefall davit instead holds the boat on a steep ramp and releases it to slide off under its own weight, entering the water bow-first with enough momentum to clear the ship's side even in a moderate swell. The crew stay strapped into their seats for the release, which is the point: freefall does not depend on the ship's power supply or on anyone operating a winch, so it remains usable after blackout, list or even some degree of trim that would jam a gravity system's wire falls.
Main components
Ramp and cradle
A fixed, sloped structure that holds the boat at the correct launch angle and guides it during release. The angle is fixed by the boat's approved launch data and cannot be adjusted on board.
Hydrostatic or mechanical release hook
Releases the boat from the cradle on command from inside the boat, or automatically if the ship sinks before the boat is launched, since a hydrostatic interlock releases it at a set depth so the boat floats free rather than being dragged down.
Winch and recovery wire
Used only to recover and re-stow the boat after a drill or a completed launch — not involved in the launch itself, which is the main functional difference from a gravity davit's winch brake.
On-load release gear inside the boat
A separate system to the davit's own release hook, allowing the coxswain to release from the falls once waterborne after any launch method, tested and maintained under its own certificate.
Selection and sizing
The davit is selected as a matched set with a specific approved freefall lifeboat type, not as a generic fitting — ramp angle, cradle geometry and release gear are all certified together for a given boat's weight and hull form. Deciding factors include:
- Boat capacity required against the ship's maximum complement
- Available stern height and hull form, since freefall needs sufficient drop to build launch speed
- Maximum approved list and trim angle for launch, checked against the ship's damage stability conditions
- Sea state and wind limits stated in the boat's approval documentation
Regulations and class
SOLAS Ch. III and the LSA Code set the performance standards, including the requirement that a freefall lifeboat launch successfully at the stated maximum list and trim. Full-launch testing at build and periodic drills, with simulated launch permitted between full launches under LSA Code provisions, are required, along with five-yearly load testing of the release gear. Class surveys check the release hook, hydrostatic interlock and davit structure at each periodic survey.
Typical faults
| Fault | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Release hook corrosion or incorrect adjustment | Boat fails to release on command, or releases prematurely during recovery |
| Ramp or cradle coating breakdown allowing corrosion | Structural weakening of a component that must survive full launch shock loads |
| Hydrostatic interlock not tested at due interval | Automatic release may not function if the ship sinks before manual launch |
| Crew unfamiliar with harness and seating drill | Injury risk during an actual freefall launch, which the boat's design assumes will not happen if procedure is followed |
What to look for in a supplier
- Type approval covering the exact davit-and-boat combination, not the davit alone
- Documented five-yearly load test and winch brake certification history if inspecting an existing installation
- Manufacturer support for the specific release gear fitted, since spares are not interchangeable across makes
- Training material available in a language the actual crew will use during drills
Run the full-launch drill on schedule rather than substituting a simulated launch every time — the release gear and hydrostatic interlock only prove themselves under the real shock load.