救生筏由橡胶混合物和/或合成材料组成。它有两个独立的浮力室或浮力管，每个室/管设计上都可完全支撑救生筏内的应急装备和满员重量。
Theliferaftisconstructedfromarubbercompoundand/orasyntheticmaterial.Therearetwoseparatebuoyancychambersortubes,eitherofwhichaloneisdesignedtobecapableofsupportingthecompleteliferaftwithallitsemergencyequipmentandafullcomplementofsurvivors.
在SOLAS救生筏上，为了协助提供抵抗不利温度的保护，筏底设计成双层并可充气；筏的顶篷也是双层并在内外层间留有空隙。顶篷由拱架撑起,或通过在底部的钢瓶经一些可浮的气管向中柱充装氮气或二氧化碳，使其自动撑起。
橙色的救生筏顶篷装备有雨水收集点和内外的照明灯。
InSOLASliferafts,toassistinprovidingprotectionagainstadversetemperatures,thefloorisdoubledandiscapableofbeinginflated;thecanopyisalsodoubledwithanairgapbetweentheinnerandouterwall.Thecanopyiserectedautomaticallybyanarchorcentrecolumnwhichisinflated,withthebuoyancytubes,byaCO2/Nitrogenchargestoredinasteelpressurecylinderunderthefloor.
Thecanopy,colouredorange,isfittedwithrainwatercollectionpointsandlightsarefittedbothinsideandoutside.
带把手环的扶手绳装于筏的内外部，进口处配备可协助求生者登筏的装备。进出口在关闭时能够在救生筏内部维持干燥状态。在顶篷设有了望点。
Grablinesarebecketedaroundtheinsideandoutsideoftheliferaftandtheentrancesareprovidedwithmeansofassistingsurvivorstoboard.Theentrances,whenclosed,arecapableofmaintainingtheinterioroftheliferaftinadrycondition.Look-outpointsareprovidedinthecanopy.
在救生筏底部装备有扶正绳或扶正梯，用于救生筏充气后或其他原因发生颠覆时进行扶正。有些船舶配备自动扶正救生筏。
Ontheundersideoftheliferaftisarightinglineorladderforuseinrightingtheliferaftshoulditinflateintheinvertedposition,orbecapsizedforanyreason.Sometypesofvesselmaybefittedwithself-rightingliferafts.
吊放式救生筏除符合SOLAS抛投式救生筏的所有特征外，另外还应具备结实的带子或绳子装置使其可以用吊钩悬吊起来。这种装置的强度应大到足以允许救生筏满员后吊放入水。
Adavit-launchedliferaftincorporatesallthefeaturesofaSOLASthrowoverliferaftwiththeadditionofawebbingorropearrangementwhichallowsittobesuspendedfromadavithook.Thisarrangementisstrongenoughtoallowtheliferafttobeloadedtoitsfullcomplementofsurvivorsandthenloweredtothewater.