Lifeboats and their operation

Require – need; depend on for success, fulfillment, etc.

Resistance – opposing force; direction in which a force meets least opposition, desire to oppose.

Rigid – stiff, unbending, that cannot be bent; firm, strict; not changing

Maintenance – maintaining or being maintained

Maintain – keep up; continue; support, keep in good repair; defend

Tend – watch over, attend to; be inclined to move; have a direction

Corrode – wear away, destroy slowly by chemical action or disease; be worn away

Lifebelt – belt of corn or other buoyant material to keep a person afloat in water

Capsize – (esp. of a boat in the water) overturn, upset

Access – way to a place; opportunity or means of reaching, approaching

Adverse – unfavourable

Circumstance – conditions, facts, etc., connected with an event or person

Tow – pull along by a rope or chain

Attitude – manner of placing or holding the body

Adopt – take (an idea, custom, etc.) and use

Damage – harm or injury that causes loss of value

Speed – swiftness, rapidity of movement, rate of moving

Knot – measure of speed for ships

Drift – be carried along by a current of water

Gather – get, come or bring together

Inflate – fill (a tiry, balloon, etc.) with air or gas

Course – forward movement in space or time

Capacity – ability to hold, contain, get hold of

Suitable – right for the person or occasion

Craft – 1) occupation, esp. one in which skill in the use of the hands is needed

2) (collective) those engaged in such an occupation, organized in a union

Carry – support the weight of and move from place to place, take (a person, a message, etc.)

from one place to another

Canopy – covering over a bed, throne or held (on poles) over a person; any overhanging

covering

Security – smth. that provides safety, freedom from danger or anxiety

Arrange – put in order, make plans in advance, see to the details of smth.

Board – get on or into (a ship, train, etc.) force a way on board (a ship)

Waterproof = Watertight – made, fastened so that cannot get in or out; drawn up so that there can

be no escape from any of the provisions

Insulate – cover or separate with non-conducting materials to prevent loss of heat, prevent

passage of electricity

Occupant – person who occupies a house, room or position etc.

Fabric – kinds of woven materials; framework or structure; smth. put together

Fibre – one of the slender threds of which many animal and vegetable growths are formed

Fold – bend one part of a thing back over on itself

Rig – supply (a ship) with masts spars, rigging, sails, etc.; (of a ship) be supplied with these

things, prepare for sea in this way

Expose – leave uncovered or unprotected; uncover

Stream – steady flow (of liquid, persons; things)

Clear – apart, without touching; at or to a distance

Pick up – take hold of and lift

Identify – say, show, prove, who or what smb. or smth. is; establish the identity of

Search – examine, look carefully at, through or into in order to find smth. or smb.

Sickness – illness or disease, inclination to vomiting

Administer – control, manage, look after, apply

Adjust – arrange, put in order or agreement make suitable or convenient for use

1. Read and translate the text “Lifeboats and their operating”

There are wooden, steel, aluminium and glass fibre reinforced plastic lifeboats. There are open, partially enclosed and totally enclosed types. Rescue boats may be made of rubber. Wooden, aluminium and steel lifeboats have a skin fitted over frames. Wooden or metal lifeboats require significant maintenance. Metal boats tend to corrode quickly if neglected, wooden ones can dry out and then become leaky. Glass fibre reinforced plastic lifeboats on the other hand have a high corrosion resistance and a low maintenance requirement. For that reason, almost all lifeboats built nowadays are of GRP.

Totally enclosed lifeboats are self-righting if all openings are closed watertight and the persons on board are belted into their seats. That is the normal condition even at launch. If a totally enclosed boat capsizes with the access or ventilation openings open it will in adverse circumstances adopt an attitude, which makes it still possible to leave it above water.

Partially enclosed lifeboats are also used, particularly on passenger vessel. They are not suitable for free-fall launching.

Free-fall boats are totally enclosed lifeboats stowed on specially designed launching appliance at the stern. They are fitted with special bucket seats and safety belts. Rescue boats have two principal purposes, namely:

- the rapid rescue of persons floating in the water;

- the gathering, keeping in position and towing life rafts.

Rescue boats may be of rigid or inflatable constructions or of combination of both. Their length must not be less than 3,8 m and not more than 8,5 m. they may be capable of holding at least five persons seated and one person lying down. Rescue boats have either an inboard or an outboard motor. That enables them to achieve a speed of at least 6 knots running free and 2 knots towing.

1. Operating lifeboats.

Immediately after entering the water a lifeboat must leave the danger zone around the damaged ship as quickly as possible. The biggest danger to the boat and its occupants come from the damaged and sinking ship itself, by its capsizing by explosions, the deck cargo going over the side, drifting pieces of cargo and fuel leaking out.

The best course is at right angles away from the damaged ship. Motor life and rescue boats can in calm water reach the speed of up to 6 knots.

2. Answer the following questions:

1) What material may lifeboats be made of?

2) What are the types of lifeboats?

3) What lifeboats require significant maintenance? Why?

4) What lifeboats are self-righting?

5) What lifeboats are free-fall boats?

6) What are the main purposes of rescue boats?

7) What are the constructions of lifeboats?

8) What is the length, speed and holding capacity of lifeboats?

9) What is the biggest danger to the lifeboats? Why?

3. Find English equivalents:

Частично закрытая шлюпка, каучук, техническое обслуживание; высыхать; протекать; стеклопластиковая шлюпка; требование; шлюпка свободного падения, самонаправляющаяся шлюпка, спускать на воду, переворачиваться; неблагоприятные обстоятельства; принимать положение, корма; спасательный ремень; брать на буксир, жесткая конструкция, надувная конструкция, достигать скорости, переворачиваться, повреждать, вытекать.

4. Are these statements true or false:

1) Totally enclosed lifeboats are not self-righting.

2) Glass-fibre reinforced plastic lifeboats have the lowest corrosion resistance.

3) Partially enclosed lifeboats are used only on dry cargo vessels.

4) Free-fall boats are totally enclosed lifeboats stowed on specially designed launching appliance.

5) Rescue boats may be of inflatable construction as well as of rigid construction.

6) The best course for the lifeboat is at right angles away from the damaged ship.

7) After entering the water a lifeboat must not leave the zone around the damaged ship.

8) The length of rescue boat is not more than 5 metres.

Date: 2015-02-28; view: 1210