QE2's Red lifeboats

[pete cain]

Do you know why the first 2 lifeboats port & stbd are coloured red? (I didn't know untill I asked the coxwain of one of the tenders)? They are the boats launched in a rescue mission , hence the colour ,so the bridge can keep tabs on them.

[Twynkle]

Hi Pete

About the 2 red/orange lifeboats - I think that I noticed the name 'Captain' on one or either of them.
I couldn't decide whether a) if there was a dire emergency - then presumably, in that case, this lifeboat would be the last to leave the QE2.
Alternatively, is it marked Captain so that when he needed to go anywhere at any time, everyone would know where the Captain is / was?

[Rob Lightbody]

The emergency boats are where they are so they're handy for the officers to launch if going for a man overboard or whatever.

I guess you're right that if the ship was sinking they'd be last off in these, hadn't really thought of that!!  

[Bob C.]

The two red boats originally had a forward cabin.  At some point, either the cabin was removed or the entire boat was replaced.  Anyone know?  I'll exchange an answer for that question for any 1969-1979 trivia that may be wanted.

[Louis De Sousa]

Boat 1 and 2 are emergeny-crash boats with capacity of 48 people.
They are much smaller than the other lifeboats and are in fact a different colour,having red,rather than the white hulls.These boats are used as rapid deployment emergency craft in the case of Man-Overboard or for recovery purposes.
Theses boats also carry high powered radio transmitters.as required by law,and so fullfill three roles-that of Rapid deployment Rescue Craft,traditional Lifeboat and floating Emergency Radio Transmitter.

Cheers Louis

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I believe that the seats on the red lifeboats were stocked with emergency supplies. Took a couple of pictures from above last year, which show TPA (what might that be?), water and food, clearly labelled, as well as some wooden oars, all ready for use :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2700515901


Red lifeboat by prondis_in_kenya, on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2700516133


Water and food by prondis_in_kenya, on Flickr

These were pure lifeboats, not to be used on tendering duties...

[Louis De Sousa]

I believe that the seats on the red lifeboats were stocked with emergency supplies. Took a couple of pictures from above last year, which show TPA (what might that be?),

TPA-Thermal Protective Aid

Louis

[Twynkle]

Does anyone remember seeing the first port and starb'd lifeboats  actually in use? (one with 'Captain' on the bow)
On another Cunarder, the small red/orange boats are used to help with things other than emergencies;
for example, retrieving the painting crew and raft etc.
I wonder were QE2's lifeboats used for similar purposes?

[Chris]

Here they are Rosie:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chriscunard/4038680577/in/set-72157622194866138/

[holynougat]

One of the problems that the QE2 would have had in complying with the 2010 SOLAS regulations would have been that she did not carry an FRC (Fast Rescue Craft) these red boats were her version of one, but unfortunately, they had the same engines as the standard open lifeboats and could not be described as fast....

These boats would not have been the last to be launched in an emergency, the 'containment party' which would include the captain, chief engineer among others would evacuate the ship in the last life-raft.

All of the lifeboats were stocked with the same emergency supplies their numbers depended on the capacity of the boat.

Can't recall them being stencilled with 'Captain' at least not while I was there.

[Twynkle]

One of the problems that the QE2 would have had in complying with the 2010 SOLAS regulations would have been that she did not carry an FRC (Fast Rescue Craft) these red boats were her version of one, but unfortunately, they had the same engines as the standard open lifeboats and could not be described as fast....
....Can't recall them being stencilled with 'Captain' at least not while I was there.

Thank you. It's all beginning to make sense now!

Firstly - the 'Captain' stencil - having searched through many images - I can't find a better view of the No.1 lifeboat
There's small print stencilled above the fluorescent strips at the bow - that's the number of persons!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/watch_keeper/4231645988/
Maybe I saw it towards the (pointy) stern of the little boat - I am almost 100% certain 'Captain' was on one of these boats, as I remember thinking, it was a 'sensible place' for the Captain's boat to be!
It might have been stencilled on No.2 boat - the images I have are too dark/distant.
Louis - have you by chance got a photo taken of the sterns of 1 and 2?

Regarding SOLAS compliance in relation to a FRC - mightn't it have been possible for QE2 to have one like this? With a second as spare!  It was good fun to watch, too!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/watch_keeper/4230853571/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/watch_keeper/4230853589/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/watch_keeper/4230853579/in/photostream/

I wonder whether 'No.1 and 2 lifeboat practice' was held 'in secret' - there didn't seem to be a great deal of activity...Maybe that's because the steering was a bit tricky / time-consuming in Norway!
In an emergency, if the Chief Engineer was in / near the ECR, it could be have been quite a long way for him (et al) to climb, regardless of where the designated 'containment party's boat was,  the lifts being out of bounds!

[jdl]

One of the problems that the QE2 would have had in complying with the 2010 SOLAS regulations would have been that she did not carry an FRC (Fast Rescue Craft) these red boats were her version of one, but unfortunately, they had the same engines as the standard open lifeboats and could not be described as fast....

I wouldn't have thought it was that difficult for Cunard to comply with this aspect of solas - all they needed to do was purchase a couple of rib type boats and possibly change/adapt the davits to accomodate the new boat.  At a guess no more than a couple of hundred thousand pounds cost wise??

jdl

[Louis De Sousa]

I wouldn't have thought it was that difficult for Cunard to comply with this aspect of solas - all they needed to do was purchase a couple of rib type boats and possibly change/adapt the davits to accomodate the new boat.  At a guess no more than a couple of hundred thousand pounds cost wise??

True but cheaper would be to stay with Lifeboats 1 and 2 and get a inflatable rescue boat known as "DOTI BOAT" This boat could be launched from one of the liferaft cranes.

Louis

[jdl]

As ever louis I'll bow to your superior knowledge !!

John

[Louis De Sousa]

Maybe I saw it towards the (pointy) stern of the little boat - I am almost 100% certain 'Captain' was on one of these boats, as I remember thinking, it was a 'sensible place' for the Captain's boat to be!
It might have been stencilled on No.2 boat - the images I have are too dark/distant.
Louis - have you by chance got a photo taken of the sterns of 1 and 2?

Sorry Rosie from my photos nothing to be seen with "Captain" on.I have searched around and found nothing.I dont recall Captain be written anywhere on the lifeboats.But i would not notice such thing.

I wonder whether 'No.1 and 2 lifeboat practice' was held 'in secret' - there didn't seem to be a great deal of activity...Maybe that's because the steering was a bit tricky / time-consuming in Norway!
In an emergency, if the Chief Engineer was in / near the ECR, it could be have been quite a long way for him (et al) to climb, regardless of where the designated 'containment party's boat was,  the lifts being out of bounds!

If there is an abandon situation these lifeboats 1 and 2 are the first to go down.Once in the water they will clear away from the ship as soon as possible.When the rest of the boats are lowered they will go towards "their" lifeboat. For example lifeboat 1 will be on a group with lifeboats 3,5,7 etc and lifeboat 2 will be with 4,6,8 etc.
Each of the lifeboats 1 and 2 will have at least one senior bridge officer, a radio officer and one of the medical staff.

That last people on the bridge will flew with the liferafts shown on the follownig photo.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3958513285/

Louis