Lifeboat survival equipment (Accessory) List.

1.Sufficient buoyant oars to make headway in calm seas. Thole pins, crutches or equivalent arrangement shall be provided for each oar provided. Pulling oars are normally between 3.05 and 4.26 m in length (10 -14 ft), they are generally made of ash or elm wood, and stowed with their blades facing forward. A steering oar, which is no longer specified, if carried, is usually approximately (12 in.) 0.3 m longer than the pulling oars. Its blade faces aft and is usually coated in a distinctive colour. It is used extensively to provide additional leverage in order to steady the boat’s head when used in conjunction with the sea anchor.

2.Two boat hooks, to be left unlashed and ready for use in fending away from the ship’s side.

3.A buoyant bailer and two buckets. These are secured by lanyards to the structure of the boat. Buckets are usually of a 2 gallon size (9l) and manufactured in galvanised iron or rubber, stowed either end of the boat.

4.A survival manual.

5.Two axes (hatchets) stowed one at each end of the boat. It is common practice to cover the metal head of the axe with a canvas protective cover to prevent the metal from pitting and corrosion.

6.A jack-knife to be kept attached to the boat by a lanyard. The blade normally incorporates a tin opener and screw driver, and a small hand spike is usually attached.

7.Two buoyant rescue quoits, attached to not less than 30 m of buoyant line.These are normally stowed in the small gear locker.

8.Six doses of anti-seasickness medicine and one seasickness bag for each person the boat is permitted to accommodate. The medicine is normally in tablet form.

9.A manual pump. Usually fixed to the structure of the boat. It is fitted with an easily removed cover to allow cleaning and the suction end contains a gauze filter to avoid blockage of the system.

10.A sea anchor of adequate size fitted with shock resistant hawser and a tripping line which provides a firm hand grip when wet. The strength of the hawser and the tripping line shall be adequate for all sea conditions.

11.Four rocket parachute flares, which comply with the regulations.

12.Six hand flares (red) which comply with the regulations.

13.Two buoyant smoke floats (orange) which comply with the regulations.

14.One waterproof electric torch suitable for Morse signalling, together with one spare set of batteries and one spare bulb in a waterproof container.

15.One whistle or equivalent sound signal. Normally of plastic construction of the non-pea design. This will allow its use in cold weather without discomfort to the user.

16.One daylight signalling mirror with instructions for its use for signalling to ships and aircraft (see life raft equipment list for use).

17.An efficient radar reflector.

18.One copy of the life-saving signals table, prescribed by regulation V/16 on a waterproof card or in a waterproof container.

19.Two efficient painters of a length equal to not less than twice the distance from the stowage position of the lifeboat to the waterline in the lightest sea-going condition or 15 m whichever is the greater. One painter attached to the release device, placed at the forward end of the lifeboat, must be capable of being released when under tension. The other painter shall be firmly secured at or near the bow of the lifeboat ready for use.

20.A binnacle containing an efficient compass which is luminous or provided with suitable means of illumination. In a totally enclosed boat the binnacle shall be permanently fitted at the steering position, in any other lifeboat, it shall be provided with suitable mounting arrangements. When setting up a boat’s compass, the mariner should bear in mind that it must be visible to the coxwain and a fore and aft line may have to be set up between the stem and stern to provide reference for means of aligning the boat’s head to the lubber line.

21.Sufficient tools to allow minor adjustment to the engine and its accessories.

22.Portable fire extinguishing equipment suitable for extinguishing oil fires.

23.A searchlight, capable of effectively illuminating a light coloured object at night having a width of 18 m at a distance of 180 m for a total period of 6 hours and of working continuously for not less than a 3 hour period.

24.Thermal protective aids which comply with the regulations, in sufficient number for 10 per cent of the total number of persons that the boat is permitted to carry.

25.A watertight receptacle containing a total of 3 litres of fresh water for each person the lifeboat is permitted to accommodate. 1 litre of this amount may be replaced by a de-salting apparatus capable of producing an equal amount of fresh water in two days.

26.A rustproof dipper with a lanyard, used for extracting fresh water from the containers. The lanyard should be long enough to reach the bottom of any water tank.

27.A rustproof graduated drinking vessel.

28.Three tin openers.

29.One set of fishing tackle.

30.A food ration totalling not less than 10,000 kJ for each person the lifeboat is permitted to accommodate. These rations shall be kept in airtight packaging and be stowed in a watertight container.

31.A first aid outfit in a waterproof case capable of being closed tightly after use.

All items of equipment of the lifeboat, with the exception of the two boat hooks, should be secured by lashings or kept in storage lockers, or secured by brackets or other similar mounting arrangement. Considerable changes in standard equipment have taken place with the 1983 amendment to the SOLAS convention.