Offshore Special Regulations Liferaft standards

by ISAF on 19 Feb 2003 ISAF are pleased to confirm the availability on the market of liferafts which comply with ISAF Offshore Special Regulations Appendix A Part 2.

Effective from the 1st January 2003, the new life raft standard was developed following the Sydney-Hobart Race of 1998 when lives were lost from liferafts.

The new liferaft standard is much more detailed and stringent than the previous ORC specifications (Special Regulations Appendix A Part 1) which
the new standard replaces.

The ISAF liferaft standard is similar to the draft standard for an offshore life raft under development by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization which ISO hopes to finalise within the next one or two years.

Alan Green, Chairman of the ISAF Special Regulations sub-committee expects that offshore rafts built to ISO 9650, when it is published in its final form, will be accepted under ISAF Offshore Special Regulations on an equal
basis with the ISAF Part 2 liferaft.

Enhancements include material strength specifications, the requirement for exterior surfaces including ballast pockets and bottom to be of a highly visible colour, larger water pockets for stability and a new emergency pack.

A boarding ramp is a required feature of the new raft. Another new feature is the stowage arrangements of the essential equipment, which must be openable with cold, wet hands.

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