<P> Liferafts in general are collapsible, and stored in a heavy - duty fiberglass canister, and also contain some high - pressure gas (in commercial models, usually compressed air) to allow automatic inflation to the operations size . SOLAS and military regulations require these to be sealed, never opened by the ship's crew; they are removed at set intervals (annually on merchant vessels) and sent to a certified facility to open and inspect the liferaft and contents . In contrast, a lifeboat is open, and regulations require a crew member to inspect it periodically and ensure all required equipment is present . </P> <P> Modern lifeboats have a motor; liferafts usually do not . Large lifeboats use a davit or launching system (there might be multiple lifeboats on one), that requires a human to launch . Lifeboat launching takes longer and has higher risk of failure due to human factors . However lifeboats do not suffer from inflation system failures as inflatable liferafts do . </P> <P> Since 2006 smaller self - rescue lifeboats have been introduced for use by boats with fewer people aboard: these are rigid dinghies with carbon dioxide - inflated exposure canopies and other safety equipment . Like the lifeboats used before the advent of the petrol engine, these self - rescue dinghies are designed to let the passengers propel themselves to safety by sailing or rowing . In addition to their use as proactive lifeboats, these self - rescue dinghies are also designed to function as unsinkable yacht tenders . </P> <P> The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) makes it a requirement for merchant ships to have liferafts on each side of the ship, sufficient for all the people on board (the stated capacity of the lifeboat, irrespective of the fact that there may actually be fewer people on board). However, if the lifeboats are "easily transferable" (viz . have an open deck between port and starboard lifeboat decks), the number of liferafts may be reduced to a total sufficient for the ship's capacity . </P>

Where would you normally find a partially enclosed lifeboat