DIFFERENT DESIGNS FOR DIFFERING ROLES.

This article reviews the various lifeboat designs on show at the fourteenth International Lifeboat Conference in Gothenburg. The boats present this year, and their equipment, covered a very wide range of operating philosophies, administrational organizations and technical designs. The speed range varied from 8 to 25 knots, and the displacement from around 6 tons to 200 tons. Only one third of the boats were 100% self righting but most of the remainder had a high range of stability, generally thought to be around 90 degree .