Originally posted by:
Johngold
OK, let's look at the numbers...... In reality, how many will make it in time to the boat....Maybe get on another. I hope there is enough spaces for the whole crew and passengers. I believe there is., include rafts and other packages stored around the ship.
Back to the original question, how many people do the "lifeboats" hold. Looking at the standards it looks like the new RCI boats hold more than 350, more like 370, which probably includes crew. The 150 max passenger capacity is apparently around 160 including crew. From what I can glean the ship only needs lifeboats for 75% of the people on board, they can use life rafts to take care of the rest. I understand that these all must total up to a minimum capacity for 125% of the total number of people on board. I know that the Regal Princess has 11 tenders, 2 lifeboats and 5 rescue boats, I'm not sure about the number of rafts but there are a lot of them in automatic inflating capsules on the boat deck.
What is even more interesting to me here is that the lifeboats are loaded when in the air, not after they are on the water. The life rafts are a different story, they apparently load these through the gangway doors and via elaborate shoots down to the water.
So, can you imagine 370 people in an RCI lifeboat dangling 4 or 5 deck levels above the sea? Here are some of the rules regarding the strops, which are safety straps in place in case of a launching mechanism failure to keep the lifeboat from freefalling into the ocean:
"Wires and chains should not be used as FPDs as they do not absorb shock loads. Synthetic strops or slings should be used, taking the following points into consideration:
The fibre strops or slings should be of resilient construction, rot-proof, corrosion-resistant, unaffected by seawater, oil or fungal attack, and resistant to degradation by ultraviolet light. The strops or slings should be provided with test certification confirming tensile strength and provide a factor of safety of at least six, based on the total lifeboat weight when loaded with a full complement of persons and equipment. The strops or slings should be permanently marked with their date of entry into service. The strops and slings should not be used for any other purpose and should be ready for use at all times. They should undergo a thorough visual inspection before use and be examined by the ship’s crew every six months.
Strops and slings should be designed so that they can be removed easily, quickly and safely by the lifeboat crew. This should be achievable from within the lifeboat rather than climbing out via a lifeboat hatch. The released strops or slings should not interfere with the operation of the on-load release gear or the propeller.
When a lifeboat is being recovered, the strops or slings should be fitted once the on-load hooks have been connected, but prior to lifting the boat clear of the water. The strops or slings should be designed so that they do not interfere with either the lifting or re-stowing of the lifeboat.
The size of strops or slings should be such that, in the event of an unintentional release of the on-load release gear, the drop of the boat is kept to a minimum."
