🔍 Key Concepts

• Lifeboat winch braking systems and what actually controls lowering speed • The purpose of centrifugal brakes vs. clutches vs. limit switches • SOLAS/USCG focus on safe controlled descent of survival craft

💭 Think About

• Which component is specifically designed to control and limit the rate of descent of the boat, regardless of load? • Which listed items are mainly for stopping travel at end of track or transmitting power rather than controlling lowering speed? • If the boat is going too fast on the way down, would removing weight or changing limit switches actually fix the cause of the problem?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which device is the primary speed-controlling brake on a gravity-lowered lifeboat winch • Distinguish between braking (controlling speed) and clutching (engaging/disengaging drive power) functions • Confirm that limit switches are about travel limits, not continuous speed control