A
lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable
boat carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard a ship.
Lifeboat drills are required by law on larger commercial ships. Rafts (
liferafts) are also used. In the military, a lifeboat may double as a
whaleboat,
dinghy, or
gig. The
ship's tenders of
cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors usually carry inflatable life rafts, though a few prefer small proactive lifeboats that are harder to sink and can be sailed to safety.