Coded Vessel Manual - LSA and Fire Training Manual for Non-SOLAS Vessels - Large Yachts and Non-SOLAS Commercials Vessels

The Non-SOLAS Coded Vessel LSA & Fire Training Manual is a comprehensive training resource for operators and crew of non-SOLAS coded vessels, including commercial vessels, larger yachts, sail training vessels, and other recreational craft. Designed to help meet the training manual requirements of recognised yacht and vessel codes, it provides practical guidance on the use of life-saving appliances, survival techniques, fire safety, emergency procedures, enclosed space entry, and search and rescue.

The manual combines generic training information with a dedicated vessel-specific section that can be completed by the owner or operator. This allows details of the actual life-saving appliances, fire-fighting equipment, emergency procedures, and escape arrangements carried on board to be recorded, creating a manual unique to your vessel and helping support compliance with applicable Registry and Flag Administration requirements.

Presented in a loose-leaf A4 binder with a 25mm 4-ring mechanism, the manual is easy to update as equipment, procedures, or regulations change. It contains detailed explanations supported by diagrams and photographs throughout, making it a valuable reference for crew training, onboard familiarisation, and ongoing safety management.

Coded Vessel Manual, Table of Contents:

• Preparing for an Emergency
• Life Saving Appliances
• Survival Techniques
• Search and Rescue
• Enclosed Space Entry
• Fire: Principles and Theory
• Fire Extinguishing Systems & Equipment
• Fire Fighting Organisation & Techniques
• Vessel-Specific Equipment Inventory and Procedures (Section 11), allowing the manual to be customised to your vessel

Non-SOLAS Commercial and Recreational Vessels :

• Non-SOLAS vessels may include the following:
• Yachts and Recreational Vessels
• Non-SOLAS Commercial Vessels. As a general principle this would include cargo vessels of under 500GT and passenger vessels not engaged on international voyages. 
• Fishing Vessels: particularly smaller fishing vessels.
• SOLAS is not normally applicable to warships and their auxiliary fleets, nor to vessels owned or operated by a government and used in non-commercial service. 

Yachts Codes and SOLAS:

The question, “Does SOLAS apply to yachts” may be broadly answered, “It depend on the size and use of the yacht and upon the Flag Administration”.

• Private yachts under 500 GT generally do not fall under SOLAS.
• Commercial yachts, especially those over 24m or carrying more than 12 guests, may need to comply with some SOLAS requirements. 
• Charter yachts or those operating internationally may be required to conform with SOLAS, depending on the governing Administration.
• Some Administrations use SOLAS as the basis for their yacht codes. 
• Some Codes, in some matters, specifically refer to SOLAS in their requirements.

Within this document we have taken the following yacht Codes as being typical: 

• Red Ensign Group (REG) Yacht Code 2024  
• Malta Registry: Commercial Yacht Code 2025 (CYC 2025) and 
• Small Commercial Yacht Code 2024 (sCYC 2024) 
• Marshal Island Yacht Code 2021 (amended 2023)
• Cayman Islands Passenger Yacht Code 2016

Applicable Regulations, Codes and Compliance

Non-SOLAS commercial vessels will comply with their Registry and-or Flag authority, who will prescribe the standards generally required and those which may apply to specific items. Many of the Codes for non-SOLAS sea-going and non-sea-going vessels have similar requirements but some may differ in some details.  

Owners and operators should, where necessary, check the specifications and requirements stated herein against the Regulations and Codes applicable to their vessel(s).   

Specific Training Manual Requirements

Various Codes require that a Training Manual is provided on board which:

• Explains in detail matters relating to life-saving appliances (LSA), abandonment procedures, survival, and rescue. (PYC Cayman Registry)
• Is vessel-specific and contains instructions for the actual life-saving appliances and fire-fighting equipment carried on board, together with the best methods of survival. (Marshall Islands Yacht Code)
• Provides guidance on fire safety, including general fire safety practices, fire-fighting instructions, the operation and use of fire-fighting systems, appliances, fire doors and dampers, and escape systems and appliances. (SOLAS Chapter II-2, Regulation 15)
• Accordingly, this manual must be completed so that it is specific to the vessel on which it is carried.

The purpose of this Manual is to provide all members of the crew with:

• Information about the purpose and use of all life saving appliances, procedures for abandonment, and survival techniques, 
• General instructions and precautions relating to enclosed space entry
• Instructions concerning fire safety practice and precautions, the operation and use of fire fighting systems and equipment, and information concerning escape routes. 
• A document that may be used as a framework and reference source for those whose duty it is to give instruction to others on board 
• A reference source for all personnel 

Coded Vessel Manual Structure

This Manual is in two parts. The first part (sections 1-10) contains generic information concerning life saving appliances, survival, search and rescue, enclose space entry, fire principles and theory, and fire extinguishing systems and equipment. The second part (section 11) should be completed by the vessel’s owner or operator so that the variously required matters are explained ‘in detail’. Thus, when completed, the document will fully comply with the requirements of the Codes and be unique to a specific vessel.

Vessel Equipment and Applicability

Smaller Coded vessels are not normally fitted with lifeboats, MES, or larger fixed fire fighting systems, so these and other ‘big ship’ items are only mentioned in outline in sections 1-10. However, should any such items be on board details may be entered in section 11. Additionally, where general procedures are included in sections 1-10 (e.g. liferaft launching, raising the fire alarm, etc.) all of the detail may not be applicable to this particular vessel, so the text should be appropriately interpreted and applied and applicable procedural details inserted in section 11.

Section 11 Guidance

An introduction to section 11 and instructions concerning entries therein is given on page 201.

Associated Documentation and Operational Guidance

This Manual should be prepared and read in conjunction with the owner’s and vessel’s Standing Orders, applicable Codes and relevant Codes of Safe Working Practice, and it should be interpreted as may be considered appropriate for this vessel. This may be particularly important when considering emergency procedures and survival craft arrangements in vessels carrying passengers, vessels with special design features and those with limited crew numbers.

Regulatory and Technical Updates

Whilst every effort has been made to provide up-to-date information the reader must be aware that regulations and performance standards are frequently upgraded, and that continuous research and equipment advances mean that the data provided herein should be cross checked with other current sources.

Safety Reminder

Finally, owners, operators and crew are reminded that by regulation they are required to ensure that all life-saving appliances and fire detection and extinguishing systems and equipment are in full working order before their vessel leaves its berth and at all times during a voyage.

Why Use I.C. Brindle Manuals?

Our popular Training Manuals take the time and hard work out of preparing such a Manual. They are easy-to-read, up-to-date, user friendly documents, presented in an A4, loose-leaf format. The main body describes equipment and procedures generically, and the final section allows the user to insert details of equipment and procedures applicable to a specific vessel, thus making each document unique and fully compliant with the SOLAS or other legislative requirements applicable to a particular vessel.

The Manuals provide all crew members with general information and instructions concerning the purpose and use of all life-saving appliances and/or fire equipment on board. The loose-leaf presentation permits simple amendment and updating ofdetails relating to a vessel’s equipment and procedures. Use of our Manuals enhances the professional image of the owners and operators and provides uniformity where used across a fleet.

Options include the use of an owner’s own covers, page headers or footers incorporating the owner’s or vessel’s QA control requirements and/or the owner’s or vessel’s logo. Another option is for I.C. Brindle & Co Ltd, to prepare vessel-specific Manuals,either following a survey or from the information gleaned in response to our questionnaire.

Keep Up-To-Date with Regulations and Updates:

The I.C.Brindle & Co Ltd training manual range has been particularly well received and the company now boasts the status of being one of the world’s leading publishers of marine training publications with many large organisations choosing the company’s range for their bookshops and vessels. 

The training manuals are unique with the content being constantly updated to keep on top of and meet the fast-changing regulations set by the IMO, MCA and other maritime organisations, this gives peace of mind to the end user and surveyors alike. Best-selling publications include the SOLAS LSA, SOLAS Fire, Checklist, Small Coded Vessel & Large Coded Vessel and the Workboat Training Manual.

*Looking for Customisable Company or Vessel-Specific Manuals?*