STCW Personal Survival Techniques
Exam Q’s and A’s
Life Raft/ Coastal - -Designed for quick recovery
-No cover: one level; little survival equipment.
-Life Rafts/ Offshore
46 CFR Sub. 160.151 - -Designed for longer term survival
-Double buoyancy tubes -Auto inflating canopy
-Stabilizing water pockets -Equipment required on offshore commercial
vessels. -For international voyages, must hold between 6-25 people.
-Operating cord - -Used to inflate the life raft and as a painter line.
-Water pockets - -Bags attached to bottom of life raft to stabilize, prevent
capsizing and reduce drift.
-Jack knife - -Razor sharp knife with no point, located at the entrance of the
life raft.
-How do you use an inflatable floor? - -Inflate when cold, deflate when warm
-How are recognition lights activated? - -They are normally water activated
and stay on for at least 24 hours.
-What is the purpose of the equipment bag? - -To store all the life raft
equipment.
-What is a righting strap for? - -Righting the raft if it's upside down or
capsized.
-What is a rainwater catchment tube for? - -Catching rainwater on the life
raft.
-What do you do when it starts raining on the life raft? - -Allow the first few
minutes of rain to wash away the salt before storing.
-Purpose of the canopy? - -Used to protect passenger from weather.
-What is the greatest hazard to someone on a life raft? - -The loss of body
heat.
-What is a Quoit and Heaving line? - -A ring attached to a rope which is used
to rescue persons in the water
, -General raft CFR requirements: How often must a life raft be inspected? - -
Every 12 months; but can wait up to 15 months if the vessel is away from
her home port.
-What is a hydrostatic release for? - -It frees the life raft if the vessel sinks.
-How long is the operating cord? - -100 feet long.
-What is the operating cord attached to? - -The weak link OR secured to a
strong object when launching manually.
-If more than one life raft is in the water, everyone should tie together.
WHY? - -to try to stay near the distressed/sinking vessel.
-Why is it important to stay near the distressed/sinking vessel? - -Because
that's where rescuers will begin searching.
-What types of life boats are there? - -Enclosed and Open. (Open life boats
mostly obsolete.)
-According to the USCG, what are survival craft? - -SURVIVAL CRAFT is a
craft capable of sustaining the lives of persons in distress from the time of
abandoning ship until the time of rescue.
-How much fuel should a life boat carry? - -A LIFE BOAT must carry
sufficient fuel to run for 24 hours.
-How do we launch life boats? - -Two ways: Free fall and Gravity Davit
-Which launch type is most common for a life boat? - -Gravity Davit
-What is a boat drain? - -Drain that allows water to run one way out of the
life boat.
-What does the rubber ball in the boat drain do? - -It acts as a check valve
when the boat is in the water in case someone forgot to put on the drain cap.
-What does the metal cap do to the boat drain? - -Plugs the drain from the
inside of the life boat
-What should the condition of the cage housing the ball in the boat drain be?
- -Free from rubbish.
-What is the Rottmer releasing handle used for? - -Used to release the
lifeboats.
Exam Q’s and A’s
Life Raft/ Coastal - -Designed for quick recovery
-No cover: one level; little survival equipment.
-Life Rafts/ Offshore
46 CFR Sub. 160.151 - -Designed for longer term survival
-Double buoyancy tubes -Auto inflating canopy
-Stabilizing water pockets -Equipment required on offshore commercial
vessels. -For international voyages, must hold between 6-25 people.
-Operating cord - -Used to inflate the life raft and as a painter line.
-Water pockets - -Bags attached to bottom of life raft to stabilize, prevent
capsizing and reduce drift.
-Jack knife - -Razor sharp knife with no point, located at the entrance of the
life raft.
-How do you use an inflatable floor? - -Inflate when cold, deflate when warm
-How are recognition lights activated? - -They are normally water activated
and stay on for at least 24 hours.
-What is the purpose of the equipment bag? - -To store all the life raft
equipment.
-What is a righting strap for? - -Righting the raft if it's upside down or
capsized.
-What is a rainwater catchment tube for? - -Catching rainwater on the life
raft.
-What do you do when it starts raining on the life raft? - -Allow the first few
minutes of rain to wash away the salt before storing.
-Purpose of the canopy? - -Used to protect passenger from weather.
-What is the greatest hazard to someone on a life raft? - -The loss of body
heat.
-What is a Quoit and Heaving line? - -A ring attached to a rope which is used
to rescue persons in the water
, -General raft CFR requirements: How often must a life raft be inspected? - -
Every 12 months; but can wait up to 15 months if the vessel is away from
her home port.
-What is a hydrostatic release for? - -It frees the life raft if the vessel sinks.
-How long is the operating cord? - -100 feet long.
-What is the operating cord attached to? - -The weak link OR secured to a
strong object when launching manually.
-If more than one life raft is in the water, everyone should tie together.
WHY? - -to try to stay near the distressed/sinking vessel.
-Why is it important to stay near the distressed/sinking vessel? - -Because
that's where rescuers will begin searching.
-What types of life boats are there? - -Enclosed and Open. (Open life boats
mostly obsolete.)
-According to the USCG, what are survival craft? - -SURVIVAL CRAFT is a
craft capable of sustaining the lives of persons in distress from the time of
abandoning ship until the time of rescue.
-How much fuel should a life boat carry? - -A LIFE BOAT must carry
sufficient fuel to run for 24 hours.
-How do we launch life boats? - -Two ways: Free fall and Gravity Davit
-Which launch type is most common for a life boat? - -Gravity Davit
-What is a boat drain? - -Drain that allows water to run one way out of the
life boat.
-What does the rubber ball in the boat drain do? - -It acts as a check valve
when the boat is in the water in case someone forgot to put on the drain cap.
-What does the metal cap do to the boat drain? - -Plugs the drain from the
inside of the life boat
-What should the condition of the cage housing the ball in the boat drain be?
- -Free from rubbish.
-What is the Rottmer releasing handle used for? - -Used to release the
lifeboats.
