![]() ![]() ![]() The brake remote control is a wire connected between the boat operator and the winch brake handle. The design is such that the winch brake is to be operated only by remote control for any real emergency - abandon ship. These boats are designed to be boarded and then launched from the stowed position only. During the boat descent it was clear that the remote control wire for releasing the winch brake was under strong tension and that this was the cause preventing the brake being applied and stopping the boat. This time, the boat continued down out of control and did not stop until waterborne. After the first practice, the boat was raised up and again lowered by the same officer. For this purpose the boat was prepared in the normal manner and subsequently lowered to the boat deck. Training was to be given on the correct method of lowering the boat both from outside and inside the boat and all officers, deck and engine, were assembled at the port lifeboat. The diameter of the new wire rope falls had now increased from 16 to 19 millimetres with consequences unforeseen by ship's staff. The correct type of wire had been supplied but due to the Imperial system of measurement continuing to exist within the U.S.A., the requested wire diameter of 16 millimetres had been substituted for ¾ inch. Subsequent investigation showed that the wire rope falls had been renewed with wire rope from an American supplier. We were very fortunate that the training had been postponed from the previous day when the ship was at sea and not at anchor and we were extremely fortunate that at that stage of the training no crew were inside the boat. During an officer training exercise the portside lifeboat descended uncontrollably down to sea level. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |