A survival craft for maritime evacuation of passengers and crew members from a vessel or an offshore facility is disclosed. The survival craft has a hull, predominantly made of non-rigid inflatable tubes and one or more shells, the hull has a length, a width and a centerline, a bow and a stern. The survival craft further comprises a first pair of engine-powered propulsion means arranged at the stern on opposite sides of the centerline, and a second pair of engine-powered propulsion means arranged at the bow on opposite sides of the centerline, each engine-powered propulsion means has a propeller or a water jet, wherein a horizontal angle of each propeller or water jet of each engine-powered propulsion means can be independently set in relation to the centerline.

A maritime evacuation system to be installed on a vessel or offshore facility comprises a storage unit to be installed on the vessel or offshore facility, at least two survival crafts, each having a hull, predominantly made of non-rigid inflatable tubes and one or more shells, the survival crafts being configured to be stored in the storage unit in a deflated state, each survival craft comprises at least two engine powered propulsion means, the maritime evacuation system further comprising a central control unit being operatively connected with each engine powered propulsion means, wherein the central control unit is configured to observe the condition of and test the readiness of each engine powered propulsion means at predetermined intervals so that it is continuously monitored if the maritime evacuation system meets the requirements for being ready for rescue.

A life raft may comprise a border tube and a canopy support tube coupled to an outer portion of the border tube. A first orifice defined by the canopy support tube is aligned with a second orifice defined by the border tube. A diameter of the first orifice is less than a diameter of the second orifice.

A life raft may include a base comprising a first side and a second side, and a self-supporting, collapsible spring canopy. The canopy may include a spring wire frame, a first panel circumscribed by the spring wire frame, and a second panel circumscribed by the spring wire frame.

A boarding apparatus for use on a flotation device, in accordance with various embodiments is disclosed herein. The boarding apparatus comprises a stirrup ladder. The boarding apparatus may be integral to a lifeline assembly of the flotation device. The boarding apparatus may be removably coupled to a loop patch of the flotation device. The boarding apparatus may release from the loop patch and become a boarding configuration for the flotation device.

A sea anchor includes a textile tube and a resiliently flexible support. The textile tube may include a first end and a second end. The first end may have a rim defining a mouth and the second end may be closed. In various embodiments, the resiliently flexible support is coupled to the first end of the textile tube. The resiliently flexible support, in response to the sea anchor being deployed, may be configured to expand the mouth and retain the mouth open. In various embodiments, the textile tube has a conical shape, with the mouth of the first end being a base of the conical shape and the second end being a point of the conical shape. The resiliently flexible support is a ring coupled to the rim of the first end of the textile tube, according to various embodiments.

This invention relates to a survival craft comprising a hull (10) formed from inflatable members, an optional canopy support structure carried by the hull and formed from inflatable members, and an inflatable wall structure (11). The invention also relates to rigid pod (19) configured to carry a survival craft in a deflated state and be coupled to the hull when the craft is in an inflated state. The inflatable parts may be formed from drop thread material.

An evacuation system may comprise a packboard, an evacuation slide configured to deploy from the packboard, and a canopy support apparatus is disclosed. The canopy support apparatus may comprise a valve extending from a proximal end of a canopy support tube toward a distal end of the canopy support tube and into an internal cavity of the canopy support tube. The valve may be configured to open a channel during inflation. The valve may be configured to seal the channel via internal pressure in the internal cavity acting on a sealing component of the valve when the canopy support tube is in an inflated state.

A life raft may comprise a border tube and a canopy support tube coupled to an outer portion of the border tube. A first orifice defined by the canopy support tube is aligned with a second orifice defined by the border tube. A diameter of the first orifice is less than a diameter of the second orifice.

An evacuation system may comprise a packboard, an evacuation slide configured to deploy from the packboard, and a canopy support apparatus is disclosed. The canopy support apparatus may comprise a valve extending from a proximal end of a canopy support tube toward a distal end of the canopy support tube and into an internal cavity of the canopy support tube. The valve may be configured to open a channel during inflation. The valve may be configured to seal the channel via internal pressure in the internal cavity acting on a sealing component of the valve when the canopy support tube is in an inflated state.