- Laws of Fiji

J1.

The procedure shall be as follows—

(a) Fill with fresh water a tank large enough to hold the wire basket required in (b).

(b) From an accurate set of scales suspend a wire basket with lead or iron ballast not less than 8kg securely attached.

(d) Remove the basket and weight and secure the lifejacket inside the basket.

(e) Immerse the basket in the water tank and read the weight “B”.

(f) Deduct the weight “A” from the weight “B”. The difference is the buoyancy which should be equal to or greater than the minimum buoyancy rating of the lifejacket.

(g) The lifejacket should be left submerged for a further 24 hours and the buoyancy tested again. The loss in buoyancy over 24 hours should not exceed 5%.

Note:

Care should be taken to squeeze out all trapped air as this will affect the buoyancy reading.

APPENDIX K
PORTABLE VHF RADIO EQUIPMENT FOR LIFERAFT

Portable VHF radio equipment for liferaft shall be designed, constructed and equipped to comply with the requirements of the SOLAS Convention.

APPENDIX L
LINE THROWING APPARATUS

Line throwing Apparatus shall be designed, constructed and equipped to comply with the requirements of the SOLAS Convention.

APPENDIX M
PYROTECHNIC: DISTRESS SIGNALS

Pyrotechnic Distress Signals shall be designed, constructed and equipped to comply with the requirements of the SOLAS Convention.

APPENDIX N
RESCUE SIGNAL TABLE

The following signals shall be used by life-saving stations and maritime rescue units when communicating with ships or persons in distress and by ships or per sons in distress when communicating with life-saving stations and maritime rescue units. The signals used by aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations to direct ships are indicated in subparagraph (d) below. An illustrated table describing the signals listed below shall be readily available to the deck watch keeper of every ship to which this paragraph applies.
	(a)	Replies from life-saving stations or maritime rescue units to distress signals made by a ship or person;
By day................................................................................................. Orange smoke signal or combined light and sound signal (thunderlight) consisting of 3 signals which are fired at intervals of approximately one minute.					You are seen.................................................................................................. assistance will be given as soon as possible.
					(Reception of such signals shall have the same meaning).
By night................................................ White star rocket consisting of three single signals which are fired at intervals of approximately one minute.
If necessary the day signals may be given at night or the night signals by day.
	(b)	Leading signals for the guidance of small ships with crews or persons in distress:
Signal						Signification
By day................................ Vertical motion of a white flag or the arms or firing of a green star-signal or signalling the code letter ‘K’ (_._) given by light or sound-signal apparatus.

By night................................ Vertical motion of a white light or flare, or firing of a green star-signal or signalling the code letter ‘K’ (_._) given by light or sound-signal apparatus. A range (indication of direction) may be given by placing a steady white light or flare at a lower level and in line with the observer.						This is the best place to land’.
By day................................ Horizontal motion of a white flag or arms extended horizontally or firing of a red star-signal or signalling the code letter ‘S’ (................) given by light or sound-signal apparatus.
By night................ Horizontal motion of a white, light or flare or firing of a red-star signal or signalling the code letter ‘S’ (................) given by light or sound-signal apparatus.						‘Landing here highly dangerous’.
By day................ Horizontal motion of a white flag, followed by the placing of the white flag in the ground and the carrying of another white flag in the direction to be indicated or firing of a red-star signal vertically and a white star-signal in the direction towards the better landing place or signalling the code ‘S’ (................) followed by the code letter ‘R’ (.—.) if a better landing place for the ship in distress is located more to the right in the direction of approach or the code letter ‘U (.—..) if a better landing place for the ship in distress is located more to the left in the direction of approach.
By night................ Horizontal motion of a white light or flare, followed by the placing of the white light or flare on the ground and the carrying of another white light or flare in direction to be indicated or firing of a red star-signal vertically and a white star-signal in the direction towards the better landing place or signaling the code letter ‘S’ (................) followed by the code ‘R’ (.—.) if a better landing place for the ship in distress is located more to the right in the direction of approach or the code letter ‘L’ (.—..) if a better landing place for the ship in distress is located more to the left in the direction of approach.						‘Landing here highly dangerous.
						A more favourable location for landing is in the direction indicated’,
	(c)	Signals to be employed in connection with the use of shore life-saving apparatus:
Signal						Signification
By day................................ Vertically motion of a white flag or the arms or firing of a green star-signal.						In general:
						‘Affirmative’.
						Specifically:
						‘Rocket line is held.’
By night................................ Vertically motion of a white light or flare or firing of a green star-signal.						‘Tail block is made fast’
						‘Hawser is made fast.’
						‘Man is in the breeches buoy.’ ‘Haul away.’
By day................................ Horizontal motion of a white flag or arms extended horizontally or firing of a red star-signal.						In general:
						‘Negative.’
						Specifically: ‘Slack away.
						‘Avast hauling.’
	(d)	Signals used by aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations to direct ships towards an aircraft, ship or person in distress—
		(i)	The following procedures performed in sequence by an aircraft mean that the aircraft is directing a ship towards an aircraft or a ship in distress—
			(1)	circling the ship at least once;
			(2)	crossing the projected course of the ship close ahead at a low altitude, opening and closing the throttle or changing the propeller pitch;
			(3)	heading in the direction in which the ship is to be directed.
Repetition of such procedure has the same meaning.
		(ii)	The following procedure performed by an aircraft means that the assistance of the ship to which the signal is directed is no longer required—
			crossing the wake of the ship close astern at a low altitude, opening and closing the throttle or changing the propeller pitch.