Arun-class lifeboat

Arun-class lifeboat
Class overview
Builders	52-01/2, 54-03 William Osborne, Littlehampton Others, hulls moulded by Halmatic Ltd. Fitted out by: William Osbourne Halmatic W.A Souter Fairey Marine Berthon Boat Co. Robsons
Operators	Royal National Lifeboat Institution Finnish Lifeboat Institution Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg SANAS Madeira
Preceded by	Waveney
Succeeded by	Severn
Cost	£128,000 (52-01) – £640,000 (52-46)
Built	1971–1990
In service	1971–2008
Completed	46
Active	12
Laid up	2
Lost	1
Retired	30
Preserved	1
General characteristics
Type	Lifeboat
Displacement	32 long tons (33 t)
Length	52 or 54 ft (16 or 16 m)
Beam	17 ft (5.2 m)
Draught	5 ft (1.5 m)
Propulsion	52-02 to 52-14: 2 x 460 bhp (340 kW) Caterpillar D343 6-cylinder 52-15 to 52-46: 2 x 485 bhp (362 kW) Caterpillar 3408TA V-8
Speed	18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph)
Range	250  nmi (460 km; 290 mi)
Complement	6

The Arun-class lifeboat is a fast all-weather lifeboat designed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for service at its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. They were operated by the RNLI between 1971 and 2008. Many have been sold to see further service in the lifeboat and coastguard services of other countries.

The class takes its name from the River Arun in Sussex, England.

History

The RNLI's first lifeboat capable of speeds in excess of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) was the 14-knot (26 km/h; 16 mph) Waveney-class boats introduced in 1967. This was based on an American design, but in 1971 it was supplemented by the Arun class which was designed by the RNLI and gave vastly improved accommodation and increased the speed to 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph). ^[1]

The first prototype boat entered service at St Peter Port in 1972 but moved on to Barry Dock where it was stationed until 1997. Two more boats were introduced in 1973 and 1974 and then full production started in 1975 although small numbers of Waveney-class boats were still built until 1982. By 1990, 46 Arun-class boats had been launched. The following year saw the launch of the first 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) Severn - and Trent-class boats. ^[2]

The three prototype boats were withdrawn between 1994 and 1997, the third of which then went on display at the National Lifeboat Museum. The production series boats were taken out of regular service between 1998 and 2007. While a few have found new uses around the coast of Great Britain, the majority have been sold to other lifeboat operators around the world, predominantly in China, Finland and Iceland, and some further boats were built new for service in Canada and Greece. ^[3] Those travelling long distances go as deck cargo on larger ships but those going to closer harbours are generally sailed across under their own power. The first boat to go to Iceland, Richard Evans, was loaded as deck cargo on a container ship but was washed overboard during the passage – the only Arun to have been lost at sea. ^[4]

After their RNLI service, 35 boats joined other fleets to continue their service as lifeboats. As of Dec 2023, it is thought that 12 are still in service, with 2 under restoration.

Design

The design was developed for the RNLI by J.A. MacLachlan working for naval architects G.L. Watson of Glasgow. Initially proposed with chines along the hull to disperse the spray and improve stability when underway at speed, this caused a high deck above water which proved difficult when trying to get people aboard from the water, so the chines were dispensed with on the second boat and the deck curved down nearer the water. ^[5] The first three boats were built with wooden hulls ^[6] and were respectively 51 feet 7 inches (15.72 m), 52 feet (16 m) and 54 feet (16 m) long, the extra length due to a rounded transom. All differed in superstructure design, 52-01 having a raked back superstructure front with the flying bridge at the after end. 52-02 introduced forward raked wheelhouse windscreens, had a unique wheelhouse side window pattern and retained the aft mounted flying bridge. On 52-03, the flying bridge was moved to the forward end of the wheelhouse, the front of which was rounded. From 54-04, the forward flying bridge was standardised and the forward raked wheelhouse windscreens were reintroduced. The side windows were recessed from the superstructure sides. 54-04 had a Glass Reinforce Plastic hull and this was standardised for future boats. 54-04 to 54-07 retained the rounded transon but from 52-08 a square transom was reintroduced. The final external change came with 52-11 which had flush sided forward wheelhouse windows and this was a feature of all subsequent boats. In 1986 52-030 (ON 1100) became the only steel-hulled Arun. It was regarded as the best of the class for seakeeping, although the slowest.^{[ citation needed ]} The GRP hulls were moulded in blue material in the outer skin. After a while it was found that water was accumulating in the fibreglass which added up to two tons to the weight. The boats had the coloured layer stripped off and replaced by a new one made with clear gel which reduced the amount of water absorbed. ^[5]

The interior of the upper rear cabin

The large watertight cabin gave it self-righting capability. Two survivor cabins are situated below decks where first aid and emergency equipment is stowed. The hull is divided into 26 watertight compartments as protection against sinking should it be holed. There is also a flying bridge above the main cabin with an auxiliary steering position which can be used when additional height or visibility is required during an operation. The boat won a Design Council award in 1982. ^[6]

Two Caterpillar D343 460  hp (340 kW) diesel engines were fitted to boats up 52-14, subsequent boats being fitted with two Caterpillar 3408TA 485 hp (362 kW) . Fuel tanks have 620-imperial-gallon (2,800 L; 740 US gal) capacity which gives an operating range of 250 nautical miles (460 km; 290 mi). ^[6]

RNLI fleet

ON [a]	Op. No. [b]	Name	Built	In service [2]	Principal stations	Comments [2]
1018	52-01	Arun	1971	1972–1973 1974–1997	St Peter Port Barry Dock	Sold 1997. Renamed Arun Adventurer, commercial use at Dundee. December 2022, pleasure boat, Roermond, Limburg, Netherlands Sold 2023
1025	52-02	Sir William Arnold	1973	1973–1997	St Peter Port	Gold Medal Service, rescue of 29, Motor ship ‘Bonita’ on 13 December 1981. [7] Sold 1998, Pleasure boat at Cork until 2014. Sold 2019, returned to name Sir William Arnold. June 2022, Floating education experience at Heybridge Basin, Essex
1037	54-03	Edward Bridges (Civil Service No. 37)	1974	1975–1994	Torbay	On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard from April 1996
1049	54-04	Tony Vandervell	1976	1975–1999	Weymouth	Sold 1999. Finnish Lifeboat Institution PR Mac Elliot
1050	54-05	B.P. Forties	1975	1975–1998	Aberdeen	Sold 1998. Iceland SAR 2310
1051	54-06	The Gough Ritchie	1976	1976–1998	Port St Mary	Sold 1998. Chile SAR CB-8891
1052	54-07	City of Bradford IV	1976	1977–1987 1991–1998	Humber Tobermory	Gold Medal Service, Rescue of 4, Panamanian motor vessel Revi 14 February 1979. [8] Sold 1998. Ship's tender in Sweden/Finland
1053	52-08	Joy and John Wade	1977	1977–2001	Yarmouth	Sold 2002. Iceland SAR 2542
1056	52-09	Spirit of Tayside	1978	1978–1999	Broughty Ferry	Sold 1999. Australia SAR PS40
1057	52-10	Soldian	1978	1978–1997 1998–1999 1999–2001	Lerwick Achill Island Relief fleet	Sold 2002. Iceland SAR 2541
1058	52-11	Elizabeth Ann	1979	1979–2001	Falmouth	Sold 2002. Australia SAR Ulladulla 30
1059	52-12	Walter and Margaret Couper	1979	1979–2001	Campbeltown	Sold 2001. June 2002, Finnish Lifeboat Institution SAR-vessel Arvinsilmä and later Russarö.
1061	52-13	George and Olive Turner	1980	1980–2000	Tynemouth	Sold 2000. Iceland SAR 2474
1062	52-14	Edith Emilie	1980	1980–1999	Relief fleet	Sold 1999. Pilot boat at Montrose August 2021, Unaltered Workboat Mare Rosa at Mgarr harbour, Gozo, Malta
1067	52-15	Hyman Winstone	1980	1980–1985 1985–1998 1998–2002	Relief fleet Ballycotton Relief fleet	Sold 2003. Madeira SAR, name unknown.
1070	52-16	Richard Evans (Civil Service No. 39)	1981	1981–2000 2000–2003	Portrush Relief fleet	Sold 2003 to Iceland SAR but wrecked during delivery.
1071	52-17	Sir Max Aitken	1981	1981–2002	Relief fleet	Sold 2003. Renamed RSC Maximus, MOD Pendine Range Safety Vessel Sold 2019, Renamed Harvest Moon. Mar 2021, Converted to live-aboard, Port Medway Marina, Kent
1073	52-18	Robert Edgar	1981	1981–1997 1997–2002	St Mary's Relief fleet	Sold 2003. 2021 purchased by Skipper Training NZ for training commercial mariners, Nelson, New Zealand, named 52-18, still in RNLI livery
1076	52-19	Marie Winstone	1981	1981–1994 1995–2002	Fishguard Torbay	Sold 2002. Finnish Lifeboat Institution SAR-vessel PR Torbay
1077	52-20	Duchess of Kent	1982	1982–2002	Relief fleet	Sold 2003. Madeira (Portugal) SAR, renamed Salvador do Mar.
1078	52-21	The Davina and Charles Matthew Hunter	1982	1982–2001 2001–2003	Mallaig Relief fleet	Sold 2003. Iceland SAR 2593
1081	52-22	Ralph and Bonella Farrant	1982	1982–1994 1994–1999 1999–2003	Relief fleet Fenit Relief fleet	Sold 2005. China SAR Hua Ying 393
1082	52-23	Margaret Frances Love	1982	1983–1996 1997–2003	Valentia Barry Dock	Sold 2005. China SAR Hua Ying 398
1085	52-24	Mabel Alice	1982	1983–2003 2003	Penlee Relief fleet	Sold 2004. Renamed Strathclyde, with Strathclyde Police. Trip boat at Portishead. November 2021, Renamed Mabel Alice, Pilot/Lifeboat at Puerto Natales, Chile
1086	52-25	A.J.R. & L.G. Uridge	1983	1983–2003	Relief fleet	Sold 2003. Finnish Lifeboat Institution SAR-vessel PR Hebe
1092	52-26	St Brendan	1984	1984–2001	Rosslare Harbour	Sold 2003. Renamed Irish Mist. December 2022, Private Ownership, Ramsey, IOM
1093	52-27	Charles Brown	1984	1984–2005	Buckie	Sold 2005. China SAR Hua Ying 396
1098	52-28	Sir Max Aitken II	1984	1984–1999 1999–2004 2004–2005	Stornoway Longhope Relief fleet	Sold 2005. China SAR Hua Ying 397
1099	52-29	The Joseph Rothwell Sykes and Hilda M	1984	1984–1998 1998–2002	Stromness Relief fleet	Sold 2002. Finnish Lifeboat Institution SAR-vessel PR Janne Malén
1100	52-030	Snolda	1986	1986–1998 1998–2007	Aith Relief fleet	Sold 2007. Iceland SAR 2743
1103	52-31	Newsbuoy	1984	1984–2004 2002–2003 2003–2004	Relief fleet Plymouth Relief fleet	Sold 2005. Faroe Islands SAR XPZX
1106	52-32	Keith Anderson	1985	1985–1999 1999-2003	Newhaven Relief fleet	Sold 2006. China SAR Hua Ying 394
1107	52-33	City of Belfast	1985	1985–2003	Donaghadee	Sold 2005. China SAR Huaying 395
1108	52-34	Margaret Russell Fraser	1984	1986–2002 2002–2004	Relief fleet Calshot	Sold 2004. Iceland SAR 2638
1113	52-35	City of Dublin	1986	1986–2003	Howth	Sold 2004. Iceland SAR 2629
1118	52-36	Roy and Barbara Harding	1987	1987–1997 1997–2004	Galway Bay Castletownbere	Sold 2004. Iceland SAR 2623
1123	52-37	Kenneth Thelwall	1987	1987–1997 1997–2003 2003–2004	Humber Holyhead Relief fleet	Sold 2005. China SAR Hua Ying 399
1134	52-38	City of Glasgow III	1987	1987–2005	Troon	Sold 2005. Iceland SAR 2679
1135	52-39	Mickie Salvensen	1988	1988–1998 1998–2000 2000–2003 2003–2006	Kirkwall Aberdeen Relief fleet Barry Dock	Sold 2006. Iceland SAR 2681
1136	52-40	City of Plymouth	1987	1988–2004	Plymouth	Sold 2004. Iceland SAR 2637
1143	52-41	Ann Lewis Fraser	1988	1988–1998 1998–2003 2003–2004	Barra Island Tobermory Relief fleet	Sold 2005. China SAR Hua Ying 392
1144	52-42	Murray Lornie	1988	1989–2005	Lochinver	Sold 2005. Iceland SAR 2683
1149	52-43	The Queen Mother	1989	1989–2009	Thurso	Sold 2009. Montevideo Pilot Association, Uruguay as Ederra 4 [9]
1150	52-44	Hibernia	1989	1989–2007	Relief fleet	Sold 2007. China SAR Hua Ying 390
1159	52-45	Mabel Williams	1990	1990–1998 1998–2007	Ballyglass Relief fleet	Sold 2007. China SAR Hua Ying 391
1160	52-46	Duke of Atholl	1990	1990–1999 1999–1999 1999–2003 2003–2004 2004–2008	Relief fleet Weymouth Relief fleet Hartlepool Relief fleet	Sold 2007. Iceland SAR 2742

1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
2. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Other fleets

Australia

Operated by the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, later Marine Rescue NSW

RNLI ON	Name	ID	In Service [2]	Station	MMSI [10]	Comments [2]
1056	PV Danial Thain	PS40	1999–2017	Port Stephens	503277900	Danial Thain owned by ECA Maritime College based in Brisbane, Queensland. [11]
1058	P&O Nedlloyd Encounter Encounter	Ulladulla 30	2002–2013	Ulladula	503003630	Pleasure/CG Boat, Hope Island Marina, Queensland

Canada

CCGS Sambro

CCGS Spray

Ten 15.77-metre (51.7 ft) boats were built for the Canadian Coast Guard ^[3] between 1989 and 1996.
The first, a GRP-hulled British-built prototype (CCGS Bickerton) was built by Halmatic, Southampton. ^[12]
The remaining 9 boats were all built in Canada by Industrie Raymond Ltée of Sept-Iles, Quebec; East Isle Shipyard Ltd. of Georgetown, Prince Edward Island; and Hike Metals & Shipbuilding Ltd. of Wheatley, Ontario, all with aluminium hulls. They are considered "high endurance" lifeboats staffed by a crew of four.

The Canadian Coast Guard also maintains approximately three dozen smaller Cape-class motor lifeboats. ^[13] They are considered "medium endurance" lifeboats.

CCGS ON [14]	Name	Call Sign	In Service	Station	MMSI [10]	Comments
825043	Bickerton	CG3011	1989–2022	Bickerton East, NS	316001619	Decommissioned. November 2023, at Samsons shipyard, Petit De Grat in Cape Breton, For Sale
815532	Spindrift	CG2260	1992–2023	Louisbourg, NS	316001785	November 2023, Training vessel at the Canadian Coast Guard College, in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
816536	Spray	CGVF	1994–2023 2023–	Dartmouth, NS Relief fleet	316001617
816537	Courtney Bay	CG2240	1994–2023 2023–	St John, NB Relief fleet	316001621
817948	W. Jackman	CG3068	1994–2023	Burin, NL	316003310	November 2023, For Sale
817949	W.G. George	CG3064	1994–	Burgeo, NL	316001367
819269	Clark's Harbour	CG2612	1995–2023	Clark's Harbour, NS	316001616	November 2023, at Canadian Coast Guard College, in Sydney, Nova Scotia, For Sale / Breaking for spares.
819270	Cap Aux Meules	CG2682	1996–2023 2023–	Cap-aux-Meules, QC Relief fleet	316001604
819305	Sambro	CG2613	1996–2023 2023–	Sambro, NS Relief fleet	316001601
820275	Westport	CG2388	1996–	Westport, NS	316001892

Chile

Operated by Bote Salvavidas de Valparaiso, Chile

RNLI ON	Name	ID	In Service [2]	Station	Comments [2]
1051	Capitan Eduardo Simpson Roth	CB-8891	1998–2018	Valparaíso	December 2018, Workboat in Salmonera, Chile [15]

China

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [2]	Station	MMSI [10]	Comments [2]
1081	Hua Ying 393	2006–	Fuzhou
1082	Hua Ying 398	2005–	Donghai, Shanghai	413770296	Last Seen 31 January 2025 Xiamen [10]
1093	Hua Ying 396	2006–	Shenzhen	100880564	Last Seen 29 July 2021 Beihai [10]
1098	Hua Ying 397	2006–	Zhangjiang
1106	Hua Ying 395	2006–	Dalian
1107	Hua Ying 394	2006–	Dalian
1123	Hua Ying 399	2006–	Wenzhou, Zhejiang	413770297	Last seen 9 April 2018 Wenzhou [10]
1143	Hua Ying 392	2006–	Shantou
1150	Hua Ying 390	2007–	Waigaoqiao	413770293	Last Seen 19 March 2024 Lianyungang [10]
1159	Hua Ying 391	2007–	Donghai	413770294	Still active, 31 January 2025 Xiamen [10]

Faroe Islands

Operated by Norðoya Bjargingarfelag

RNLI ON	Name	ID	In Service [2]	Station	MMSI [10]	Comments [2]
1103	Ziska Arun	XPZX	2005–2023 2023–	Klaksvik Relief fleet Tórshavn	231393000	2023, Replaced by a new Ziska, Renamed Arun, and retained as backup craft

Finland

Operated by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [2]	Station	MMSI [10]	Comments [2]
1049	PR Mac Elliot	1999–2008 2008–2013	Porkkala, Porvoo	273349590	Sold. September 2022, Renamed Barrakuda. Hydrographic survey boat, Kronstadt, St Petersburg, Russia
1059	Arvinsilmä Russarö	2001–2002 2002–2013	Hanko	273296760	Sold November 2013 to Russia for SAR operations in Kronstadt. Modernized in 2014 and renamed as Murena (Moray). November 2022, Pleasure Vessel at Murmansk, Russia
1076	PR Torbay	2002–	Kaskinen	230983310
1086	PR Hebe	2003–2019 2013–2020	Kemi Hanko	276010130	Sold 2020. Renamed Habe. SAR at Hundipea, Tallin, Estonia.
1099	PR Janne Malén	2002–	Uusikaupunki	230983340

Greece

The Greek boats were built in Greece by MotoMarine with GRP hulls. ^[16] Ten are in service with the Hellenic Coast Guard.

Iceland

The Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg (Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue) was founded in 1999 after merging the Slysavarnafélag Íslands (National Life-saving Association of Iceland) and Landsbjörg (Association of rescue teams) and has responsibility for rescue operations in Iceland. The Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg (ICE-SAR) is divided into both land and sea rescue teams and with main office in Reykjavík. ICE-SAR has a fleet of all weather lifeboats, FRC and rescue boats around the coast of Iceland. ^[17]

RNLI ON	Name Changes when boat assigned to different port	ICE-SAR	In Service [2]	Station	MMSI [10]	Comments [2]
1050	Oddur V. Gíslason Hannes Þ Hafsteinn Jón Oddgeir	2310	1998–2007 2007–2014 2014–2015	Grindavík Sandgerði Reykjavík	251404110	Relief Fleet from 2008. Sold 2016. Renamed Valur, Fish Farm Support Vessel, Iceland Sold 2023. Renamed The Lady, at Hafnarfjörður
1053	Björg	2542	2002–2019	Rif	244547000	Sold. Renamed Proteus, Dive, Support & Rescue Vessel, Tender and Marine Services, Rotterdam, Netherlands
1057	Ásgrímur St. Björnsson	2541	2002–2021	Reykjavík	251275110	Formerly in use by Ársæll SAR team. Sold to Tender and Marine Services, Rotterdam, Netherlands. November, 2023, Still in Iceland
1061	Gunnar Friðriksson Jón Oddgeir	2474	2000–2008 2008–2011	Njarðvík Reykjavík		Relief fleet from March 2008. Out of Service 2011. Reported damaged beyond repair, disposed of 2015.
1078	Einar Sigurjónsson Hannes Þ Hafsteinn	2593	2003–2014 2015–2023	Hafnarfjörður Sandgerði	231874000	Sold 2023. Renamed Herborg, Pilot Boat, Klaksvik, Faroe Is.
1100	Oddur V. Gíslason	2743	2007–	Grindavík	251811110	Steel Hull
1108	Ingibjörg	2638	2005–	Höfn	251363110	In use by Björgunarfélag Hornafjarðar, SAR team
1113	Hafbjörg Ásgrímur St. Björnsson Hannes Þ Hafsteinn	2629	2004–2021 2021–2023 2023–	Neskaupstaður Reykjavík Sandgerði	251169740
1118	Gunnbjörg	2623	2004–	Raufarhöfn	251448110	Replacement for ON 1070 lost on passage
1134	Sveinbjörn Sveinsson	2679	2006–	Vopnafjörður	251545110
1135	Vörður II	2681	2006–	Patreksfjörður	251778110
1136	Húnabjörg	2637	2005–	Skagaströnd	251169840
1144	Sigurvin	2683	2006–2023	Siglufjörður		Sold 2023 to Kuummiit, Greenland.
1160	Gunnar Friðriksson Björg	2742	2008–2019 2019–	Ísafjörður Rif	251297110

Madeira

Operated by SANAS Madeira

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [2]	Station	MMSI [10]	Comments [2]
1067	?	2003–2015	Porto Santo		December 2018, On hardstanding at Canical 2023, Undergoing restoration [18]
1077	Salvador do Mar	2003–	Centro de Salvamento Costeiro, Santa Cruz da Madeira	255670650	2023, Undergoing restoration [18]

References

1. Wake-Walker, Edward (2008). The Lifeboats Story. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. pp. 59–63. ISBN   978-0-7509-4858-6.
2. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 60–66.
3. Leach 2011, pp. 34–35
4. Kipling, Ray; Kipling, Susannah (2006). Never Turn Back. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. p. 173. ISBN   0750943076.
5. Kipling & Kipling 2006, pp. 85–87.
6. Wake-Walker, Edward; Deane, Heather; Purches, Georgette (1989). Lifeboat! Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 38–41. ISBN   0-7110-1835-9.
7. "Gold Medal Service". 13 December 1981. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
8. "1979: Bronze, Silver and Gold".
9. Leach 2011, p. 122
10. "Marine Traffic".
11. "Danial Thain".
12. "Bickerton".
13. "New vessels ordered for Canadian Coast Guard". Marine Log. 3 September 2009. Archived from the original on 6 September 2009.
14. "Canadian Coast Guard Fleet". Government of Canada. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
15. ""Bote Salvavidas" de Valparaíso, 90 años dedicados a resguardar la vida en el mar". Soy Valparaíso (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 December 2023.
16. "MotoMarine Commercial and Industrial Enterprises". Archived from the original on 14 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
17. "ICE-SAR".
18. "Arun operational by the end of this year" . Retrieved 22 August 2023.

Bibliography

• Leach, Nicholas (2011). Arun Lifeboats - An Illustrated History of the RNLI Arun lifeboats 1971-2009. Cudham, Kent, United Kingdom: Kelsey Publishing Group. ISBN   978-1-907426-21-6.