Liferaft Quiz

What color must a life raft be?

"Vivid Reddish Orange"

How much food?

1 lb. per person

How much water is provided in the life raft for each person?

1-1/2 quarts

Why must life rafts be stored THIS SIDE UP?

To allow water to drain from the drainage holes in the canister.

When should you inflate the floor? When should you deflate it?

To provide insulation from cold seawater. To cool passengers in a hot climate.

What are the hand holds/straps on the outside of the life raft for?

To right the life raft if it capsizes.

What must you do before throwing the life raft canister into the water?

Tie the sea painter/operating cord to a secure part of the ship.

Life rafts are secured with what?

Tie-down straps.

The painter on a life float or buoyant apparatus shall...

A. Have a minimum breaking strength of 3,000 lbs. If the capacity of the lifesaving gear is 50 persons or greater B. Be resistant to ultraviolet sunlight deterioration C. Be stowed to pay out freely if the vessel sinks D. All of the above.

What are the 3 ways to launch a life raft? How can you tell which kind of life raft you have?

1. Davit launch 2. Throw-over 3. Float free (self launch) They're all designed to launch by being thrown over and by floating free. They self-launch in an emergency (The davit-launched life rafts are stored on deck next to their davit.)

What 4 pieces of information are printed on the plaque on the cannister?

1. Manufacturer 2. Capacity 3. Delivery system (davit, etc.) 4. Maintenance record

What are the 7 steps to survival? (R,I,S,S,W,F,P)

1. Recognize you're in danger. 2. Inventory- people and things. Injured? Skill sets? 3. Seek or build shelter. 4. Signal for help- by standing out from your environment. 5. Water 6. Food- But don't eat if you don't have water to drink. 7. Play- keep your spirits up.

What advantage do life rafts offer the ship owner?

1. They take up less space. 2. They are cheaper than life rafts. 3. They require less maintenance.

What's an alternative to securing life rafts with tie-down straps?

4 securing poles

What's the most a life raft can weigh? Why?

408 lbs. They need to be throwable by 2 people

Life rafts can be what ratio to life boats on large ships (in terms of passenger capacity):

75% life boats, 25% life rafts.

What kind of life rafts does the TSGB have? How many? Where are they stored?

8 Davit Launch; 4 on the port side, 4 starboard

What's at the end of the painter? What's it for?

A buoyant quoit (floating ring) To help pull people in the water to the life raft.

Life raft containers are stored in what?

A cradle.

What powers the life raft davit cranes?

A hand crank.

What mechanism releases a secured life raft on a ship that's sinking? How does it work? It activates in what range?

A hydrostatic release mechanism attached to the tie-down straps. When the ship sinks to a certain depth, the water pressure release activates the hydrostatic release mechanism. Water 5-15 feet deep.

What's the name of a rigid lifesaving device that looks like squared off life preserver? What color is it? What equipment does it contain? What's painted on it?

A life float. International Orange Oars The name of the ship.

What is used to inflate a life raft?

A non-toxic gas (CO2)

What are the water pockets for?

They stabilize the raft by filling with seawater.

When do you cut the sea painter?

After everyone has boarded.

Where are life lines connected on the life raft?

All around

When should you fire the first parachute flare? What about the second flare?

As soon as you can, so that ships just below the horizon (if there are any) can see that you are in distress. Only fire the second flare when you see a ship.

How are the lights on a life raft turned on?

Automatically when the life raft inflates

How are the life raft canister's packing bands released?

Automatically, as the raft inflates.

If your raft is near a fire or some other danger, what should you do before paddling away?

Boat the sea anchor.

How does the hydrostatic release mechanism free the lifeboat?

By releasing the tie-down straps.

What's one drawback to davit-launched life rafts in an emergency?

They're harder to launch when the ship is listing.

What should you do with the pressure relief valves after the life raft has inflated?

Cap them to prevent gas from escaping.

How often do life rafts need to be inspected? What happens every 2 years? What happens every 5 years?

Every year Every 2 years the life raft is inflated, inspected and expired items are replaced. Every 5 years the life raft is inflated and suspended from the ceiling

Where is the life raft knife located?

In a special pocket near the entrance to the life raft.

Describe the 3 steps of launching a (davit?) life raft:

Inflate, load, then launch.

How do you release the life raft manually instead of waiting for the hydrostatic device to release the tie down straps? (3 steps)

Kick the hydrostatic plunger, pressing the plunger, or pulling its lever outboard to release the straps. Tie the painter-operating cord to the ship. Toss the life raft in the water. Pull the painter operating cord out its full length until it inflates the life raft.

What's another name/job for the sea painter?

Life raft operating cord.

How are davit-launched rafts different from other life rafts?

They're stronger and can carry the full loaded weight while suspended from the davit

What should you do before boarding a davit-launched life raft?

Make sure it is ventilated of excess CO2

How are the life raft's floors inflated?

Manually, with a supplied pump.

When is it safe to drink seawater? Why?

Never It dehydrates you

What are the distinguishing features of an in-shore liferaft?

No canopy; no emergency packs.

How much water should people be drinking each day, according to the Coast Guard? How should that daily ration be consumed?

No water for 24 hours, then 1 pint per day. 1/3 of a pint 3 times a day.

The TSGB has life boats and life rafts. Do all ships carry both?

No- smaller ships carry life rafts only.

How much food should people eat in the first 24 hours?

None

What information must be visible on the outside of the life raft?

Nothing- there are no labeling requirements.

How are life rafts stowed on deck?

Out in the open, with no structures over them, so that they can float free if the ship sinks.

How do you release the davit cable from a life raft?

Pull the release lanyard.

What 3 things does the weak link do before it fails? What causes the weak link to fail?

Pulls out the painter and the sea anchor and activates the life raft inflater. The weak link fails because it isn't strong enough to hold the inflating life raft under water.

Signaling devices on the life raft include... (2)

Red flares and smoke signals.

How do you prolong the life of the internal and external lights?

Remove the battery cells and shake the water out of them.

The purpose for the bag or box on top of some survival craft is to

Right the craft in case of capsizing.

What shapes can a life raft have? (5)

Round, rectangular, octagonal, oval, or boat shaped.

Which of the following steps should normally be taken first by those who have boarded a life raft in an emergency situation?

Search for survivors

How do you right an overturned life raft?

Stand on the CO2 tank, grab righting strap, and lean backward with your full weight.

How long do life raft sea painters need to be?

Storage height plus 20 meters or 50 meters, whichever is greater.

What's the first thing a person should do when they get into a life raft?

Take an anti-seasickness pill.

Name one way that a davit-launched life raft is different from other types? What drawback results?

The canopy has a higher peak. => they're harder to flip over if they launch upside-town

What is the weak link attached to? The ______, which is secured to ________.

The life raft painter, which must be tied to a cleat, the life raft cradle, or some other sturdy part of the ship.

According to the Coast Guard, who should drink water in the first 24 hours? (2)

The sick and the injured.

When pulling a life raft back aboard ship, what should you tie your line to?

The towing bridle.

Describe the life rafts on oil and gas tankers

They don't have any. They need powered lifeboats because the risk of fire is too great.

Describe the lifeboats used by the US Navy

They don't use them- only life rafts

What's the best way to put the two included sponges to use?

Use one for mopping up salty sea water; save the other one for collecting freshwater condensation from the canopy and other places so that it can be used for drinking water.

Is it okay to jump into a life raft?

Yes- the raft is built sturdy enough to handle it.

What advantage does a davit-launched raft have over other types of life rafts?

You can load it before lowering it into the water => You don't have to get wet/get into the water to get into the raft.

Why should you not eat if you don't have water?

You'll get thirsty/dehydrated: water is used to digest food, especially protein.