🔍 Key Concepts

• Function of a sea painter on a lifeboat during launching and while alongside the ship • Where the towing/controlling force should act on a lifeboat to keep it headed properly • How securing point affects the boat’s tendency to sheer (swing sideways) in a seaway or when the ship has headway

💭 Think About

• Visualize the lifeboat just after it is waterborne but still near the ship: where should the line be attached so the boat lies safely and parallel to the ship’s side? • If a line is leading forward toward the ship’s bow, think about what happens to the boat’s heading if it is secured at the extreme bow vs farther aft. • Which attachment point best balances the boat so it does not yaw excessively or get pulled around by the ship’s motion?

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm where the painter leads from the ship to the boat (forward, aft, or abeam) and what that implies for the pull direction. • Think about stability and control: which position minimizes twisting forces on the lifeboat when it is towed or held alongside? • Eliminate options that would cause the bow to be pulled too strongly or the boat to lie at an unsafe angle to the ship’s side.