What to check on a Rescue Boat.
A lifeboat's job is mass evacuation: get as many people as possible off a ship in danger and keep them alive afloat, often fully enclosed against fire and weather. A rescue boat's job is different — get one or two crew out fast to pull a person from the water, tow a liferaft clear of a burning ship, or act as the boat that marshals other survival craft. That job demands speed and quick launching rather than enclosed protection and large capacity, so a rescue boat is typically an open…
What sets this craft apart
A lifeboat's job is mass evacuation: get as many people as possible off a ship in danger and keep them alive afloat, often fully enclosed against fire and weather. A rescue boat's job is different — get one or two crew out fast to pull a person from the water, tow a liferaft clear of a burning ship, or act as the boat that marshals other survival craft. That job demands speed and quick launching rather than enclosed protection and large capacity, so a rescue boat is typically an open or partially open rigid or inflatable-collar hull with an outboard or inboard engine, sized for a small crew rather than the full complement.
Main components
- Hull – rigid fibreglass, aluminium, or a rigid hull with inflatable collar (RIB), chosen for stability at speed and resistance to knocks alongside the ship or against a liferaft.
- Propulsion – an inboard diesel or a dedicated outboard, sized to reach the speed SOLAS requires and to tow a liferaft against wind and current.
- Davit and launching appliance – a single-arm or gravity davit fitted with a quick-release hook system so the boat can be slipped even under load in a seaway.
- Fall and winch – wire falls on a powered winch, with a manual lowering capability if power is lost.
- On-board rescue equipment – buoyant heaving line, first aid kit, boat hook, and other items from the fixed SOLAS list for rescue boats.
Regulations and class
SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code set the requirements specific to rescue boats: a minimum speed capability, a minimum capacity of at least the number of persons needed to perform the rescue function, launch within a set time, and a fixed equipment list. The davit, winch and falls are load-tested at five-year intervals and undergo an annual thorough examination, and monthly launch and manoeuvring drills are a standing SOLAS training requirement, not an option left to the master's discretion.
Typical faults
| Fault | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Engine failing to start after long idle periods, fuel gone stale | Delayed launch precisely when speed matters most |
| Davit wire corrosion or fraying inside the sheave, not visible from deck | Risk of fall failure during launch or recovery |
| Hydrostatic release unit past its expiry date | Boat or associated float-free gear fails to function automatically if the ship goes down before manual launch |
| Winch brake slipping under load | Uncontrolled boat drop during recovery, a known cause of injury during drills |
What to look for in a supplier
- Cold-start reliability of the engine after extended idle periods, since this is exactly the condition the boat is stored in most of its life
- Hull material suited to the operating environment — RIB collars need a replacement and repair regime that GRP hulls do not
- Davit and release gear compatible with the ship's existing launching arrangement rather than a bespoke fit
- Parts and service network reachable from the ports the vessel actually calls at
A boat that looks ready on a visual check can still fail to launch; the only real proof of readiness is the monthly drill actually lowering it into the water and running the engine, not an inspection from the boat deck.