Definition
A fast rescue boat is a rescue craft built to a heightened SOLAS and LSA Code standard, capable of high speed and rapid recovery of people from the water in an emergency. It is distinguished from an ordinary rescue boat by its speed, self-righting capability, and the demanding performance criteria it must satisfy, all aimed at reaching and recovering a casualty before conditions worsen.
Background and use
The LSA Code sets specific figures. A fast rescue boat is not less than 6 metres and not more than 8 metres in length, and must be capable of manoeuvring for at least 4 hours at a speed of at least 20 knots in calm water with a qualified crew of three, and at least 8 knots when carrying a full complement of persons and equipment. It must be self-righting, or readily righted by its crew, and self-bailing or capable of being rapidly cleared of water. The engine must stop automatically, or be stopped by the helmsman's emergency release, if the boat capsizes, so that people in the water are not struck by a running propeller.
Launch and recovery requirements are equally strict. The boat must be capable of launching with the parent vessel making headway at up to 5 knots in calm water, and recovery in moderate sea conditions, with the boat fully loaded, must take no more than 5 minutes. These figures explain why fast rescue boats are paired with capable single-point or constant-tension davit systems designed to keep the craft under control as it is lifted clear of a moving sea.
In the superyacht world the fast rescue boat sits close to the chase boat and the support-vessel tender. A purpose-built fast rescue boat carried by a large yacht doubles as a serious safety asset, able to recover a guest or crew member from the water in minutes and to assist other vessels. Some owners specify a chase boat that can meet, or come close to, fast rescue boat criteria so that one capable hull serves both leisure and emergency roles. Where the boat is part of the certified safety equipment, conformity with the LSA Code is what matters, not appearance.
Related considerations
- Confirm whether a craft is type-approved as a fast rescue boat or merely fast; only the approval counts at survey.
- The self-righting and engine-cutout requirements are safety-critical; verify them rather than assuming.
- Recovery time under load drives the davit specification; design the lift system around it.
- A chase boat and a fast rescue boat overlap but are not the same; clarify the certified role.
- Crew must be trained and drilled to launch, operate, and recover the boat within the required times.