MERCHANT SHIPPING.
Deck and load-lines.
No. 10 of 1899.
945
e.
*
14.--(1) All ships in the waters of the Colony (except ships under twenty-five tons not carrying cargo, pleasure yachts, ships not trading or plying for hire, and ships employed solely as tugs) shall be permanently and conspicuously marked with lines of not less than twelve inches in length and one inch in breadth, painted longitudinally on each side amidships or as near thereto as is practicable, and indicating the position of each deck which is above water, subject to the following provisions:
(a) the upper edge of each of the deck-lines must be level with the upper side of the deck plank next the waterway at the place of marking; and
(b) the deck-lines must be white or yellow on a dark ground or black on a light ground.
In this sub-section, "amidships" means the middle of the length of the load water-line as measured from the fore side of the stem to the aft side of the stern-post.
load-line.
(2) The owner, agent, or master of every ship in the waters of the Colony (except ships under twenty-five tons not carrying cargo, pleasure yachts, ships not trading or plying for hire, and ships employed solely as tugs) shall, before clearing his ship outwards from the Colony, mark on each side amidships within the meaning of sub-section (1) or as near thereto as is practicable, in white or yellow on a dark ground or in black on a light ground, a circular disc twelve inches in diameter, with a horizontal line eighteen inches in length drawn through its centre, subject to the following provisions:
(a) the centre of the disc shall be placed at such level as may be approved by the Governor below the deck-line marked under this section and specified in the certificate given thereunder, and shall indicate the maximum load-line in salt water to which it shall be lawful to load the ship; and
(b) the position of the disc shall be fixed in accordance with the Tables of Freeboard contained in the Instructions to Surveyors issued by the Board of Trade.
* As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.