1 Lifeboats and rescue boats
Retro-reflective materials should be fitted on top of the gunwale as well as on the
outside of the boat as near the gunwale as possible. The materials should be
sufficiently wide and long to give a minimum area of 150 cm2 and should
be spaced at suitable intervals (approximately 80 cm from centre to centre). If a
canopy is fitted, it should not be allowed to obscure the materials fitted on the
outside of the boat, and the top of the canopy should be fitted with
retro-reflective materials similar to those mentioned above and spaced at suitable
intervals (approximately 80 cm centre to centre). In the case of partially enclosed
or totally enclosed lifeboats, such materials should be placed, as follows:
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.1 for detection by horizontal light beams - at suitable intervals at half
the height between the gunwale and the top of the fixed cover;
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.2 for detection by vertical light beams (e.g. from helicopters) - at
suitable intervals around the outer portion of the horizontal (or
comparable) part of the top of the fixed cover; and
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.3 on the bottom of lifeboats and rescue boats which are not
self-righting.
2 Liferafts
2.1 Retro-reflective materials should be fitted around the canopy of the liferaft.
The materials should be sufficiently wide and long to give a minimum area of 150
cm2 and should be spaced at suitable intervals (approximately 80 cm
from centre to centre) at a suitable height above the waterline, doorways included,
if suitable. On inflatable liferafts, retro-reflective materials should also be
fitted to the underside of the floor, cross-shaped in the centre. The dimension of
the cross should be half the diameter of the liferaft, and a similar cross should be
applied to the top of the canopy.
2.2 On liferafts which are not equipped with canopies, materials which should be
sufficiently wide and long (to give a minimum area of 150 cm2) should be
attached to the buoyancy chamber at suitable intervals (approximately 80 cm from
centre to centre), in such a manner that they are visible both from the air and from
a ship.
3 Lifebuoys
Retro-reflective materials of a sufficient width (approximately 5 cm) should be
applied around or on both sides of the body of the lifebuoy at four evenly-spaced
points.
4 Buoyant apparatus
Buoyant apparatus should be fitted with retro-reflective materials in the same manner
as liferafts without canopies, always depending on the size and shape of the object.
Such materials should be visible both from the air and from a ship.
5 Lifejackets
Lifejackets should be fitted with patches of retro-reflective materials with a total
area of at least 400 cm2 distributed so as to be useful for search from
air and surface craft from all directions. In the case of a reversible lifejacket,
the arrangement should be complied with no matter which way the lifejacket is put
on. Such materials should be placed as high up on the lifejacket as possible.
6 Immersion suits
6.1 Immersion suits should be fitted with patches of retro-reflective material with a
total area of at least 400 cm2 distributed so as to be useful for search
from air and surface craft from all directions.
6.2 For an immersion suit that does not automatically turn the wearer face up, the
back of the suit should be fitted with retro-reflective material with a total area
of at least 100 cm2.
7 General remarks
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.1 Retro-reflective materials should be such as will meet the minimum
technical specification given in annex 2.
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.2 The illustrations reproduced in this annex are intended to provide
Administrations with examples from which guidance may be taken when fitting
retro-reflective materials in accordance with these recommendations.