Question 68 RVR04 - Master or Mate of LT 200 GRT

The Correct Answer is C **Explanation for Option C (Gravity):** The Gravity davit is the most common type of davit used on modern SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) vessels, particularly for handling enclosed lifeboats. Its defining characteristic is that it uses the force of gravity to launch the lifeboat. Once the brakes are released and the wire falls, the weight of the boat (and occupants) automatically draws the davit arms and the boat down the tracks or falls rapidly. This mechanism requires minimal effort and supervision from the operating personnel, meaning the entire operation—from releasing the gripes to lowering the boat to the water—can typically be initiated and continuously controlled by **one designated person** (the winch operator/brake man). **Explanation of Why Other Options are Incorrect:** * **A) Radial:** Radial davits (or pivoted davits) are older types of manual or mechanical davits common on ships built before the 1960s. They require the lifeboat to be physically pushed, pulled, or cranked outboard by several people before being lowered. They cannot be operated by one person alone. * **B) Quadrantal:** Quadrantal davits are another type of mechanical davit that uses a crank handle and gearing to move the lifeboat outboard, often involving multiple turns of the crank. While an improvement over radial davits, they still require significant manual labor, usually involving a team of people (or at least two dedicated operators) to crank the boat out and then operate the falls/winch simultaneously. * **D) Sheath-screw:** The sheath-screw (or mechanical-screw) davit is a variation of the quadrantal or luffing davit. It uses a large threaded screw mechanism to physically move the davit arm outboard. While the lowering process uses gravity, the process of slewing (moving) the heavy lifeboat outboard requires significant manual effort and time, usually necessitating multiple crew members working the cranks simultaneously.