These guidelines address procedures for maintenance and inspection of survival equipment in survival craft and rescue boats during the periodic inspections required by SOLAS regulation III/20.6 and 20.7, and during periodic overhauls of rigid liferafts, lifeboats, and rescue boats. Those items marked (LB -old) in the subclause title will generally be found only in existing open lifeboats not complying with the LSA Code requirements. For lifeboats and rescue boats, except where specified otherwise, survival equipment should be secured within the lifeboat by lashings, storage in lockers or compartments, storage in brackets or similar mounting arrangements or other suitable means. For rigid liferafts, where appropriate the equipment should be stowed in a container complying with clause 4.6 of this international Standard.

　

During periodic shipboard inspections, the bilge pump should be visually inspected to confirm parts are in good condition, especially rubber parts and mounting arrangements. The pump should be operated to show that it pumps water efficiently.

　

In service, boathooks should be kept [free] and ready for use for fending off purposes at all times, except for boathooks in free-fall lifeboats, which should be secured for launching.

　

During periodic inspections, the compass should be inspected to ensure that the compass bowl is filled with fluid and the card free to rotate. Markings should be legible. If the boat is operated in the course of an inspection, the compass reading should be compared with a few known bearings. If large errors are evident, the compensating mechanism should be used to reduce the errors, or a compass deviation card should be prepared and mounted on or near the compass.

　

Where provided in an open lifeboat, the ditty bag should be of canvas or equivalent material, and should contain a sailmaker's palm, needles for repairing a sail, sail twine, marline, and a marline spike.

　

Fire extinguishers should be inspected periodically in accordance with the inspection instructions on the extinguisher label.

　

A2.6.1 During periodic shipboard inspections, first aid outfits not packed in inflatable liferafts should be examined to ensure that they contains all of the items listed in the provided instructions. Each unit carton should be in an intact waterproof package. If it is not, it should be replaced with an equivalent waterproof unit from a supplier of approved first aid outfits.

　

　

A.2.5.2 Any dated medications in the outfit should be replaced during periodic stripping and cleaning of the lifeboat, rescue boat, or rigid liferaft if their expiration date has passed.

　

　

A sealed fishing kit should not be opened for inspection. If the sealed package is intact, and the package markings legible, the fishing kit should be considered to be acceptable for continued use. If the package is not sealed, the contents should be checked against the packing list.

　

Approved flares are marked with an expiration date. All flares past their expiration date should be replaced during the annual stripping and cleaning of the lifeboat or rigid liferaft, or during servicing of an inflatable liferaft.

　

Torch batteries should be replaced annually, unless they are marked with an expiration date. Batteries with an expiration date should be replaced it their expiration date has passed. Spare torch batteries in a sealed package should not be opened as long as the expiry date (if any) is visible.

　

Synthetic rope used for replacement of lifelines should be of a type certified or treated to be resistant to deterioration from ultraviolet light. Replacement lifelines or handholds should be of a material, and secured in a similar manner to those originally installed.

　

Hard bread carried in open lifeboats may be replaced by 15,000 kJ of approved food rations for each two pounds of hard bread.

　

A.2.12.1 Hatchets should be stowed in brackets at the ends of the lifeboat near the release hooks. On boats with only one release hook, the second hatchet should be stowed near the towing point. [Each hatchet should be secured to the lifeboat by a 4 mm minimum diameter lanyard long enough to allow the hatchet to reach the falls and painter.]

　

A.2.12.2 Hatchets should be reasonably free of rust. The edge should be sufficiently sharp to cut wood cleanly from a board when the hatchet strikes the board in a direction nearly parallel to the grain.

　

　

Jackknives should be free of rust. The edge of the blade should be sufficiently sharp to shave wood cleanly from a hardwood board.

　

Buoyant knives should be free of rust, and the edge of the blade should be sharp to the touch. The knife should be secured in its storage pocket, with lanyard intact.

　

Each survival craft or rescue boat boarding ladder should be carefully inspected for condition, especially ladders which are assembled with tarred marline which can loosen as it dries out. Steps should be securely attached to side ropes, and there should be no broken or cracked steps.

　

　

A lantern carried in an open lifeboat should be kept ready for use at all times, and should contain sufficient oil to burn for at least 9 hours. Each lifeboat equipped with an oil lantern should also carry:

　

　

　

A.2.17.1 During periodic inspections, the protecting cover should be carefully inspected to ensure that it is free of unrepaired rips and holes. All framework for erecting the cover should be complete and suitable for its intended purpose. The rainwater collection device in a protecting cover should be in good condition and have a length of tubing sufficient to reach the water storage tanks.

　

A.2.17.2 When protecting covers become so badly deteriorated that they must be replaced, a replacement may be fabricated using the original cover as a pattern. These covers can often be made by sailmakers or awning fabricators with the industrial sewing equipment needed for heavy fabrics. The fabric used should be a coated waterproof fabric comparable in weight to the original cover fabric.

　

The mast and sail unit of an open lifeboat should be as specified by the lifeboat manufacturer, or substantially equivalent. It should consist, as a minimum, of:

　

　

　

　

　

Condensed milk in cans carried in open lifeboats may be replaced by 5800 kJ of emergency rations per pound of milk required. Unless otherwise indicated on its container, canned condensed milk is not intended for long term storage, and should be replaced at least annually.

　

The signalling mirror package should not be opened for inspection. If the sealed package is intact, if there is no indication that the mirror is broken, and if the package markings are legible, the mirror should be considered acceptable for continued use.

　

Position-indicating lights may continue in use as long as they are maintained in good and serviceable condition, regardless of whether or not approval markings are evident. Any position-indicating light added or replaced to a rigid liferaft, lifeboat or rescue boat should be of a type approved to the LSA Code requirements, and tested in accordance with the IMO Recommendation on Testing.

　

Canned emergency provisions can be checked only by visual examination of the condition of the container. Emergency provisions in vacuum packed flexible pouches should have packaging material tightly compressed against the contents. Loose contents indicate a loss of the vacuum seal, and such pouches should be replaced. Non-vacuum packed pouches should be squeezed to check for air leakage. Approved emergency provisions are marked with a packing date, and should also have an expiration date. All packages past their expiration date should be replaced. Packages without an expiration date should be replaced if they are more than five years old.

　

The cement in the repair kit should be replaced if the expiration date has passed.

　

Existing sea anchors not complying with 4.34 need not be replaced as long as they remain in good and serviceable condition.

　

If their expiration date has passed, dated medications in the kit should be replaced.

　

Approved buoyant smoke signals are marked with an expiration date. All buoyant smoke signals past their expiration date should be replaced.

　

At least 4.5 liters of storm oil should be carried, consisting of vegetable, fish, or animal oil. The storm oil should be in a container suitable for attachment to the sea anchor, and designed to distribute a controlled amount of oil on the water.

　

Canned water should be checked for vacuum by the "slap test." Any clicking sound is evidence of an acceptable vacuum. Doubtful cans can be checked by opening some of them. If a hiss is heard consistently as these cans are opened, the rest of the doubtful cans may be accepted, and only the open cans replaced. Water in flexible pouches should be checked by squeezing the pouch. Any leaking water or air is cause for rejection. All approved water containers are marked with a packing date, and some may have an expiration date. All containers past their expiration date should be replaced. Containers without an expiration date should be replaced if they are more than five years old.