1566
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 56

Equipments.

3. The equipments for all boats are provided for in the rules, and Surveyors are to see that the requirements are carefully complied with. The painters for boats are not to be less than 20 fathoms in length.

When the rules require a lifeboat of Section C to be carried, and owners choose to provide a boat of Section A or Section B, the additional equipments required by General Rule 6 for boats of Section A and Section B need not be insisted on.

Rudder.

In some of the collapsible boats it is difficult to fit a rudder; in this case a steering-oar properly fitted may be passed instead.

Buoyancy.

The buoyancy of lifeboats of Section B must be partly inside and partly outside the boat, and a boat in which it is wholly inside or wholly outside should not be passed as a boat of Section B.

In the case of lifeboats of Section C, one-half the buoyancy must be outside the boat; the remainder may be either inside or outside, or partly inside and partly outside.

The inside buoyancy for boats of Sections A, B, and C must consist of strong and serviceable enclosed airtight compartments, such that water cannot find its way into them.

The outside buoyancy for boats of Section B must consist of solid cork covered with canvas and painted, and attached to the outer skin of the boat to the satisfaction of the Surveyors, both as regards its position and also as regards its attachment. No other material is to be used unless expressly sanctioned by the Marine Department. The outside buoyancy must be equal to at least half the buoyancy required for boats of Section A, and the inside and outside buoyancy together must equal in efficiency the buoyancy required for a boat of Section A.

To effect this 1·25 cubic feet of cork is to be considered as equivalent to 1 cubic foot of air-case.

The foregoing remarks apply to outside buoyancy for boats of Section C, excepting that the total buoyancy is only required to be half that of boats of Section A or Section B. When the solid cork is not permanently attached to the side of a boat in such a manner that moisture cannot collect between the two surfaces, it will require to be removed every time a declaration of survey is granted, to ascertain (1) whether the cork is becoming sodden; (2) whether moisture is collecting between the cork and the skin of the boat, and in that way rotting the wood. The consideration (2) will not apply to metal boats.

Air-cases, material and construction.

4. Air-cases are required by the rules to be constructed of wood, or of copper or yellow metal of not less than 18 oz. to the superficial foot, or of other durable material.

The average weight of 18 oz. copper air-cases is about 5 lb. per cubic foot, and if air-cases of other material exceed this weight the cubic capacity of the air-cases must be correspondingly increased.

As yellow metal in time becomes extremely brittle, copper is far preferable. Zinc is not durable material, and should not be passed; neither should galvanised iron or steel cases be passed for new boats.

A note should be made in each district of all ships whose boats are already fitted with galvanised iron or steel air-cases, with a view to their being frequently inspected. Steel or iron air-cases previously passed of less thickness than 21 oz. are not to be rejected so long as they continue in good condition.

Copper and yellow-metal air-cases are to be made with proper hook-joints not less than three-eighths of an inch in width, hammered well down and soldered, and no other joint is to be passed unless specially approved by the Marine Department.

The cases are not to exceed 4 ft. in length; they are to be substantially enclosed with wood, which is to be close-jointed so as to cover any exposed part of the air-case, and the wood forming the top is not to be less than 1 in. in thickness.

The coverings in the boats over the air-cases should be secured with brass screws, so as to enable the cases to be removed without difficulty for examination, and no air-cases which are not enclosed from the outer shell of the boat should be passed.

Spaces filled with or containing any material are not to be deemed air-spaces unless specially approved by the Marine Department.

Copper or yellow-metal air-cases must not be carried in contact with the skin of the metal boats.

Where boats not required by the rules to be fitted with air-cases are so fitted, as, for instance, in some of the collapsible or semi-collapsible boats, these provisions as to air-cases need not be insisted upon,

Steam-launches, &c., carried by steamships.

5. In the case of launches or other boats propelled by steam-power, which are carried as part of the additional boat-equipment required by the rules made under the provisions of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act, an inspection of the boat, machinery, and boilers, and of the mounting and fitting thereof, should be made. Steam-launches must not be passed as part of the boat-equipment required to be under davits.

In the case of any vessel provided with a steam launch or boat in addition to the boat-capacity required under the rules, the Surveyors need not interfere unless they have reason to believe that there is some defect in the boat, machinery, or boiler, or in the fittings or arrangements thereof, which might be dangerous to life.

Boats already supplied.

6. In carrying these instructions into effect, Surveyors are to be careful not to interfere unnecessarily with boats supplied before November, 1890, but nothing herein contained shall exempt such boats from the operation of clauses 5 and 6 of the General Rules, and in the case of new boats coming under survey for the first time, as well as in all cases in which the fittings of the boats require renewal, the rules contained in these instructions are to be strictly adhered to.

Appliances for lowering boats.

7. These appliances must be in accordance with Rule 4 of the General Rules, and must, in the Surveyor’s opinion, be such as not to endanger human life. They should be tested at each survey for renewal of a survey certificate.

The question of determining whether the requirements of the rules respecting appliances for lowering boats are complied with in the case of any particular kind of gear coming under the Surveyor’s notice shall be left to the Principal Surveyor.

In order to insure uniformity of practice, Principal Surveyor who may pass any particular disengaging-gear should request the maker to supply copies of the plans and specifications for distribution among the Surveyors in the several districts. A copy should be sent to the Marine Department by the Principal Surveyor, together with his report upon the gear. No certificates of approval for disengaging-gear will be issued.

The Principal Surveyor should also report to the Marine Department when any particular disengaging-gear has been inspected and deemed unsatisfactory or unsafe, and should explain fully in such report the details which, in his opinion, render it undesirable. No formal certificate of approval will, however, be granted by the Marine Department or its officers for any special kind of gear.

No part of the gear which is intended to bear the weight of the boat must be made of cast metal.

Life-rafts and buoyant apparatus.

8. Life-rafts are to be approved by the Marine Department; they are to be supplied with a suitable equipment to the satisfaction of the Surveyors, and this must include the articles specified in subclause (e) of clause 5 of the General Rules.

The number of persons that any approved life-raft for use at sea is to be deemed capable of carrying is the number that the raft is able to seat safely; provided always that for every person so carried there are at least 3 cubic feet of strong and serviceable enclosed airtight compartments.

Approved buoyant apparatus is to be deemed sufficient for a number of persons to be ascertained by dividing the number of pounds of iron which it is capable of supporting in fresh water by 32; provided also that the sides and ends of the apparatus shall afford a space of 1 horizontal foot for each person for whom it is certified, and that a line for the people to cling to is properly becketed all round it. Such buoyant apparatus shall not require to be inflated before use, and shall be of approved construction.

Marking.

9. Surveyors will note that both rafts and buoyant apparatus shall be marked in such a way as to plainly indicate the number of adult persons for which they are deemed sufficient. Plates will be supplied by the Marine Department to be screwed on to the woodwork of both rafts and buoyant apparatus, indicating this number, and forms of demand (Surveys 116 for rafts and 116a for buoyant apparatus) for plates, to be filled up and returned to the Marine Department, will be issued for the use of the Principal Surveyor. No raft or buoyant apparatus is to be regarded as finally approved until the marking-plate has been affixed.

Air-cases of rafts, &c.

10. The instructions in the case of lifeboats apply equally to life-rafts and buoyant apparatus, so far as the length, weight, and enclosure of the air-cases are concerned, excepting that, as life-rafts and buoyant apparatus are only