Question 56 RVR03 - Mate of LT 500-1600 GRT

The Correct Answer is D **Explanation for Option D (It can be released at any time):** The term "on-load release system" is defined by IMO/SOLAS (International Maritime Organization/Safety of Life at Sea) requirements. A compliant on-load release system must allow the survival craft (lifeboat or rescue boat) to be intentionally released: 1. When the boat is waterborne and the load is off the falls (traditional off-load release). 2. While the boat is suspended and has a weight/load on the falls (the 'on-load' capability). However, modern SOLAS regulations require the release mechanism to have a safety feature (a hydrostatic interlock, a mechanical interlock, or other means) to prevent accidental operation while the craft is suspended clear of the water. Critically, these regulations also mandate an override for this safety feature. This override (often referred to as the "secondary means of release" or the "emergency release") must permit the crew to manually actuate the release hooks *at any time* during the launching sequence, including when the boat is fully suspended in the air. This emergency capability is vital for releasing the craft if, for example, the lowering mechanism fails and the boat needs to be dropped into the water to avoid a catastrophic event (like a vessel sinking rapidly). Therefore, because the system must include the ability to bypass all interlocks and release the hooks manually regardless of the state of the load, the system can be released at any time. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) It can be released only when activated by the controls at the lowering station:** While the launch *process* is initiated from the lowering station, the final release (hook actuation) is performed by the crew *inside* the survival craft. Furthermore, the ability to release is not limited to the launch process; it can be released after the boat is waterborne, or in an emergency, while suspended. * **B) It can be released only when the load is taken off the cable:** This describes an "off-load" release system. The defining feature of an "on-load" system is that it can release hooks *before* the load is taken off, meaning B is explicitly the opposite of what an on-load system is designed for. * **C) It can be released only when there is a load on the cable:** This is incorrect because the system must also function as an off-load system (releasing when waterborne), and because it fails to account for the necessary ability to release when the boat is fully waterborne (no load).