FRB(FAST RESCUE BOAT)

Oleh
Capt. SAYUTI, S.AP.,M.A.,M.Mar

1. Take charge of the launching Equipment and appliance as commonly fitted, during
launching and recovery
4.1. Fast Rescue Boat Equipment
4.1.1. List of Equipments
Sufficient buoyant oars or paddles to make headways in calm seas.
A buoyant bailers.
A binnacle containing an efficient compass provided with suitable means of illumination.
A sea anchor and tripping line with hawser of adequate length not less than 10 metres in length.
A painter of sufficient length and strength, attached to the release device complying with the
regulations, to enable the forward painter to be released under tension.
One buoyant line, not less than 50 metres inlength, of sufficient strength to tow a life raft.
One waterproof electric torch suitable for morse signaling, with one spare set of batteries and one
spare bulb in a waterproff container.
A whistle.
A first aid outfit in a waterproof container.
Two buoyant rescue quoits, attached to not less than 30 metres of buoyant line.
A searchlight capable of illuminating at night having a width of 18 metres at a distnce of 180
metres for a total period of 6 hours and of working continuously for a least 3 hours.
An efficient radar reflector.
Thermal protective aids sufficient for 10% of number of persons permitted to carry or two,
whichever is the greater.
Fire extinguisher.

4.1.2. Additional Requirement

For Rigid Rescue Boats:
A boat hook
A bucket
A knife or hatchet.

For Inflated Rescue Boat:

A buoyant safety knife.
Two sponges
An efficient manually operated bellows or pump
A repair kit for repairing punctures
A safety boat hook.

4.1.3. Stowage of Equipment

All items of rescue boat equipment, with the exception of boat hooks which shall be kept free for
fending off purposes, shall be secured within the rescue boat by lashings, storage in lockers or
copartments, storage in brackets or similiar mounting arragements or other suitable means. The
equipment shall be stored in such a manner as not to interfere with the launching and recovery
procedures.

4.1.4. Inflating/Deflating Inflatable Fast Rescue Boats

For manual inflation of an inflatable, a bellow of pump is generally equipped with fittings that fit
the air valve opening. Each buoyancy compartment must be fitted with a non-return valve to allow
for manual inflation. Means of deflation should also be provided. The Authority may consider that
a safety relief valve is necessary and this would be fitted if required.
1.2. Navigation Equipment
1.2.1. List of Navigation Equipment
Magnetic Compass
Marine VHF Radio
Others e.g. GPS, RADAR
1.2.2. Magnetic Compass
The earth has a magnetic field which is roughly aligned with the north and south poles. Since like
magnetic poles repel and opposites attract, a magnet allowed to rotate freely will align itself with
these magnetic poles. The modern magnetic compass actually consists of several parallel
magnets mounted to a compass card. This assembly pivots around a jeweled bearing and is
usually built within a fluid filled container designed to dampen its movement. The compass gives
us the ability to accurately and consistently steer the rescue boat on a desired course. However,
the magnetic compass does not always give an accurate reading due to compass error.
1.2.2.1. Compass Error
Direction relative to the Geographic North Pole is regarded as TRUE direction. Anything that
affects the compass reading, that is, anything that alters it from the direction of true north, is called
compass error.
1.2.2.2. Variation
As previously mentioned, the magnetic poles correspond roughly with the actual geographical
poles. Close, but not exactly. The north magnetic pole is located at approximately 78.9°N latitude
and 103.8°W, over 600 miles from the geological north pole. And while the compass does not
point exactly towards the north magnetic pole, it does point to a location near it.
The problem that is created here is that a compass will points to a direction other than true north,
the difference between the two depending where on Earth the compass is. This error is called
Variation, and it’s the angular difference between true north and magnetic north.
Variation is determined by measuring the angular difference between true north and magnetic
north. So, if we are located on Long Island, NY, magnetic north (the direction that our compass
points to barring any other errors) is about 14°W of the true, geographic north, so the variation is
14°W. Now let’s go to the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Here magnetic north is about 150 east of
true north, and the variation is 15°E.
1.2.2.3. Deviation
Another force that acts upon the compass to create error is deviation. Deviation is the influence
of the immediate environment upon a compass. Being a magnet, the compass will be attracted to
(or repelled by) iron bearing metal and other magnets (including magnetic fields created by flowing
electricity). Unlike variation, deviation is not constant, it is different in every boat, and it is even
different within the same boat, depending on which direction she is heading. Deviation is
measured by the angular difference between the magnetic heading and the compass heading.
The coxswain of a fast rescue boat must appreciate the impact that the compass error has on the
compass equipment. If the compass error is appreciably large, and it is not compensated for, this
will result in course steered to be erratic and render the search pattern ineffective.

1.2.3. Two-way VHF Radio

For the purpose of communication with the parent vessel or other vessels during a rescue
operation, the FRB is equipped with a marine VHF radio. This can either be a console mounted
base or a hand-held unit:
The VHF radio can be operated in hands-free mode and is watertight, capable of being used for
on-scene communication between survival craft and rescue unit. It shall also be capable of
operation on frequency 156.8 MHz (VHF channel 16) and on at least one additional channel. The
equipment shall be operational within 5 seconds of switching on. Generally, the VHF radio has
the capability of transmitting at either 2 different modes, example low and high transmissions.
Depending on the type, whether mounted or hand-held, appropriate antenna is supplied with the
equipment. The power supply of the radio shall be capable of operating for 8 hours.

1.3. Safety Equipment

1.3.1. Devices for Signalling
Depending on how long the recovery is likely to take , the FRB should be equipped with buoyancy
aids such as lifebuoy and detection aids including the followings:

• Pyrotechnic
• Torch suitable for morse signaling
• Daylight signaling mirror
• Whistle
• Searchlight

1.3.2. SART
One of the safety equipment should be carried onboard a FRB is the SART (Search and Rescue
Radar Transponder).

1.3.3. EPIRB
The FRB should also be equipped with an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon).
The most modern 406 MHz beacons with GPS, locate a beacon with a precision of 100 metres,
anywhere in the world, with rescue commencing shortly afterward.
1.3.4. Fire Extinguisher
To activate a fire extinguisher :
Turn the boat until the fire location is on leeward side.
Shut off fuel supply to engine.
Lift the fire extinguisher by its lever with one hand.
Use the other hand to remove the safety pin located at the lever of the extinguisher.
Aim noozle of extinguisher to base of fire.
Press the lever and move the noozle in a sweeping action until the fire is extinguished.
1.4. Emergency Equipment
1.4.1. Equipment
Emergency equipment of a FRB comprise of the following:
Fire Extinguisher
Self-Righting
Towline
Bellow

1.4.2. Use of Emergency Equipment

Fire Control – a fire extinguisher with appropriate capacityand type is provided as part of the
equipment onboard the FRB, for use in case of fire.
Capsizing – 3 methods can be employed in uprighting a capsized FRB . Both the rigid and rigid
hull inflatable type rescue boats are mostly equipped with a self-righting bag for the purpose of
uprighting the boat when capsized.
Towing – towline of suitable strength of not less than 50 metres is provided onboard the FRB for
towing of liferaft.

ooOoo