Lifeboat

What Sets a Lifeboat Apart

A liferaft is thrown or launched empty and boarded in the water; a lifeboat is boarded on deck, at capacity, and lowered fully loaded, then motored and steered clear of the ship under its own power. That difference is the whole point: a lifeboat can move away from a drifting hazard such as burning fuel on the water, while a liferaft simply floats where it lands. Enclosed lifeboats add a rigid canopy for protection from weather, fire and fumes, and offshore installations often specify totally enclosed, fire-protected lifeboats (TEMPSC) fitted with a water spray system for launching directly through a fire on a platform. Freefall lifeboats, common on bulk carriers and tankers, launch by sliding down a ramp at the stern rather than being lowered by davit, keeping the launch point clear of a fire that typically starts amidships or forward.

Main Components

Hull and Enclosure

Almost always GRP construction, built either as a davit-launched or freefall hull, partially or totally enclosed depending on trade and flag requirements.

Engine and Propulsion

A self-contained diesel engine, often air-cooled, must start reliably after long periods of inactivity and, on some designs, continue running briefly even if the boat is momentarily inverted during a capsize recovery.

On-Load Release Gear

The hook mechanism that releases the boat from the falls at the davit head, ideally only once the boat is waterborne. This is the single most safety-critical mechanical part on the boat and the component most associated with fatal accidents when it releases prematurely under load.

Davit and Winch

Falls, brake and limit switches control lowering speed and stop the boat at the right point; a worn brake or a failed limit switch turns a routine drill into an uncontrolled drop.

Survival Outfit

Rations, water, flares, first aid and other equipment specified by the LSA Code, stowed inside the hull and checked against an expiry schedule.

Selection and Sizing

Capacity must cover the ship's maximum complement with the margin required by the applicable regulation, and the launch type follows the ship type: freefall is standard where the aft end offers a clear launch path away from likely fire sources, davit-launched suits vessels where freefall geometry does not work. Offshore platforms specify TEMPSC variants for their fire and gas exposure. Material is essentially universal GRP now, though older tonnage may still carry steel or aluminium hulls that need different corrosion inspection.

Regulations and Class

SOLAS chapter III and the LSA Code set construction, capacity, equipment and release gear standards. Following a series of fatal accidents traced to on-load release hooks releasing under load, IMO tightened the requirements for hook design, and many older hooks have since needed modification or replacement to meet the current standard. Lifeboats undergo annual thorough examination and a five-yearly load test of the winch, falls and release gear under SOLAS and LSA Code requirements.

Typical Faults

• Worn or corroded release hook components - can release prematurely under load, or conversely fail to release when actually needed, both with fatal potential.
• Engine will not start after lay-up - degraded fuel or a flat battery leaves the boat unable to motor clear once waterborne.
• Corroded falls - uneven wire condition causes the boat to lower unevenly, jamming against the embarkation ladder or the hull.
• Hull gelcoat cracking or delamination - UV exposure and accumulated dents let water into the laminate, weakening the structure over time.
• Failed winch limit switch - the boat overruns at the top or bottom of travel instead of stopping where it should.

What to Look For in a Supplier

• Release gear built to the current SOLAS III/16 hook standard, not a design predating the post-accident retrofit requirements.
• An established service network for the specific engine and winch fitted, not just the hull manufacturer.
• Davit and lifeboat certified and supplied as a matched set, since mixing brands complicates the load test certification.
• A transferable, documented history of load tests and thorough examinations if buying a used unit.
• Crew training support, since most fatal lifeboat accidents trace back to drill procedure and communication, not a single faulty part.

Never let a lifeboat drill become routine paperwork - most fatal lifeboat accidents happen during drills, not real emergencies, because the hook is under load with people aboard and a step in the sequence goes wrong.