Competitors, Race Organizers, Liferaft Retailers and Liferaft Repackers have all requested a clarification of the ISAF Special Regulations with US SAILING Prescriptions with regards to Liferafts.  This document attempts to clarify the situation to all.  If you have any specific questions, please write: US SAILING Safety at Sea Committee
Temporary Chairman Bruce Eissner. This should also clarify how far in the future currently approved rafts will be accepted.

Click Here For Frequently Asked Questions

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 ISAF OFFSHORE SPECIAL REGULATIONS
2004-2005
Liferaft Extract
with US SAILING prescriptions

4.20 Liferafts

4.20.1 Liferaft Construction 

a) Liferaft(s) shall be provided capable of carrying the whole crew and meeting the following requirements: (MoMu0,1,2)

b) Liferaft(s) shall be built in accordance with SOLAS regulations (see the LSA code 1997 Chapter IV published by IMO) except that modifications in 4.20.1 (b)(I) and (ii) below are acceptable (MoMu0)

          i  A liferaft which in all other respects is built to SOLAS regulations may however have a capacity of 4 persons or more (otherwise the smallest SOLAS liferaft is for 6 persons) (MoMu0)

          ii  A SOLAS liferaft may be stowed in a purpose-built compartment as in 4.20.2(b) in lieu of a conventional transportable rigid container (MoMu0)

c) Each liferaft shall contain at least a SOLAS "A" pack (MoMu0)

d) Liferaft(s) shall be either: (MoMu1,2)

          i  in accordance with SOLAS (which may be varied by 4.20.1(b)(I) and (b)(ii)), and also (varying 4.20.1 (c)) with the option of a SOLAS "B" pack, or   (MoMu1,2)

          ii in accordance with Special Regulations Appendix A Part I or Part II (Appendix A Part I is for liferafts manufactured before 1/03 (1/06 in the U.S.) which still have a valid service life and Appendix A Part II is the required standard for all other non-SOLAS liferafts). (MoMu0,1)

e) When ISO 9650 is published as an International Standard (not a draft) it will be considered for possible acceptance as an alternative to the ISAF Special Regulations Appendix A Part II specification. (MoMu1,2)

US SAILING recommends that liferafts be equipped with insulated floors for events that take place in waters of less than 68 deg F. (20 deg C) (MoMu1,2)

US SAILING prescribes that liferafts shall be equipped with canopies. (MoMu1,2)

4.20.2 Liferaft Stowage  

A Liferaft shall be stowed either:

a) in a transportable rigid container on the working deck or in the cockpit, or (MoMu1,2)

b) in a purpose-built rigid compartment opening into or adjacent to the cockpit or working deck, or opening through the transom, containing liferaft(s) only, provided that: (MoMu1,2) 

          i) each compartment is watertight or self-draining (self-draining

compartments will be counted as part of the cockpit volume except when entirely above working deck level or when draining independently overboard from a transom stowage); and   (MoMu1,2)

          ii) the cover of each compartment is capable of being easily opened under water pressure: and (MoMu1,2)

iii) the compartment is designed and built to allow the liferaft to be removed and launched quickly and easily; or (MoMu1,2)

c) (only available to yachts with age or series date before 6/01) packed in a valise not exceeding 40kg securely stowed below deck adjacent to the companionway  (MoMu1,2)

d) A SOLAS liferaft may only be stowed in accordance with either 4.20.2(a) or (b)   (MoMu0,1,2)

e) It is strongly recommended that

f) Liferaft storage follow 4.20.2(b) above; and   (MoMu1,2)

g) liferafts of more than 40kg weight should be stowed in such a way that they can be dragged or slid into the sea without significant lifting; and   (MoMu0,1,2)

h) the yacht end of the painter should be permanently made fast to a strong point on board the yacht; and   (MoMu0,1,2)

i) on a multihull, liferaft stowage should be such that the liferaft can be readily removed and launched regardless of whether or not the yacht is inverted.   (Mu0,1,2)

4.20.3 Recovery Time  

a) Each raft shall be capable of being got to the lifelines or launched within 15 seconds.   (MoMu0,1,2)

4.20.4 Liferaft servicing and inspection   

a) Servicing and/or inspection certificates or copies shall be kept on board the yacht (MoMu0,1,2)

b) Every SOLAS liferaft shall have a valid annual certificate of new or serviced status from the liferaft manufacturer or the manufacturer's approved service station   (MoMu0,1,2)

c) For liferafts built to Special Regulations Appendix A part I each liferaft shall either have a valid annual certificate of new or serviced status from the liferaft manufacturer or the manufacturer's approved service station, or when a manufacturer so specifies it shall annually be inspected (not necessarily unpacked) and the yacht provided with written confirmation by the manufacturer or the manufacturer's approved service station stating that the inspection was satisfactory. (MoMu1,2)

d) A liferaft built in accordance with Special Regulations Appendix A part II shall either have a valid annual certificate of new or serviced status from the liferaft manufacturer or the manufacturer's approved service station, or when the liferaft has been built to follow the option of an extended period between initial services the liferaft, provided the manufacturer so specifies, shall have its first service no longer than 3 years after commissioning and its second service no longer than 2 years after the first. Subsequent services shall be at intervals of not more than 12 months. (MoMu1,2)

e) Notwithstanding the specified servicing periods it is strongly recommended that a liferaft should be carefully inspected externally at least annually and taken for servicing if there is any sign of damage or deterioration.

4.21 Grab Bags

4.21.1 Grab Bag or emergency container for multihulls without liferafts (Mu3,4)

a) A multihull without a liferaft shall stow in a watertight compartment, or in a grab bag supplied with a lanyard and clip, accessible with the multihull upright or inverted, the following items:-

b) Note: it is not required to duplicate items below which are already required by Special Regulations to be on board - this regulation covers only the stowage of those items:-

c) a watertight hand-held marine VHF transceiver plus a spare set of batteries

d) a watertight flashlight with spare batteries and bulb

e) 2 red parachute and 3 red hand flares

f) a watertight strobe light with spare batteries

g) a knife

4.21.2 Grab Bag to accompany liferafts (MoMu0,1,2)

a) A yacht with a liferaft is recommended to stow in a grab bag with a lanyard and clip, the following items:

b) Note: it is not required to duplicate items below which are already required by Special Regulations to be on board - this regulation covers only the stowage of those items:

c) a watertight hand-held marine VHF transceiver plus a spare set of batteries

d) a watertight flashlight with spare batteries and bulb

e) 2 red parachute and 3 red hand flares and cyalume-type chemical light sticks

f) watertight hand-held EPFS (Electronic Position-Fixing System) (eg GPS)

g) an SART (Search and Rescue Transponder)

h) dry suits or survival bags

i) second sea anchor for the liferaft (not required if the liferaft has already a spare sea anchor in its pack) (recommended standard ISO 17339) with swivel and >30m line diameter >9.5 mm

j) two safety tin openers

k) 406MHz or type "E" EPIRB registered to the yacht (see 4.19.2)

l) first-aid kit

m) water

n) signaling mirror

o) high-energy food

q) nylon string, polythene bags, seasickness tablets

r) watertight hand-held aviation VHF transceiver (if race area warrants)

 

US Edition 2004 - 2005
ISAF OFFSHORE SPECIAL REGULATIONS Appendix A, Part I
Including US SAILING Prescriptions

Minimum Specifications for Yachtsmen’s Liferafts
for liferafts manufactured prior to 1/03 (at least 1/06 in the US)

Click Here For Complete Text

Appendix A does not cover liferafts intended for category 0 races
 

US Edition 2004 - 2005
ISAF OFFSHORE SPECIAL REGULATIONS Appendix A, Part II
Including US SAILING Prescriptions

Minimum Specifications for Yachtsmen’s Liferafts

Click Here For Complete Text

Appendix A does not cover liferafts intended for category 0 races
 

1.0  Introduction

In his report of 12/00 and in the absence of a comprehensive up-to-date standard for yachtsmen’s liferafts the Sydney Coroner recommended after the Hobart Race 1998 that yachtsmen’s liferafts should comply with the construction requirements of Regulation 15 of SOLAS 1960. SOLAS rafts are generally heavier, more expensive and more bulky than yachtsmen’s liferafts and are designed for commercial vessels.

In 1999 the ORC Special Regulations Committee (now the Special Regulations sub Committee of ISAF the International Sailing Federation) established a working party to study liferaft specifications taking into account experiences from the Fastnet 79, the Hobart 98 and other sources.  The present Appendix A Part II Minimum Specification has drawn on lessons learned. 

Although work has been in progress by ISO (the International Standardization Organization) for some 14 years the expected publication of ISO 9650 covering yachtsmen’s liferafts, has not taken place. When ISO 9650 is available for public use it will be studied by the Special Regulations sub-Committee with a view to it being accepted in lieu of, or superseding, the Appendix A Part II specification.

In events under ISAF Offshore Special Regulations in categories 0, 1 and 2 liferafts are required. A liferaft for Category 0 shall be a SOLAS model with variations permitted by Special Regulations. A liferaft in categories 1 and 2 shall be either:

(i) a SOLAS model with variations permitted by Special Regulations, or

(ii) an “ORC” model in compliance with Special Regulations Appendix A Part I provided the raft was manufactured before 1/03 (at least 1/06 in the US), or

(iii) an “ISAF” model in compliance with Special Regulations Appendix A Part II.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

US SAILING has no way of telling whether any specific liferaft complies to the specifications which are set by the ISAF Special Regulations.  The individual race organizers are to make these judgments.   US SAILING has entered into the liferaft specification only in an attempt to allow sailors/racers in the US a wider choice of rafts in Cat 1 and 2 races while the ISAF waits for an International Standard raft to be defined and approved. We have modified the dates set by ISAF to give the US racers the choice of either a SOLAS,  "ORC" or "ISAF " raft until at least the beginning of 2006. The answer to your question about how long a compliant raft you might buy today will comply with the regulations, is that US SAILING does not intend to declare any existing rafts 'illegal' if they are purchased before January 2006.