Question 23 LB01 - Lifeboat Operator

The Correct Answer is C **Why option C ("Sealing clamps") is correct:** In a rapidly developing emergency situation, such as a puncture leak in the lower tubes or bottom of an inflatable liferaft, the primary concern is immediate damage control and maintaining buoyancy. Sealing clamps (often referred to as leak clamps, tube clamps, or hull clamps) are designed specifically for this purpose. They offer a quick, temporary, and effective means of stopping or drastically reducing the flow of air from a sizable puncture or tear. They are easy to deploy and apply maximum pressure directly over the leak site, buying critical time to assess the damage and prepare a more permanent repair (if necessary) or, more importantly, stay afloat. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) Sail twine and vulcanizing kit:** A vulcanizing kit involves a complex, heat-based process that requires time, careful preparation, and stable conditions to execute a permanent repair. It is not suitable for the immediate, rapid control needed as the *first* step in stopping a leak in an emergency. Sail twine is designed for repairing sails or heavy fabric, not for sealing air leaks in rubberized or synthetic inflatable tubes. * **B) A tube patch:** While a patch is used for repair, applying it effectively requires the tube to be relatively dry, clean, and ideally, slightly deflated or stabilized. Attempting to immediately apply a patch to a high-pressure, rapidly leaking tube underwater or on a wet surface will likely fail, meaning it is not the quickest or most reliable *first* method of stopping the leak flow. * **D) Repair tape:** Repair tape (like duct tape or similar vinyl/adhesive tapes) provides a less reliable seal than a clamp, especially under pressure and when the surface is wet or contaminated (as is likely in the bottom of a liferaft). Like a patch, it is prone to peeling off and is not the designated equipment for immediate, high-pressure leak stoppage.