Merchant Shipping (Safety And Load Line Conventions) Act 1932

Regulation XXVI U.K.

Boats of Class II U.K.

Boats of Class II must satisfy the following conditions:—

(a)Open Boats with Internal and External Buoyancy— U.K.

Upper Part of Sides collapsible. U.K.

A boat of this type shall be fitted both with watertight air-cases and with external buoyancy the aggregate volume of which, for each person which the boat is able to accommodate, shall be at least equal to the following amounts:—

	Cubic Decimetres	Cubic Feet.
Air-cases	43	1.5
External buoyancy (if of cork)	6	0.2

The external buoyancy may be of cork or of any other equally efficient material, but such buoyancy shall not be obtained by the use of rushes, cork shavings, loose granulated cork, or any other loose granulated substance, or by any means dependent upon inflation by air.

If of any material other than cork, its volume and distribution shall be such that the buoyancy and stability of the boat are not less than that of a similar boat provided with buoyancy of cork.

A metal boat of this type shall be provided with internal and external buoyancy to ensure that the buoyancy of the boat shall be at least equal to that of a wooden boat.

The minimum freeboard of boats of this type shall be fixed in relation to their length; and it shall be measured vertically to the top of the solid hull at the side amidships, from the water-level, when the boat is loaded.

The freeboard in fresh water shall not be less than the following amounts:—

Length of Lifeboat.		Minimum Freeboard.
Metres.	Equivalent in Feet to—	Millimetres.	Equivalent in Inches to—
7.90	26	200	8
8.50	28	225	9
9.15	30	250	10

The freeboard of boats of intermediate lengths is to be found by interpolation.

The collapsible sides must be watertight.

(b) U.K.

Decked Boats with either Fixed or Collapsible Watertight Bulwarks.

(i)Decked Boats having a Well Deck.—The area of the well deck of a boat of this type shall be at least 30 per cent. of the total deck area. The height of the well deck above the waterline at all points shall be at least equal to one-half per cent. of the length of the boat, this height being increased to one-and-a-half per cent. of the length of the boat at the ends of the well.

The freeboard of a boat of this type shall be such as to provide for a reserve buoyancy of at least 35 per cent.

(ii)Decked Boats having a Flush Deck.—The minimum freeboard of boats of this type is independent of their lengths and depends only upon their depths. The depths of the boat is to be measured vertically from the underside of the garboard strake to the top of the deck at the side amidships and the freeboard is to be measured from the top of the deck at the side amidships to the water-level when the boat is loaded.

The freeboard in fresh water shall not be less than the following amounts, which are applicable without correction to boats having a mean sheer equal to three per cent. of their length:—

Depth of Lifeboat.		Minimum Freeboard.
Millimetres.	Equivalent in Inches to—	Millimetres.	Equivalent in Inches to—
310	12	70	2¾
460	18	95	3¾
610	24	130	51/8
760	30	165	6½

For intermediate depths the freeboard is obtained by interpolation.

If the sheer is less than the standard sheer defined above, the minimum freeboard is obtained by adding to the figures in the table one-seventh of the difference between the standard sheer and the actual mean sheer measured at the stem and stern post; no deduction is to be made from the freeboard on account of the sheer being greater than the standard sheer or on account of the camber of the deck.

(iii)All decked lifeboats shall be fitted with efficient means for clearing the deck of water.