[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 7]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR199.150]

[Page 487-488]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 199_LIFESAVING SYSTEMS FOR CERTAIN INSPECTED VESSELS--Table of Contents
 
                 Subpart B_Requirements for All Vessels
 
Sec. 199.150  Survival craft launching and recovery arrangements; general.

    (a)(1) Each launching appliance for a lifeboat must be approved 
under approval series 160.132 with a winch approved under approval 
series 160.115.
    (2) Each launching appliance for a davit-launched liferaft must be 
approved under approval series 160.163 with an automatic disengaging 
apparatus approved under approval series 160.170.
    (b) Unless expressly provided otherwise in this part, each survival 
craft must be provided with a launching appliance or marine evacuation 
system, except those survival craft that--
    (1) Can be boarded from a position on deck less than 4.5 meters 
(14.75 feet) above the waterline with the vessel in its lightest 
seagoing condition and that are stowed for launching directly from the 
stowed position under unfavorable conditions of trim of 10 degrees and 
list of 20 degrees either way;
    (2) [Reserved]
    (3) Are carried in excess of the survival craft for 200 percent of 
the total number of persons on board the vessel, and that have a mass of 
not more than 185 kilograms (407 pounds);
    (4) Are carried in excess of the survival craft for 200 percent of 
the total number of persons on board the vessel and that are stowed for 
launching directly from the stowed position under unfavorable conditions 
or trim of 10 degrees and list of 20 degrees either way; or

[[Page 488]]

    (5) Are provided for use in conjunction with a marine evacuation 
system and that are stowed for launching directly from the stowed 
position under unfavorable conditions of trim of 10 degrees and list of 
20 degrees either way.
    (c) With the exception of the secondary means of launching for free-
fall lifeboats, each launching appliance must be arranged so that the 
fully equipped survival craft it serves can be safely launched against 
unfavorable conditions of trim of up to 10 degrees either way and of 
list of up to 20 degrees either way--
    (1) When the survival craft is loaded with its full complement of 
persons; and
    (2) When not more than the required operating crew is on board.
    (d) A launching appliance must not depend on any means other than 
gravity or stored mechanical power, independent of the vessel's power 
supplies, to launch the survival craft it serves in both the fully 
loaded and equipped condition and in the light condition.
    (e) Each launching appliance's structural attachment to the vessel 
must be designed, based on the ultimate strength of the construction 
material, to be at least 4.5 times the load imparted on the attachment 
by the launching appliance and its fully loaded survival craft under the 
most adverse combination of list and trim under paragraph (c) of this 
section.
    (f) Each launching appliance must be arranged so that--
    (1) All parts requiring regular maintenance by the vessel's crew are 
readily accessible and easily maintained;
    (2) The launching appliance remains effective under conditions of 
icing;
    (3) The same type of release mechanism is used for each similar 
survival craft carried on board the vessel;
    (4) The preparation and handling of each survival craft at any one 
launching station does not interfere with the prompt preparation and 
handling of any other survival craft at any other station;
    (5) The persons on board the vessel can safely and rapidly board the 
survival craft; and
    (6) During preparation and launching, the survival craft, its 
launching appliance, and the area of water into which it is to be 
launched are illuminated by lighting supplied from the vessel's 
emergency source of electrical power.
    (g) Each launching and recovery arrangement must allow the operator 
on the deck to observe the survival craft at all times during launching.
    (h) Means must be provided outside the machinery space to prevent 
any discharge of water onto survival craft during launching.
    (i) If there is a danger of the survival craft being damaged by the 
vessel's stabilizer wings, the stabilizer wings must be able to be 
brought inboard using power from the emergency source of electrical 
power. Indicators operated by the vessel's emergency power system must 
be provided on the navigating bridge to show the position of the 
stabilizer wings.