Rescue Boat

What sets a rescue boat apart

A rescue boat is built for speed and manoeuvrability, not for surviving a hostile sea state fully loaded like a lifeboat. It is launched with a coxswain and one or two crew, not a full complement, and its job is to reach a person overboard quickly, or to ferry survivors between a stricken vessel and the lifeboats once they are in the water. Fast rescue boats add a rigid or inflatable collar, a more powerful outboard or inboard engine and a self-righting capability that a standard rescue boat does not need.

Main components

Hull and buoyancy

Rigid-hulled types use fibreglass or aluminium with built-in buoyancy chambers; fast rescue boats commonly add an inflated collar for fendering and extra reserve buoyancy when working alongside a hull or a life raft.

Propulsion

Outboard petrol engines remain common on smaller rescue boats for quick starting and light weight, though diesel inboard or water-jet propulsion is increasingly specified where petrol storage on board is a concern. Propulsion must be capable of at least 6 knots and enough reserve power to tow a liferaft against wind and current.

Davit and release gear

Launch is by single-point or dual-fall davit with a hydrostatic or manual release hook. This gear carries the full loaded weight of the boat during launch and recovery and is the part with the worst accident record in the lifesaving appliance family.

Onboard equipment

A rescue boat carries a reduced outfit compared with a lifeboat: buoyant line, first aid kit, boat hook, bailer, torch, and search and rescue transponder, sized for a short-duration recovery operation rather than extended survival.

Selection and sizing

Capacity is normally stated for a crew of at least the rescue party required by the vessel's SOLAS-required complement, commonly rated for 4-6 persons. Speed, davit swing radius, boarding height above the waterline and stowage weight against the ship's existing davit capacity all drive the choice between a standard and a fast rescue boat.

Regulations and class requirements

SOLAS Chapter III and the Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) Code set the performance standard: minimum speed, capacity, davit and release gear testing, and launch time under the ship's abandon-ship arrangements. Release gear must be overhauled and load-tested at the interval set by the LSA Code and the manufacturer, typically annually with a five-year thorough examination including a dynamic winch brake test. Falls are renewed on a fixed replacement interval rather than on condition alone.

Typical faults

• Seized or corroded release hook — fails to let go cleanly, or worse, releases prematurely under load
• Perished or under-inflated collar on a fast rescue boat — loss of fendering and reserve buoyancy alongside a hull
• Outboard engine that will not start cold — delays a time-critical man-overboard response
• Frayed or overdue falls — reduced safe working load during launch and recovery
• Blocked bilge or drain plug — boat swamps once waterborne in a seaway

What to look for in a supplier

• LSA Code type approval matching the exact davit and release gear fitted
• Davit swing radius and boarding arrangement compatible with the existing deck layout
• Documented load testing history for the release gear and falls being supplied
• Engine type suited to the fuel already carried and bunkered on board
• Service support for the winch brake and hook mechanism at the vessel's normal ports

Time the full launch, motor away and recovery during drills, not just the drop; a rescue boat that cannot be got back aboard quickly leaves its own crew exposed.