🔍 Key Concepts

• SOLAS / Lifesaving Appliances (LSA) Code requirements for inflatable liferafts • Purpose of the operating cord (painter line) during launching and inflation • Relationship between cord length and ship’s freeboard / stowage height

💭 Think About

• Think about why the operating cord needs to be long: what has to happen between the raft canister, the water surface, and the ship before you pull it tight? • Consider a typical ocean‑going vessel: how far above the waterline might a raft be stowed, and how much extra length is needed for drift and safe inflation? • Which of the options would likely be too short to reliably reach the water, or so long that it would be impractical to handle during an emergency?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify the minimum painter/operating cord length specified in SOLAS/LSA Code for inflatable liferafts. • Check that the chosen length is safely greater than the likely distance from the raft’s stowage position to the waterline, with extra length for drift. • Eliminate any option that is clearly too short to reach the water from a high freeboard or unnecessarily long for handling during emergency launching.