Iroadwithinterestthe article about on-loadrelease lifeboat hooks Off the hook’}in the February issue of SASt Regarding the notable success cof container ship MSC Napal launching tslifeboatin aforce9 gale, onashouldnat forget that the vesselwaslarge, withahuge ree- board (notless than 9m). Wthall thosecontainerson board, the ves selmusthavehadavery oodlee, consideringallthe circumstances. The picture ay becute different, {orsmalldessthan 100mlong)or ‘medium-size lessthan 180m long) vessels with freeboard between 2mand 4m (orlss)in the fist case ‘andbetween 3mandém (orlessin thelatter The crewofa 100m-1ong vessel wouldhave had no chance ‘ofescaping nalifeboatin similar weather conditions, and notjust because f the smaller freeboard. ‘Small. or medium-size vessels could experience dsastrousroling when Iyingalong those waves, which would make therelease of theif boat practically mpossible—it ‘wouldnever each the sufaceof thewaterin thefist place, and would besmashedoverthehull Modem car cates, forexample, your say The great escape debate havelifeboatsat theheightof the bridge thatis30m above the ‘waterline realy ketosee the architectof tis design attempt 0 loweralifeboat from this height, ‘eveninmoderate weather My second remerkconcers free {allifeboats. agree thatonsome small andmedium-sizevessels the release hook methedshould be aboishedbutitshould be abo ishedalong with te lifeboats. ‘Thesimole explanation of thelower number of accidents to freefall ie- boatsisthatthey arein thewater 10timeslessthan ordinary lifeboats, According to SOLAS, alifeboat shouldbe tested twice year, but freefallifeboatsgetinto the water rnomore than twoorthreetimesin fiveyears, and then onlyinthe best porsiole weather conditions, Whieit mightDberelatielyeasytolauncha ‘reef ifeboat its 1Otimesashard togetitbackand the task salmest impossible when the vessel ol Itisseldom discussed, but each timeyouputa feefallcraftinto the ‘water themore structural damage itsustains. Thehullismade of gas fibre, anditsustains microscopic cracks that you cannot see immed- ately But youwillnotice that following periodsofrainthereis water inthe forward partof aie boat something that maycause youto think twicebeFore going insidesuch aboatagain. ‘Another unspoken problems that designersof freefall craft do rot seem tohave takeninto consid eration the effectof launching from 'Smheight~andt'veseen suchile- boatson VLCCs—in badweather conditions from animmobilsedves- sel Insucha cas, theboat will not, have the advantage of aleeside (unlike ships carving ifeboatson either side), othe boat wil fll and be smashedby the 6-Smwaves, ‘Anyone whohas observed such waves from relativesafety will have no dificultyimagining theresits ofthisimpact: crushed seats, loose interior equipment anddamage tothe engine andeiltank. Itisvery good to have awide group of participants, including shipbrokers and top managers of P&I clubs, involvedin discussions aboutifeboatsafety. Theregretta- ble thing s thatthe voicesof those for whosesake ths discussions ‘aking place professionalseamen ~arenat being hear, Captain igor Sterzhantov Master of the MT Melide The connection to the Global 406 MHz international search and rescue systeg From. McMurdo. Call 02392623900 eae eae