Liferaft Regulations?

[Norman_E]

I need to buy a 4 man liferaft to replace the old 10 man one I could not lift. I saw an advert that implied that a certain type of liferaft was a legal reqirement for UK registered boats over 14 metres (mine is 14.15 metres). Needless to say the type advertised was much more expensive than the one I had in mind.
Does anyone know what the regulations are?

 

[RestlessL]

The MCA Info Pack is here:

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-safety_information.htm

"Pleasure craft of less than 13.7 metres in length are not covered by any statutory requirements as far as life saving or fire fighting equipment is concerned.
At 13.7 metres in length and over they are, however, obliged to comply with the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances for ships other than ships of Classes III to VI (A)) Regulations 1999 and the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Small Ships) Regulations 1998 respectively. These vessels are classified as being Class XII in these Regulations."

 

[Seven Spades]

(1) Every ship of 13.7 metres in length and over engaged on a voyage to sea in the course of which it is more than 150 miles from the coast, and every ship of more than 24 metres in length shall carry:
(a) one or more inflatable liferafts with a total capacity to accommodate at least the total number of persons on board. The liferaft(s) provided should be constructed to SOLAS standard, Wheelmarked or DTLR approved, except that the liferaft(s) should be equipped with “SOLAS B PACK”;
(b) four lifebuoys, two of which shall be fitted with buoyant lifelines and two with self-igniting lights and self-activating smoke signals;
(c) a lifejacket suitable for a person weighing 32 kilogrammes or more for each such person on board;
(d) a lifejacket suitable for a person weighing less than 32 kilogrammes for each such person on board;
(e) each lifejacket required to be carried by subparagraphs (c) and (d) shall be fitted with a lifejacket light complying with an appropriate MCA recognised standard;
(f) 4 parachute, 4 red hand, 4 white hand and 2 orange smoke flares;
(Version 7 – 09/09/2004)
9
(g) a line-throwing appliance;
(h) a training or instruction manual containing instructions and information on the life-saving appliances provided in the vessel and their maintenance;
(i) a copy of the table "Life-Saving Signals and Rescue Methods, SOLAS No. 1" or "Life-Saving Signals and Rescue Methods, SOLAS No. 2”;
(j) a maritime radio capable of transmitting and receiving, appropriate to the area of operation.

 

[Norman_E]

Thank you very much. That means I can buy the one I want, as I will not be going 150 miles offshore (a bit difficult to do around here)