Question 15 LB01 - Lifeboat Operator

The Correct Answer is B. The hydrostatic release unit (HRU) is designed to automatically deploy the liferaft if the vessel sinks. As the HRU senses the specified depth (usually 1.5 to 4 meters, or 5 to 15 feet), the hydrostatic pressure activates a blade or mechanism inside the unit. This mechanism cuts or releases the **tie-down strap** (or slip hook/chock mechanism) that secures the liferaft container to the ship's cradle. Once the container is free, its inherent buoyancy allows it to float to the surface. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) releasing the CO2 canister:** The CO2 canister is located *inside* the liferaft container and is used to inflate the raft *after* the container has floated free and the painter line has been pulled taut. Releasing the canister inside the sinking vessel would not help deploy the raft. * **C) pulling the operating cord:** The operating cord (painter line) is pulled *by the sinking vessel* (or manually by crew) after the HRU releases the container. Pulling the cord is the action that inflates the raft once it is floating free, not the mechanism that releases the container from the cradle. * **D) breaking the weak link:** The "weak link" is a specialized component incorporated into the painter line attachment point *on the vessel*. Its purpose is to intentionally break after the liferaft has fully inflated (i.e., when the vessel sinks further than the length of the painter line), allowing the fully inflated raft to separate from the sunken vessel. It is a secondary safety mechanism, not the primary mechanism that releases the cradle strap.