What safety equipment for RIB boats?
While an outing in a semi-rigid remains above all a pleasure, you mustn't forget the safety rules to say the least!"
Whether you're sailing in freshwater or at sea, it is indeed necessary (and compulsory!) to bring all the appropriate safety and rescue equipment.
Today, Orca Retail takes a look back at the equipment you need to take on board your boat in order to make sure you don't forget anything!
The first thing to know is that safety equipment rules are going to depend on the area you're sailing in.
Boat safety equipment at sea
For navigation at sea, the compulsory equipment to be provided depends on the distance from the side (or more accurately, distance from a "shelter"), according to 4 distinct zones:
- Basic: less than 2 nautical miles from a shelter (less than 3.7 km)
- Coastal: between 2 and 6 miles (3.7 km - 11.1 km)
- Mid-shore: between 6 and 60 miles (11.1km to 111km)
- High range: beyond 60 miles (more than 111km)
The following safety checklist is applicable to all craft less than 24m in length:
| BOAT SAFETY EQUIPMENT | SHIPPING ZONES | |||
| Basic | Coastal | Semi-h. | Offshore | |
| Personal buoyancy equipment (PBE) per person on board |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Lighting device |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Mobile firefighting means |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Drainage device manual |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Towing device |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Mooring line |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Tidal directory |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| National flag (outside territorial waters) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Location and assistance device for person at sea |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| 3 red lights with signal hand |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| Magnetic compass (or GPS in coastal) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| Official nautical charts |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| System description of markup |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| Liferaft |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Material for taking stock |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Light book kept up to date |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Logbook |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Device for receiving meteorological reports |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Harness and lanyard by ship for non-sailors |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Harness and lanyard per person embarked for sailboats |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| First aid kit |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Luminous device for searching and spotting at night |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Radiobeacon for locating claims |
✅ |
|||
| VHF fixed |
✅ |
✅ |
||
| Handheld VHF |
✅ |
|||
Source: decree of 23 November 1987 on ship safety
Inland waterway boat safety equipment
With regard to freshwater/inland water navigation, there are 3 categories:
- Sheltered inland waters: these include all bodies of water excluding the exceptions listed below.
- Exposed inland waters: more dangerous, these areas are subject to separate regulations, and are listed in Appendix 1 of the Order of 10 February 2016. Examples: Rivers or sections of rivers (Rhine, Seine, Rhône, Loire), rivers or sections of rivers (Dordogne, Gironde, Somme), lakes (Annecy, Lacanau, Bourget), canals (Calais canal).
- Lac Léman: only applicable to the cross-border lake.
The following safety checklist is applicable to all boats from 2.5m to 20m in length:
| SAFETY EQUIPMENT | NAVIGATION ZONES | ||
| Sheltered | Exposed | Lake Geneva | |
| Personal buoyancy equipment per person on board |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Drying device (fixed or mobile) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Firefighting device |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Towing and mooring device |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Appropriate mooring line |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| Waterproof torch or light locating means individual worn at all times (1 per person embarked) |
✅ |
✅ |
|
| 3 red lights with signal hand |
✅ |
||
| Audio signalling means |
✅ |
||
| Magnetic compass sealed (ISO standard) |
✅ |
||
| Navigation chart of frequented area |
✅ |
||
Source: Arrêté du 10 février 2016 relatif au matériel d'armement et de sécurité des bateaux de plaisance naviguant ou stationnant sur les eaux intérieures (Decree of February 10, 2016 on the fitting-out and safety equipment for pleasure boats navigating or stationing on inland waters).
Medical kit
Your medical supplies kit is also precisely regulated. According to article 240-2.16 of the Maritime Code, the latter must include at least the elements below:
|
Article |
Detail |
|
Self-adhesive tape (10cm) |
1 roll of 4m (Width 10cm) |
|
Crepe strip |
1 roll of 4 m (Width 10 cm) |
|
Sterile gauze swabs |
1 pack of 5(Medium size) |
|
Waterproof sterile adhesive dressings |
1 box(3 size assortment) |
|
Hemostatic cushion |
1 unit(Type CHUT) |
|
Plasters |
1 roll |
|
Non-sterile examination gloves |
1 box(Size M & L) |
|
Hydroalcoholic gel |
1 bottle 75 ml |
|
Survival blanket |
1 unit |
|
Chlorhexidine |
Local solution - 5 ml at 0.05% |
Lifejackets (personal buoyancy equipment)
IFEs are also regulated and must be adapted to the morphology of each person on board, as well as to the area sailed:
- Within 2 miles of a shelter : buoyancy aid of at least 50 newtons
- Within 6 miles of a shelter : Lifejacket of minimum 100 newtons
- All areas : Lifejacket minimum 150 newtons
- Children under 30 kg : Lifejacket of at least 100 newtons, regardless of distance from a shelter.
ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT BOATING AND SEMI-RIGID BOATS?
Discover our products!
Read more about the world of RIBs:
