110 NICHOLLS'S SEAMANSHIP AND NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE
25. How would you determine the number of persons which a life-
boat is fit to carry?
By finding her cubic capacity in feet, and dividing it by 9 in the
case of boats of Class 1, B, but by 10 in the case of all others.
26. A life-boat has a cubic capacity of 360 feet. How many persons
is she fit to carry?
If of Class 1, B, she will carry 40 persons, if of any other class she
will carry 36 persons.
27. Is a life-boat required io be marked in any particular way?
Yes. All boats shall be permanently marked in such a way as to
indicate plainly their dimensions and the number of persons for which
they are approved. The marking should be cut on the stem or sheer-
strake on one side of the boat, and the number of persons for which they
are approved should be cut on the other side.
28. What is meant by a boat's "coefficient of fineness"?
The ratio which the cubic capacity of the boat bears to the cubic
capacity of a rectangular block of the same extreme dimensions. lip
value which is generally about *6 gives some idea of her shape and the
fineness of her lines. If she was round in the counter and bluff in the
bow her coefficient of fineness would be greater than '6, if of very fine
lines it would be less.
29. How many life-buoys are required by a foreign-going passenger
steamer?
The number depends on her length.
If she is under 4:00 feet in length, at least 12.
If 400 but under 600 feet in length, at least 18.
If 600 but under 800 feet in length, at least 24.
If 800 feet or over, at least 30.
At least half the number of life-buoys required to be carried shall
have self-igniting life-buoy lights placed near them, and such lights are
to be provided with means for attachment to the life-buoys.
One life-buoy must be carried in beckets or cleats on each side
of the navigating, bridge in such a manner that they can be instantan-
eously released, and will drop clear of the ship's side. Each of these
life-buoys shall have a self-igniting lifebuoy light attached to it by at
least 12 feet of good line. Two buoys, one on each side, to be fitted
with life-lines 15 fathoms in length.