Viking SOLAS Liferaft

Liferaft features:

• comply with the European Council Directive 96/98/EC on Marine Equipment as amended.
• have been approved by most national authorities.
• packed in rigid fibre-glass containers so constructed as to withstand hard wear under conditions encountered at sea and being suitable for stowage at deck level on individual cradles or in multiple units on racks.
• may be equipped with an automatic release gear – to comply with the float-free requirement – enabling them to release automatically if no time is left for manual release.
• are equipped with emergency packs and additional raft equipment in accordance with the SOLAS requirements.
• are manufactured with two individual superimposed buoyancy compartments which means that the damage of any one of the compartments will still leave sufficient buoyancy to carry the weight of the number of persons which the liferaft is permitted to accommodate.
• the insulated, protective double-layer canopy is designed with entrances closing arrangements.
• a boarding ramp facilitating assistance to evacuees who are entering the raft from the sea.
• the colour of the inner canopy is blue and the floor is black, this is preventing the reflection which is allegedly likely to stress a person considerably.
• finished in a high-visible orange Viking’s liferafts also feature retro-reflective tape and radar reflector or radar transponder attachments enabling rescue services to locate their position.
• fitted with a strong and inflatable arch, the canopy is able to withstand gale-force winds and extreme sea conditions.
• for stability reasons, VIKING liferafts are fitted with high-volume stabilizing pockets under the floor. The liferaft being waterborne, these stabilizing pockets are automatically filled with water, their weight minimizing the risk of the liferaft capsizing under the influence of the sea and the wind.
• liferaft to be equipped with emergency packs type SOLAS A or B, which conform to the IMO LSA Code.

Launching

The VIKING throw-overboard liferaft is released from the cradle (by disengaging the slip hook) and thrown overboard, or slides automatically when released. When waterborne, the liferaft inflates on a hard pull of the painter line and is then ready for boarding.

In combination with the evacuation system the liferafts are remote released. When waterborne, the liferaft container is connected to the inflated evacuation system. The liferaft inflates on a hard pull of the quick release line and is then ready for boarding.

The basic material of VIKING liferafts is a strong webbing covered with natural rubber. One of the extremely advantageous features of rubber is its elasticity. In fact, natural rubbers represents one of the most elastic materials in the market. Elasticity also means flexibility which improves reliability in an emergency causing the liferaft to be exposed to quite heavy loads. During numerous tests made in the right element, the flexibility of the liferaft has proved crucial to its functioning when deployed at extremely low temperatures, when being boarded and when being loaded in rough sea.

Each liferaft is furnished with boarding facilities, external and internal lighting, lifelines, a drogue (sea anchor), a rescue line and quoit, instructions in How to Survive and other instructions as well as other necessary items of equipment.

Liferaft Container

All VIKING liferafts are packed in GRP (glass reinforced plastic) containers, which conform to the IMO LSA Code.