| Abstract | Inflatable life rafts, introduced in World War II, are commonly used today on oilinstallations, merchant ships, cruise ships, ferries, military vessels and small vessels as evacuation systems. Large passenger ship, such as ferries, are typically equipped with standby vessels to tow the life rafts to safety, away from hazards such as fires, explosions, collisions and sinking vessels.While operators find the compact and lightweight features of life rafts attractive, these features also make them less stable in waves and wind. Rafts have very shallow draught and a large part of the base can break clear of the water when a steep wave passes underneath it, thereby decreasing stability. Large overturning moments can be generated on the windward side, which could overturn the raft. Drogues and water pockets are commonly used to counteract the overturning moment and to increase stability (Cole and Wills, 1981)Several experiments have been conducted to study potential capsizing situations using full-scale and model life rafts. |
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