H-class lifeboat

Last updated

RNLI Hovercraft H-001 2005-07-16.jpg
RNLI Hovercraft H001 Molly Rayner in 2005
Class overview
NameH-class rescue hovercraft
Builders Griffon Hoverwork
Operators Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
Preceded byNone
Built2002–2009
In service2002–
Completed7
Active7
General characteristics
Displacement3.86 tonnes
Length6.88 m (22.6 ft)
Beam3.36 m (11.0 ft)
DraughtN/A
Propulsion2 x VW 1.9 turbo diesels
Speed30 knots (35 mph; 56 km/h)
Endurance3 hours
Capacity10
Complement2-4

H-class rescue hovercraft [1] serve the shores of the United Kingdom as a part of the RNLI inshore fleet. A modified Type 470TD design built by Griffon Hoverwork, they were developed to operate in tidal areas such as Morecambe Bay, where strandings by incoming tides can have fatal consequences; and in waters too shallow for normal craft.

Contents

Hovercraft were also assigned to three other stations, New Brighton, Hunstanton, and Southend-on-Sea. In 2016, the New Brighton Hovercraft H-005 Hurley Spirit was reassigned to Hoylake.

In 2023, trials were carried out by the RNLI, assisted by the team at Hoylake station, to evaluate different crafts being considered as a potential successor to the current hovercraft. [2]

Fleet

RNLB Hurley Spirit approaching the old slipway at Hoylake old lifeboat station. RNLI hovercraft on Hoylake beach, May 2021-2.jpg
RNLB Hurley Spirit approaching the old slipway at Hoylake old lifeboat station.
Op.No. [lower-alpha 1] NameIn service [3] Principal StationComments
H-001Molly Rayner2002–Relief fleet [4]
H-002The Hurley Flyer2002– Morecambe [5]
H-003 Hunstanton Flyer
(Civil Service No.45)
2003– Hunstanton [6]
H-004Vera Ravine2004– Southend-on-Sea [7]
H-005Hurley Spirit2004–2016
2016–
New Brighton
Hoylake
[8]
H-006John Russell2005–Relief fleet [9]
H-007Samburgh2009–Relief fleet
  1. Op.No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal National Lifeboat Institution</span> Rescue charity operating in Britain and Ireland

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways.

Shannon-class lifeboat Lifeboat of the British RNLI

The Shannon-class lifeboat is the latest class of lifeboat currently being deployed to the RNLI fleet to serve the shores of the British Isles. The Shannon class is due to replace most Mersey-class lifeboats and some Trent-class lifeboats.

D-class lifeboat (EA16)

The D-class (EA16) lifeboat is a class of inflatable boat operated since 1987 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has been replaced operationally by the D-class (IB1), but many are still used as part of the relief fleet, as boarding boats for the larger classes of lifeboat and by the RNLI Flood Rescue Team.

D-class lifeboat (IB1)

The D-class (IB1) lifeboats are inflatable boats serving in the RNLI inshore lifeboat (ILB) fleet as well as a number of Independent Lifeboats around the UK and Ireland. Although they are known as the "IB1" at times, they are the latest development of the D-class lifeboat and as such are mainly referred to as a "D-class".

Since its inception, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has provided lifeboats to lifeboat stations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Arancia-class lifeboat Class of inflatable rescue boat

The Arancia-class inshore rescue craft is a class of small inflatable rescue boat (IRB) operated by, among others, Surf Lifesaving Great Britain, Surf Life Saving Association of Wales and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crew and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine. Lifeboats may be rigid, inflatable or rigid-inflatable combination-hulled vessels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England

The Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station is a lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea in the English county of Essex, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 1879.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnham-on-Sea Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Somerset, UK

Burnham-on-Sea Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset in England. A lifeboat was stationed in the town from 1836 until 1930. The present station was opened in 2003. It operates two inshore lifeboats (ILBs), a B-Class rigid-inflatable boat and an inflatable D-Class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnham Area Rescue Boat</span> Search and rescue service in Bridgwater Bay, Somerset, England

Burnham Area Rescue Boat (BARB), also known as BARB Search & Rescue, is a voluntary independent search and rescue service, formed in 1992 in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset that operates two rescue hovercraft and two inshore rescue boats in the Bridgwater Bay area. It is a registered charity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhyl Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales, UK

Rhyl Lifeboat Station is operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the North Wales town of Rhyl. For over 150 years, the Lifeboat Crew in Rhyl have been saving lives at sea. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1852 and the present station was opened in December 2001. The station operates a Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat (ALB), and an D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat (ILB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunstanton Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Hunstanton Lifeboat Station, England

Hunstanton Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution operated lifeboat station located in the village of Old Hunstanton in the English county of Norfolk. This is the only lifeboat station on the east coast of England which faces westward, being positioned on the east side of the square-mouthed bay and estuary known as The Wash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happisburgh Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station on the East coast of England in the UK

Happisburgh Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Inshore lifeboat station close to the village of Happisburgh in the English county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom. Since 2003 the station boathouse has been re-located from the village to an area south called Cart Gap. This is because the beach below Happisburgh disappeared due to coastal erosion and the stations slipway and access was washed away. The original boathouse in the village is now used for training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Davids Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales, UK

St Davids Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station. It was opened in 1869 and to date has been involved in saving over 360 lives at sea in more than 420 launches. The station operates both an all-weather (ALB) and an inshore (ILB) lifeboat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talus MB-4H amphibious tractor</span>

Talus MB-4H is a four-wheel-drive launch tractor which was specifically designed for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), to launch and recover inshore lifeboats from beach launched lifeboat stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastbourne Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in East Sussex, England

Eastbourne Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in the town of Eastbourne in East Sussex. Founded two years before the RNLI was established, the station has operated continuously since 1822 and its lifeboats have been responsible for saving over 700 lives. There are two active lifeboat stations in Eastbourne, an all-weather station with the Trent-class 14-02 Esme Anderson at Sovereign Harbour and the D-class (IB1) The David H (D-876) at the inshore lifeboat station a couple of miles to the west at Fisherman's Green. An older lifeboat station, west of Eastbourne Pier, is now used as an RNLI museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Brighton Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Merseyside, England

New Brighton Lifeboat Station is located on Kings Parade in the town of New Brighton on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside. A lifeboat was first stationed at Magazines village by the Liverpool Dock Trustees in 1827. The station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anstruther Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station

Anstruther Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Anstruther, Fife. The station has been in operation since 1865, although RNLI activity in the area dates back to 1832. The station houses the all-weather Mersey-class lifeboat 12-17 Kingdom of Fife and inshore D-class lifeboat Akira (D-802)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoylake Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Merseyside, England

Hoylake Lifeboat Station is located on the North Parade promenade in the town of Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside. A lifeboat was first stationed at Hoylake by the Liverpool Dock Trustees in 1803. The station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1894.

References

  1. "Rescue hovercraft". RNLI. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. "Hoylake RNLI trial new hovercraft models". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  3. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  4. "This is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's Hovercraft H-001, named Molly Rayner". UK Emergency Vehicles. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  5. "Morecambe RNLI celebrate 20 years of its inshore rescue hovercraft". RNLI. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  6. "Hunstanton Flyer is celebrating 20 years of saving lives at sea". Town&Around. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  7. "Southend-on-Sea RNLI mark the 20th anniversary of the hovercraft". RNLI. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  8. "20 years of saving lives: Hoylake RNLI mark the anniversary of the hovercraft". RNLI. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  9. "RNLI hovercraft launched". Motorboat & Yachting. Retrieved 8 November 2005.