fabrication is to commence. An inspector will be assigned to supervise the construction in accordance with the plans and upon completion, conduct the tests required by § 160.033-4.

(c) At the time that the tests are successfully completed, the manufacturer shall present to the inspector four corrected copies of the plans noted in paragraph (a) of this section, including any corrections, changes, or additions which may have been found necessary during construction or testing. If the manufacturer desires more than one set of approved plans, additional copies shall be submitted at that time.

(d) Upon receipt of corrected drawings and satisfactory test report, the Commandant will issue a certificate of approval. No change shall be made in the design or construction without first receiving permission of the Commandant via the Commander of the Coast Guard District in which the mechanical disengaging apparatus is

built.

[CGFR 49-18, 14 FR 5113, Aug. 17, 1949]

Subpart 160.035-Lifeboats for Merchant Vessels

SOURCE: CGFR 65-9, 30 FR 11467, Sept. 8, 1965, unless otherwise noted.

§ 160.035-1 Applicable specifications.

(a) Specifications. The following specifications, of the issue in effect on the date lifeboats are manufactured form a part of this subpart.

(1) Standards of ASTM:

ASTM A 36/A 36M-97a, Standard Specification for Carbon Structural Steel-160.035-3 ASTM A 653/A 653M-98, Standard Specification for Steel Sheet, Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) or Zinc-Iron Alloy-Coated (Galvannealed) by the Hot-Dip Process160.035-3

(2) Military specifications: MIL-P-18066-Plywood, Ship and Boat Con

struction.

MIL-Y-1140-Yarn, Cord, Sleeving, Cloth and Tape Glass.

MIL-M-15617-Mats, Fibrous Glass, For Reinforcing Plastics.

MIL-R-7575-Resin, Polyester, Low-Pressure Laminating.

MIL-P-40619-Plastic Material, Cellular Polystyrene.

MIL-P-17549-Plastic Laminates, Fibrous Glass Reinforced, Marine Structural.

MIL-P-19644-Plastic Foam, Molded Polystyrene (Expanded Bead Type).

MIL-C-19663-Cloth, Glass, Woven Roving For Plastic Laminate.

MIL-R-21607-Resins, Polyester, Low Pressure Laminating, Fire Retardant.

MIL-P-21929 Plastic Material, Cellular Polyurethane, Rigid, Foam-In-Place, Low Density.

(3) Federal specifications:

TT-P-59-Paint, Ready-Mixed, International Orange.

(4) Federal test method standard:

406 Plastics: Method of Testing.

(5) Federal Communications Commission:

47 CFR part 83, Rules Governing Stations on Shipboard in the Maritime Service.

(6) Coast Guard specifications: 160.033-Mechanical Disengaging Apparatus (For Lifeboats).

160.034-Hand Propelling Gear (For Life boats).

161.006 Searchlights, Motor Lifeboat.

(b) Copies on file. Copies of the specifications and rules referred to in this section shall be kept on file by the manufacturer, together with the approved plans and certificate of approval. The Coast Guard Specifications may be obtained upon request from the Commandant. United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC 20226. You may purchase the standards of ASTM from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. The Military Specifications may be obtained from the Commanding Officer, Naval Supply Depot, 5801 Tabor Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19120. The Federal Communications Commission's Rules and Regulations may be obtained from the Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554. Federal Specifications and Standards may be obtained from the General Services Administration, Business Service Center, Washington, DC 20407. [CGFR 65-9, 30 FR 11467, Sept. 8, 1965, as amended by CGD 72-133R, 37 FR 17039, Aug. 24, 1972; USCG-1999-5151, 64 FR 67184, Dec. 1, 1999]

§ 160.035-2 General requirements for lifeboats.

(a) The requirements of this subpart apply to all new construction. Lifeboats approved and in use prior to the

regulations in this subpart may be continued in service if in satisfactory condition.

(b) All lifeboats must be properly constructed and shall be of such form and proportions that they shall be readily maneuverable, have ample stability in a seaway, and sufficient freeboard when fully loaded with their full complement of persons and equipment. All lifeboats shall be capable of maintaining positive stability when open to the sea and loaded with their full complement of persons and equipment. All lifeboats must be open boats with rigid sides having internal buoyancy only. Lifeboats with a rigid shelter may be approved, provided that it may be readily opened from both inside and outside, and does not impede rapid embarkation and disembarkation or the launching and handling of the lifeboat.

(c) Lifeboats may be constructed of steel, aluminum, fibrous glass reinforced plastic (FRP), or other materials receiving specific approval: Provided, That, the weight of the fully equipped and loaded lifeboat shall not exceed 44,800 pounds, and the carrying capacity calculated in accordance with § 160.035-9 of this specification shall not exceed 150 persons.

(1) The thwarts, side benches and footings of lifeboats shall be painted or otherwise colored international orange in accordance with Federal Specification TT-P-59. The area in way of the red mechanical disengaging gear control lever, from the keel to the side bench, shall be painted or otherwise colored white, to provide a contrasting background for the lever. This band of white should be approximately 12 inches wide depending on the internal arrangements of the lifeboat.

(d) For the purpose of calculations and conducting tests, the weight of the persons shall be taken at 165 pounds each.

[CGFR 65-9, 30 FR 11467, Sept. 8, 1965, as amended by CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51211, Sept. 30, 1997]

§ 160.035-3 Construction of steel oarpropelled lifeboats.

(a) Type. Lifeboats shall have rigid sides and be fitted with internal buoyancy so arranged that the boats will

float in the flooded condition when fully loaded with persons and equipment. The capacity of an oar-propelled lifeboat is limited to a maximum of 59 persons. Lifeboats designed to carry 60, but not more than 100, persons shall be either hand-propelled or motor-propelled. Lifeboats designed to carry more than 100 persons shall be motorpropelled, except that a lifeboat designed to carry more than 100 persons may be hand-propelled if it is a replacement for a previously approved hand-propelled lifeboat.

(b) Materials. (1) Plating for shell, floors, air tanks, etc., must be in accordance with ASTM A 653, Coating Designation G90 (incorporated by reference, see § 160.035-1). The bend test required by these specifications must be made after the galvanizing or other anticorrosive treatment has been applied.

(2) Rivets and rolled or extruded shapes such as keel, stem, sternpost, gunwales, etc., shall be made by the open-hearth or electric furnace process in accordance with ASTM Standard Specification A 36 (incorporated by reference, see $160.035-1). Consideration will be given to the use of other steels having equivalent strength where longitudinal cold forming is necessary.

(c) Riveting. (1) Riveting of the shell plating to the keel, stem, and sternpost shall be button head rivets, staggered with not less than 12 rivets to the foot. The distance from the edge of the plate to the centers of the rivets in the nearest row shall be not less than 1⁄2 inch nor more than 34 inch. Rivets connecting the shell to the gunwale shall be spaced not more than 3 inches on centers. The size of the rivets for connecting the shell plating to the keel, stem, sternpost, and gunwale shall be 1/4-inch diameter for boats 28 feet and under and 5/16-inch diameter for boats over 28 feet.

(2) The connection of the floors to the shell shall be a single row of rivets not less than 3/16 inch in diameter and spaced not more than 3 inches on centers.

(d) Welding. Welding may be substituted for riveting in any location. It shall be performed by welders qualified

by the U.S. Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, or U.S. Navy Department, and only approved electrodes shall be used. Details of the joints shall be indicated on the construction drawings submitted for approval.

(e) Gunwale braces. (1) The gunwale braces shall be bolted to the thwarts with at least two carriage bolts of a size not less than that noted in table 160.035-3(e)(1) and riveted or welded to the gunwales. Where riveted to the gunwale, at least two rivets of a size not less than that noted in table 160.035-3(e)(1) shall be used.

(2) Bracket type gunwale braces will be given special consideration.

(f) Seats. (1) The thwarts, side benches, and end benches shall be of fir, yellow pine, fibrous glass reinforced plastic (FRP), or approved equivalent.

(2) The edges of all thwarts, side, and end benches shall be well rounded.

(3) Suitable foot rests shall be furnished at a distance of between 17 and 20 inches below the thwarts and side benches. This may be accomplished by raising the footings from the bottom of the boat.

(4) The leading edge of the thwart or end bench shall be located a minimum of 3 inches and a maximum of 6 inches distance from the Rottmer release gear.

(g) Stretchers. Stretchers of sufficient size and strength shall be fitted in suitable positions for rowing.

(h) Disengaging apparatus. (1) Connections for the disengaging apparatus shall have a minimum factor of safety of six.

(2) For construction and capacity of disengaging apparatus, see subpart 160.033.

(i) Plugs. Each lifeboat shall be fitted with an automatic plug so designed and installed as to insure complete drainage at all times when the boat is out of the water. The automatic plug shall be provided with a cap attached to the lifeboat by a suitable chain. The loca

tion of drain plug is to be marked on the vertical surface in the vicinity of the plug below the side bench with the word "plug" in 3-inch white letters and with an arrow pointing in the direction of the drain plug.

(j) Protection against corrosion. (1) All steel or iron entering into the construction of lifeboats shall be galvanized by the hot dipped process. All fabricated pieces or sections are to be galvanized after fabrication. Other methods of corrosion prevention will be given special consideration.

(2) Where welded construction is employed, the material shall be galvanized after welding unless impractical to do so in which case consideration will be given to equivalent protection. (3) Provisions shall be made to obtain a satisfactory bond between the metal and the paint.

(k) Rudders. (1) Each lifeboat shall be fitted with a rudder and tiller. The rudder shall be fitted with a 1⁄2-inch diameter manila lanyard of such length as to permit the rudder to be shipped without untying the lanyard.

(2) A suitable hinged or pivoted tiller shall be provided.

(3) Rudder stops shall be provided to limit the rudder angle to approximately 45 degrees each side of the centerline.

(1) Buoyancy tanks. (1) All lifeboats shall have inherent buoyancy, or shall be fitted with buoyancy tanks or other equivalent noncorrodible buoyancy units, which shall not be adversely affected by oil or oil products, sufficient to float the boat and its equipment when the boat is flooded and open to the sea. An additional volume of buoyancy, or buoyancy units, equal to at least one-tenth the cubic capacity of the lifeboat shall be provided.

(2) At least 50 percent of the buoyancy shall be located along the sides of the boat and shall be so located that the boat will be on even keel when flooded.

(3) The tops of the buoyancy tanks or buoyancy units shall be protected by the side benches or other suitable means. The construction shall be such that water will not collect on the tops of the tanks.

(4) Built-in buoyancy tanks. Each built-in buoyancy tank shall be filled

(m) Equipment stowage. (1) Provision lockers, water tanks, and special equipment lockers shall be watertight and so designed and located as to fit under the side benches, end benches, or footings without projecting into the accommodation spaces of the lifeboat. In special cases, stowage under the thwarts will be permitted. Standard 1⁄4 inch pipe size testing nipples shall be fitted to all such lockers or tanks.

(2) Water tanks shall be constructed of at least 18 USSG material. An opening with a dogged type cover shall be provided for removal of water cans. This opening shall be at least 7 inches in diameter, but in any case shall be of sufficient size that all water cans can be removed. In addition, built-in water tanks shall have an opening at least 13 inches in diameter with a bolted cover for the purpose of inspection and maintenance. A 2-inch diameter fill cap shall be installed for the purpose of storing rain water. A standard 1/4-inch pipe size drainage nipple with hexagonal cap shall be fitted in the bottom of the tank in an accessible location and may be used for air testing the water tank.

(n) Grab rails. Grab rails shall be substantially attached to each lifeboat below the turn of the bilge and extend approximately one-half of the length of the lifeboat on each side. The ends of the grab rails shall be faired to prevent fouling and all connections of the rails to the lifeboat shall be made by riveting the palms of the brackets to a small plate and riveting the plate to the shell. To prevent rupture of the shell if the grab rail is carried away, more rivets shall be used in attaching the plate to the shell than in fastening the bracket to the plate. The clearance

between the grab rail pipe and the hull shall be at least 11⁄2 inches. The connections of the rails to a fibrous glass reinforced plastic lifeboat hull will be given special consideration.

(0) Hand rails. All lifeboats intended for use in ocean and coastwise service shall be fitted with hand rails approximately 18 inches in length, constructed and attached to the lifeboat in the same manner as the grab rails required by paragraph (n) of this section. The clearance between the hand rail pipe and the hull shall be at least 11⁄2 inches. The hand rails shall be located approximately parallel to and at both ends of the grab rails and spaced midway between the grab rail and the gunwale and midway between the grab rail and the keel on both sides of the lifeboat provided that, when the distance from grab rail to gunwale or to the keel exceeds 4 feet, two hand rails shall be fitted so as to provide equal spacing. In no case shall the hand rails project beyond the widest part of the boat. Recessed hand rails or other alternate arrangements will be given consideration.

[CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51211, Sept. 30, 1997, as amended by USCG-1998-4442, 63 FR 52191, Sept. 30, 1998; USCG-1999-5151, 64 FR 67184, Dec. 1, 1999; USCG-2000-7790, 65 FR 58463, Sept. 29, 2000]

§ 160.035-5 Construction of steel motor-propelled lifeboats with and without radio cabin.

(a) General provisions applicable to all motor-propelled lifeboats. (1) A motorpropelled lifeboat, carried as part of the lifesaving equipment of a vessel, whether required or not, shall comply with all the requirements for an oarpropelled lifeboat, and in addition, shall have sufficient additional buoyancy to compensate for the weight of the engine and other equipment.

(2) The engine shall be enclosed in a suitable engine box which shall be watertight with the exception of the top which may be weathertight. If the engine box is made of material other than steel or aluminum, such as fibrous glass reinforced plastic, it shall be made of fire retardant material. The top of the engine box shall be fitted with a screwdown mushroom vent. The

engine box shall be fitted with a suitable drain. An engine starting instruction plate shall be permanently attached to the engine box. There shall be ample space between the engine and the engine box to permit proper maintenance and removal of engine accessories when necessary. If the internal arrangements of the engine in the engine box do not permit this, then suitable watertight hand-hole plates shall be installed in the vicinity of these accessories. The location of these plates and the accessibility to the accessories shall be to the satisfaction of the marine inspector. The marine inspector may require the removal of any accessory through these hand-hole plates that he may deem necessary to establish that it is of proper size and location.

(3) Fuel tanks must be constructed of steel, fibrous glass reinforced plastic or other approved equivalent. Fuel tanks must be adequately supported and securely fastened inside the lifeboat to prevent any movement. Fuel tanks must have no openings in the bottom, sides or ends. Openings for fill, vent and feed pipes must be on the top surface of the tanks. The vent size for tanks of 50 gallons or less must not be less than 1/4-inch O.D. tubing. Vents for larger tanks will be given special consideration. The access openings in the thwarts for the fill tank cap must have a flush cover or the top of the cap must be flush with the top of the thwart. Fuel feed pipes must be provided with a shutoff valve at the tank, where it is readily accessible and its location marked. Tanks must be tested by a static head above the tank top of ten feet of water without showing leakage or permanent deformation. A graduated measure stick or other means must be provided to determine the amount of the fuel in the tank.

(i) Steel diesel oil fuel tanks shall have a thickness of not less than 12 USSG and shall not be galvanized on the inside; however, the outside of such tanks shall be so treated as to to obtain a corrosion resistance approximately equivalent to hot-dip galvanizing. Swash plates shall be fitted in tanks over 30 inches in length.

(ii) Fibrous glass reinforced plastic diesel oil fuel tanks shall have a thick

ness of not less than 0.187 inch. The resins used shall be of a fire retardant type and shall qualify under military specification MIL-R-21607. The mechanical properties of the tank shall not be less than Grade No. 4 of military specification MIL-P-17549. Mat, woven roving and 1000th cloth shall be used. Tank laminates shall not be constructed exclusively with fibrous glass fabrics. An increment of random oriented, chopped fibrous glass reinforcement is deemed necessary to prevent porosity. An ounce and a half per square foot is considered minimum. Inclusion of fabrics in low pressure laminates are recommended to impart satisfactory containment, strength, and rigidity. For maximum strength, tank surfaces should be cambered and curved wherein practical. Fittings

shall be made of nonferrous metal and securely bonded to the tank with epoxy resin. A fibrous glass reinforced plate or boss of the same thickness as the tank proper and 11⁄2 times the outside dimensions of the fitting shall be used to strengthen the openings for fuel, fill and vent lines. Tanks shall be constructed of a minimum possible number of sections. Where two parts are joined there shall be a minimum of 2inch overlap. Tanks exceeding 18 inches in any horizontal dimension shall be fitted with vertical baffle plates at intervals not exceeding 18 inches. Baffle plate flanges shall be integral and shall be of the same strength and stiffness as the tank wall. Flanges shall be bonded in place with mat and fabric. A suitable striking plate shall be installed at the bottom of the fuel measurement and fill pipe line. The laminate may be increased in thickness, in the way of the fill pipe. The cover of the fuel tank shall be through bolted as well as bonded. All fuel tanks shall bear legible, permanent labels, conveniently located for visual inspection, signifying full compliance with these specifications and including the following:

(a) Manufacturer's name and address. (b) Date of construction and the inspector's initials.

(c) Wall thickness (in decimals of one inch) and capacity U.S. gallons.

(d) Material of construction: Polyester-Glass.