Life Saving Equipment Regulations
SCHEDULE VII(Section 121)Rescue Boats and Emergency Boats
General Requirements for Rescue Boats
1 Every rescue boat shall meet the requirements of Regulation 47.1 of Chapter III of the Safety Convention.
2 (1) Subject to subsection (2), every rescue boat shall be tested in accordance with section 7 of Part 1 of International Maritime Organization Resolution A.689(17), adopted on November 6, 1991 and entitled Testing of Life-Saving Appliances, as amended from time to time.
(2) The rescue boat seating test described in section 7.1.3 of the Resolution referred to in subsection (1) shall be conducted with the test subjects wearing, instead of lifejackets, inherently buoyant
(a) marine anti-exposure work suits that meet the requirements of Canadian General Standards Board Standard CAN/CGSB-65.21-M89, published in June 1989 and entitled Marine Anti-exposure Work Suit Systems, as amended from time to time; or
(b) immersion suits that meet the requirements of Canadian General Standards Board Standard CAN/CGSB-65.16-M89, published in February 1989 and entitled Marine Abandonment Immersion Suit Systems, as amended from time to time.
3 Rigid rescue boats shall be constructed of rubber, steel, aluminum, fibrous glass-reinforced plastics (GRP) or any other material that provides equivalent or superior physical properties and durability in a marine environment.
4 Where a rudder is provided, it shall be permanently fitted to the rescue boat.
5 Every rescue boat shall be marked, in clearly legible, permanent characters,
(a) on each side of the bow, in letters not less than 100 mm in height, with the name and port of registry of the ship that the rescue boat serves;
(b) with the call sign of the ship that the rescue boat serves and the number of the rescue boat, in such a way that both are clearly visible from above; and
(c) with the following information:
(i) its dimensions,
(ii) the manufacturer’s name, logo or trade-mark,
(iii) its serial number,
(iv) the month and year of manufacture,
(v) the complement, and
(vi) the Board approval number.
6 (1) Every rescue boat carried on a Safety Convention ship shall be provided with retro-reflective material that
(a) is fitted in the manner set out in section 1 of Annex 1 to International Maritime Organization Resolution A.658(16), adopted on October 19, 1989 and entitled Use and Fitting of Retro-Reflective Materials on Life-Saving Appliances, as amended from time to time; and
(b) meets the technical specifications set out in Annex 2 of the Resolution referred to in paragraph (a).
(2) Every rescue boat carried on a ship that is not a Safety Convention ship shall be provided with retro-reflective material that
(a) is fitted in the manner set out in the Resolution referred to in paragraph (1)(a); and
(b) meets the technical specifications set out in the following Canadian General Standards Board Standards, as amended from time to time:
(i) in the case of material fitted on flexible surfaces, sections 4 and 5 of 62-GP-12, Standard for: Marking Material, Retroreflective, Enclosed Lens, Flexible Type, dated January 1975, and
(ii) in the case of material fitted on rigid surfaces, the provisions referred to in subparagraph (i) or sections 5 and 6 of 62-GP-11M, Standard for: Marking Material, Retroreflective Enclosed Lens, Adhesive Backing, dated May 1978.
Additional Requirements for Inflated Rescue Boats
7 (1) Every inflated rescue boat shall have a non-return valve fitted to each buoyancy compartment to allow the boat to be inflated by hand.
(2) The non-return valve of each buoyancy compartment shall
(a) enable the boat to be inflated by compressed air or gas, or both; and
(b) be so arranged or fitted as to prevent accidental deflation.
(3) Each buoyancy compartment shall be fitted with a pressure relief valve that
(a) is designed to allow gas or air to escape if the pressure exceeds a level that is safe for the compartment to carry; and
(b) reseats at a pressure that maintains the rigidity of the compartment.
(4) Gas that is used to inflate a rescue boat shall be non-flammable and non-toxic.
8 (1) All cordage, webbing and thread used in the construction of an inflated rescue boat or in its fittings or equipment shall be inherently rot-proof.
(2) All cordage shall be attached to the inflated rescue boat so that, if the cordage is accidentally detached, the buoyancy compartments are not damaged.
General Requirements for Emergency Boats
9 (1) Emergency boats shall be
(a) not less than 2.5 m and not more than 8.5 m in length;
(b) capable of carrying no fewer than four seated persons; and
(c) constructed of rubber, steel, aluminium, fibrous glass-reinforced plastics (GRP) or any other material that provides equivalent or superior physical properties and durability in a marine environment.
(2) Emergency boats may be either rigid or inflated.
10 Arrangements for towing and marshalling life rafts shall be permanently fitted in every emergency boat and shall have a safety factor of at least 6:1.
11 (1) Every emergency boat shall be of such form and proportions that it has positive stability in a seaway when loaded with its full complement and equipment.
(2) Every emergency boat shall be capable of maintaining positive stability when it is in an upright position in calm water, flooded and loaded with its full complement and equipment.
12 (1) An emergency boat shall provide seating that
(a) is thwarts, side benches or fixed chairs or is on the deck space;
(b) does not interfere with the positive stability of the emergency boat; and
(c) is capable of supporting the total mass of the number of persons for which it is designed, assuming each person to have a mass of 75 kg.
(2) An emergency boat may accommodate, at a maximum, the number of persons, all wearing lifejackets, that can be seated in the seating referred to in subsection (1) without interfering with the means of propulsion of the emergency boat or the operation of any of its equipment.
13 (1) Every emergency boat shall be fitted with a drain that has a non-return valve.
(2) Each drain valve shall be
(a) provided with a cap or plug to close the drain valve; and
(b) readily accessible from inside the boat.
(3) The position of each drain valve shall be clearly indicated.
14 Every emergency boat shall be provided with a means of bailing or be automatically self-bailing.
15 (1) Every emergency boat shall be provided with a means of steering.
(2) Where a wheel or other remote steering mechanism is provided in an emergency boat, a tiller or other means of controlling the rudder or propeller direction in case of failure of the steering mechanism shall be provided.
(3) Where a rudder is provided, it shall be permanently fitted to the emergency boat.
16 A buoyant lifeline shall be becketed to the gunwale around the outside of an emergency boat but not near the rudder or propeller.
17 (1) An emergency boat shall be fitted with an approved inboard or outboard motor.
(2) An outboard motor that is gasoline-driven shall have a fuel system that is free of leaks.
(3) An inboard motor for an emergency boat shall not be gasoline-driven.
(4) A motor that is not gasoline-driven shall use fuel with a flashpoint that is above 43°C in a closed-cup test.
(5) Where starter batteries are used for motors, they shall be fitted in a watertight enclosure that is
(a) separate from the motor; and
(b) provided with a fitted top that has vents for necessary gas venting.
18 An emergency boat shall be capable of
(a) proceeding ahead at a speed of at least six knots when loaded with its full complement and equipment and with all of its engine-powered auxiliary equipment in operation;
(b) manoeuvring at any speed of up to six knots;
(c) operating at its maximum speed for a period of at least four hours; and
(d) maintaining sufficient mobility and manoeuvrability in a seaway to enable
(i) persons to be retrieved from the water,
(ii) life rafts to be marshalled, and
(iii) the towing, at a speed of at least two knots, of the largest life raft or inflatable rescue platform carried on the ship when loaded with its full complement and equipment.
19 Waterproof instructions, in English and French, for starting and operating the propulsion system of an emergency boat shall be provided and mounted in a conspicuous place near its motor starting controls.
20 (1) Every emergency boat shall be marked, in clearly legible permanent characters, with
(a) its dimensions;
(b) the manufacturer’s name, logo or trade-mark;
(c) its serial number;
(d) the month and year of manufacture;
(e) the complement; and
(f) the Board approval number.
(2) Where permanent markings are made on an inflated emergency boat, the substance used for marking shall not contain ingredients harmful to the fabric of the boat.
21 (1) Every emergency boat carried on a Safety Convention ship shall be provided with retro-reflective material that
(a) is fitted in the manner set out in section 1 of Annex 1 to International Maritime Organization Resolution A.658(16), adopted on October 19, 1989 and entitled Use and Fitting of Retro-Reflective Materials on Life-Saving Appliances, as amended from time to time; and
(b) meets the technical specifications set out in Annex 2 of the Resolution referred to in paragraph (a).
(2) Every emergency boat carried on a ship that is not a Safety Convention ship shall be provided with retro-reflective material that
(a) is fitted in the manner set out in the Resolution referred to in paragraph (1)(a); and
(b) meets the technical specifications set out in the following Canadian General Standards Board Standards, as amended from time to time:
(i) in the case of material fitted on flexible surfaces, sections 4 and 5 of 62-GP-12, Standard for: Marking Material, Retroreflective, Enclosed Lens, Flexible Type, dated January 1975, and
(ii) in the case of material fitted on rigid surfaces, the provisions referred to in subparagraph (i) or sections 5 and 6 of 62-GP-11M, Standard for: Marking Material, Retroreflective Enclosed Lens, Adhesive Backing, dated May 1978.
Additional Requirements for Inflated Emergency Boats
22 Every inflated emergency boat shall meet the requirements of sections 7 and 8.
23 Every inflated emergency boat shall be
(a) strong enough to withstand a load that is twice the total mass of the boat when
(i) loaded with its full complement and equipment,
(ii) the ambient temperature is 18°C or more but not more than 22°C, and
(iii) all of the pressure relief valves of the boat are closed;
(b) provided with rubbing strips underneath the bottom of the boat and on vulnerable places on the outside of the buoyancy compartments;
(c) provided with becketed lifelines inside and outside the boat; and
(d) provided with towing patches for securing the painters forward and aft and the becketed lifelines.
24 Every inflated emergency boat shall have positive freeboard around its entire periphery when subjected to a test when it is loaded in each of the following ways:
(a) with its full complement and equipment, the complement being in the normal seating positions;
(b) with its equipment and with the complement on one side of the main buoyancy chamber; and
(c) with its equipment and with one half of the complement on one side of the main buoyancy chamber and the other half at one end of the main buoyancy chamber.
25 The transom fitted in an inflated emergency boat shall be inset by not more than 20 per cent of the overall length of the boat.
26 A rigid flooring shall be fitted to an inflated emergency boat to provide a firm deck that protects the keel and any fabric that may form the bottom of the boat.
27 (1) The main buoyancy chamber that forms the periphery of an inflated emergency boat shall
(a) be divided into no fewer than three airtight buoyancy compartments, the capacity of each not exceeding 40 per cent of the total chamber capacity; and
(b) provide a volume of not less than 0.17 m3 for each member of the complement.
(2) The buoyancy compartments of an inflated emergency boat shall be arranged so that, if any one is damaged, the intact compartments are able to support the complement in the normal seating positions with positive freeboard around the entire periphery of the boat.
(3) Where an inflated emergency boat is fitted with more than one main buoyancy chamber, the capacity of any one chamber shall not exceed 60 per cent of the total capacity of the chambers.
Additional Requirements for Rigid Rescue Boats and Rigid Emergency Boats
28 The hull of a rigid rescue boat or rigid emergency boat shall be constructed with fire-retardant or non-combustible material.
29 (1) Every rigid rescue boat or rigid emergency boat shall
(a) have inherent buoyancy or be fitted with inherently buoyant material that is sufficient to float the boat when it is in a seaway, flooded and fully loaded with its equipment; and
(b) in addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph (a), be fitted with inherently buoyant material that provides a buoyant force of 280 N for each member of the complement.
(2) The material referred to in subsection (1) shall be of a type that is not adversely affected by salt water or oil.
(3) Buoyant material shall not be fitted on the outside of the hull of a rigid rescue boat or rigid emergency boat unless it is in excess of the material required under subsection (1).
30 (1) Every rigid rescue boat or rigid emergency boat shall be strong enough to withstand a load, without residual deflection on removal of the load, the mass of which is
(a) where the boat has a metal hull, 1.25 times the total mass of the boat when loaded with its full complement and equipment; and
(b) in any other case, twice the total mass of the boat when loaded with its full complement and equipment.
(2) Every rigid rescue boat or rigid emergency boat, when loaded with one half of its complement in the normal seating positions to one side of the centreline, shall have a freeboard, measured from the waterline to the lowest opening through which the boat may become flooded, of 1.5 per cent of its length or 100 mm, whichever is the greater.
31 A rigid rescue boat or rigid emergency boat may be fitted with a foam-filled or inflated collar if the collar
(a) is subdivided into no fewer than three separate compartments, one on each side of the boat and one around the bow area;
(b) is fitted in such a way that the boat maintains positive stability when it is loaded with its full complement and equipment and one of the compartments of the collar is damaged;
(c) in the case of an inflated collar, meets the requirements of sections 7 and 8; and
(d) in the case of a foam-filled collar, is filled with foam that is non-granular and is not adversely affected by salt water or oil.
Installation of Davit-launched Rescue Boats and Emergency Boats
32 (1) Every davit-launched rescue boat or emergency boat shall, when it is installed for the first time on a ship, be tested to ensure that it may be safely launched
(a) from the ship when the rescue boat or rigid emergency boat is loaded with a mass equal to 110 per cent of the total of its own mass and that of its full complement and equipment;
(b) from a height of not more than 1 m above the water when the rescue boat or emergency boat is in its light condition, is suspended from its release mechanism at that height and is then released; and
(c) from a height of not more than 1 m above the water when the rescue boat or emergency boat is loaded as described in paragraph (a), is suspended from its release mechanism at that height and is then released.
(2) For the purpose of the test referred to in subsection (1), each member of the complement is assumed to have a mass of 75 kg.
- SOR/80-685 ss. 65 to 77
- SOR/96-218, s. 42
- SOR/2001-179, s. 61
- SOR/2004-253, ss. 7(F), 8(F), 9(E)
- SOR/2006-256, s. 15
- Date modified: