🔍 Key Concepts

• 46 CFR Subchapter T requirements for small passenger vessels • Purpose of a lifeline on a ring life buoy (what is it used for in a man-overboard situation?) • Typical effective rescue distance from the side of a small passenger vessel

💭 Think About

• Think about how far a person might drift away from the vessel before you can react and throw the ring life buoy. • Compare each choice to a realistic distance you would need to reach a person in the water and still have extra line for handling and securing. • Consider whether very long lines become difficult to manage and tangle easily, and whether very short lines are inadequate for reaching a person.

✅ Before You Answer

• Check 46 CFR Subchapter T (small passenger vessels) section on life-saving equipment for the minimum required length of line attached to ring life buoys. • Make sure the length is specified as a minimum, not a recommended or typical value. • Verify that the chosen length seems practical to handle on deck but still long enough to reach a person in the water from a small passenger vessel.