Question 67 RVR04 - Master or Mate of LT 200 GRT

The Correct Answer is C. **Why option C ("Ensure that the operating cord is secured to the vessel") is correct:** The operating cord (or painter line) is crucial for the deployment and inflation of the liferaft. When launching the raft by hand, you must first secure the end of the painter line to a strong point on the vessel (or a secure railing) before throwing the raft package overboard. As the vessel drifts away or the line is pulled taut, the painter line will uncoil, and when it reaches its full length, the force will pull the CO2 inflation valve (or trigger mechanism) on the raft, causing it to inflate. If the painter line is not secured to the vessel, the raft will be thrown overboard without a mechanism to trigger inflation, and it may float away before occupants can enter or inflate it. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) Open the raft container:** While you must retrieve the raft from its storage container (often a fiberglass canister or valise bag), opening the container is merely the initial physical step of retrieval. It is not the "most important thing to remember" during the actual launching process, which hinges on securing the inflation mechanism. * **B) Inflate the raft on the vessel, then throw it over the side:** Liferafts are designed to inflate *after* they are launched into the water (or just as they enter the water). Attempting to fully inflate a large liferaft on the deck of a compromised vessel is dangerous, hinders deployment, takes up valuable space, and risks damaging the raft on sharp deck edges during the subsequent throw or lowering process. * **D) Open the CO2 inflation valve:** The crew does not manually open the CO2 inflation valve by hand; this valve is opened automatically when the painter line (operating cord) is pulled tight by the tension of the raft drifting away from the securing point on the vessel. Attempting to manually operate the valve before deployment could cause uncontrolled inflation on deck or deployment failure.