ABANDON SHIP!!! Ever wonder whats inside a lifeboat? How do you even get it into the water.. and survive? How does Emergency Ration Taste like?? Lifeboat design and construction has changed over the years but open boats have predominated until quite recently.Today most vessels are equipped with totally or partially enclosed lifeboats.
More recently the free fall lifeboat has become a feature on many vessels and is mandatory on some types of tanker. The free fall lifeboat is not designed for regular launch and recovery and therefore accidents during training are rare.
Lifeboats have oars, flares and mirrors for signaling, first aid supplies, and food and water for several days. Some lifeboats are more capably equipped to permit self-rescue, with supplies such as a radio, an engine and sail, heater, navigational equipment, solar water stills, rainwater catchments and fishing equipment.
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires certain emergency equipment be carried on each lifeboat and liferaft used on international voyages. Modern lifeboats carry an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and either a radar reflector or Search and Rescue Transponder (SART).