(a) General purpose. Survival craft provide a means for survival when evacuation from the towing vessel is necessary. The craft and related equipment should be selected so as to provide for the basic needs of the crew, such as shelter from life threatening elements, until rescue resources are expected to arrive, taking into account the scope and nature of the towing vessel's operations.

(b) Functional requirements. A towing vessel's survival craft must meet the functional requirements of paragraphs (b)(1) through (5) of this section. Functional requirements describe the objectives of the regulation. Survival craft must:

(1) Be readily accessible;

(2) Have an aggregate capacity sufficient to accommodate the total number of individuals onboard, as specified in paragraph (c) of this section;

(3) Provide a means for sheltering its complement appropriate to the route;

(4) Provide minimum equipment for survival if recovery time is expected to be greater than 24 hours; and

(5) Be marked so that an individual not familiar with the operation of the specific survival craft has sufficient guidance to utilize the craft for its intended use.

(c) Compliance options. A towing vessel must meet the applicable functional requirements. Compliance with the functional requirements of paragraph (b) of this section may be met by one of these two options:

(1) A towing vessel that meets the prescriptive requirements of paragraph (d) of this section will have complied with the functional requirements; or

(2) If an owner or managing operator chooses to meet the functional requirement through means other than as specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the means must be accepted by the cognizant OCMI or, if the vessel has a TSMS, then by a TPO and, in the latter case, documented in the TSMS applicable to the vessel. The design, testing, and examination scheme for meeting these functional requirements must be included as part of the TSMS applicable to the vessel.

(d) Prescriptive requirements.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (d)(2) through (4) of this section, each towing vessel must carry the survival craft specified in Table 141.305 of this section, as appropriate for the towing vessel, in an aggregate capacity to accommodate the total number of individuals onboard.

(2) The following approved survival craft may be substituted for survival craft required by Table 141.305 of this section:

(i) A lifeboat approved under approval series 160.135 may be substituted for any survival craft required by this section, provided it is arranged and equipped in accordance with part 199 of this chapter.

(ii) An inflatable liferaft approved under approval series 160.051 or 160.151, may be substituted for an inflatable buoyant apparatus or rigid buoyant apparatus.

(iii) An inflatable buoyant apparatus approved under approval series 160.010 may be substituted for a rigid buoyant apparatus.

(iv) A life float approved under approval series 160.027 may be substituted for a rigid buoyant apparatus.

(3) Unless it is determined to be necessary by the cognizant OCMI under §141.225, or a TSMS applicable to the towing vessel, each towing vessel that operates solely on rivers need not carry survival craft if:

(i) It carries a 406 MHz Cat 1 EPIRB meeting 47 CFR part 80;

(ii) It is designed for pushing ahead and has a TSMS that contains procedures for evacuating crewmembers onto the tow or other safe location; or

(iii) It operates within 1 mile of shore.

(4) A towing vessel which is not required by this part to carry survival craft may carry a non-approved survival craft as excess equipment, provided that it is maintained in good working condition and maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions.