McLachlan-class lifeboat

	A-504 is preserved at Chatham
Class overview
Name	McLachlan class
Builders	William Osborne, Littlehampton
Operators	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded by	Hatch
Succeeded by	Atlantic 21
Built	1967–1973
In service	1967–1988
Completed	10
Retired	10
General characteristics
Length	18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Beam	8 ft (2.4 m)
Propulsion	2 x 60 hp inboard engines with sterndrives
Speed	22 knots (25 mph; 41 km/h)
Complement	2-3

Last updated November 21, 2024

The McLachlan-class lifeboat was an A-class lifeboat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) of the United Kingdom and Ireland from 1967 to 1988. It was replaced by the B-class (Atlantic 21).^[1]

History

The McLachlan-class lifeboat was the second type of the 1960s fast Inshore lifeboat in service with the RNLI. It was designed by J. Allen McLachlan MRINA, a naval architect, former RNLI chief draughtsman and partner at longtime yacht and lifeboat designers G. L. Watson & Co. of Glasgow.^[2]

The first trial boat, numbered 18-02 by the RNLI, was built by W. A. Souter of Cowes. The boat was constructed from 3 layers of mahogony with foam-filled watertight compartments, and was noted by its use of a 'ragged chine hull', with nine chines that cushioned the hull and reduced pounding. The helm was in a standing position, in a sunken bridge deck, with a weathershield in front of the controls. A 90 hp. Evinrude engine gave a speed of 20.9 knots.^[3]

in September 1969, following successful trials, the RNLI placed an order for 4 boats with boat-builder William Osbourne of Littlehampton, to be constructed with GRP hulls, fitted with twin sterndrive Ford 60 hp marinised petrol engines, and each costing £3,400. 18-02 would later be fitted with twin 47 hp Perkins diesel engines. William Osborne built a further five McLachlan lifeboats in the 1970s. Most remained afloat, but two were kept on carriages. The one at Weston-super-Mare being launched down a long slipway and that at Peel IOM was launched with the aid of a tractor.^[3]^[4]^[5]

In the early 1970s, it was decided to reclassify the 17 and 18-foot boats as A-class lifeboats, and their numbers were changed according; 18-004 becoming A-504, 18-007 becoming A-507 etc.^[6]

Although not classed as lifeboats, two further McLachlan designed boats were constructed for use as Boarding boats at Humber Lifeboat Station, (BB-239) and (BB-240).^[6]

A-504 (formerly 18-004) at Weston-super-Mare, was launched at 10:30pm on the 13 September 1975 into an easterly gale, to a motor-boat stranded on the rocks. In difficult conditions, 5 people were rescued. Julian Morris was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, and crew members Bernard Watts and Ian Watts both received the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum. The boat is now on display in the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard.^[6]^[7]

All the McLachlan lifeboats had been retired by the late 1980s, with the exception of the prototype boat, which went on to be a boarding boat at Humber until 1994.^[6]

Fleet

Op. No.^[a]	Old Op. No.^[a]	Built	In Service^[6]	Station	Comments^[6]
A-503	18-02	1967	1967–1970 1971 1971 1971–1972 1975–1994	Eastney Poole Weston-super-Mare Pill Humber Boarding Boat	Prototype
A-504	18-004	1970	1970–1983	Weston-super-Mare	On display at the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection within Chatham Historic Dockyard.
A-505	18-005	1970	1970–1971 1972–1974 1975 1975–1987	Eastney Oban Eastney Humber (Boarding boat)	2018, At RW Davies, Saul Junction Marina undergoing restoration
A-506	18-006	1972	1972 1972–1979 1979–1980	Peel Relief fleet Plymouth
A-507	18-007	1972	1973–1976 1977–1979 1979–1980 1980–1983	Peel Plymouth Relief fleet Plymouth	2024, Undergoing Restoration In Exmouth, Devon
A-508	18-008	1971	1971–1974 1976–1979 1980–1988	Eastney Invergordon Falmouth
A-509	18-009	1972	1972–1976 1978 1978–1988	Plymouth Brighton Relief fleet
A-510	18-010	1973	1973–1974 1975–1984 1984–1987	Pill Ramsgate (Boarding Boat)	August 2020, Private ownership, Bristol
A-511	18-011	1973	1973–1982 1984–1985	Oban Relief fleet	Sold. 1985. Renamed Kim O. December 2023, for sale at Stokesley, N Yorks. (Ebay)
A-512	18-012	1973	1975–1987 1988	Torbay Falmouth

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

Related Research Articles

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Penarth Lifeboat Station is located on the Esplanade in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.

Weston-super-Mare Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station at Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England. For more than 100 years it was situated on Birnbeck Island but is now in a temporary building at Knightstone Harbour until a new lifeboat station can be built nearby. It is operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1882, and since 1969 it has only operated inshore lifeboats (ILBs), currently a B-class and a smaller D-class (IB1).

Falmouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Falmouth, Cornwall in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1867 and the present station was opened in 1993. It operates a Severn Class all-weather Lifeboat (ALB) and an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat (ILB).

The Brede-class lifeboat was operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom between 1982 and 2002, at which time it was the fastest all-weather lifeboat in its fleet. Eleven were put into service and when replaced by larger boats, seven were sold for further use as lifeboats, mainly in South Africa.

Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Aldeburgh, in the English county of Suffolk.

Newhaven Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Newhaven in the English county of East Sussex in the United Kingdom. The original station was established in 1803 and taken over by the RNLI in 1854.

Skegness Lifeboat Station is located at Tower Esplanade, in the town of Skegness, on the east coast of England, south of the Humber Estuary and north of The Wash, in the county of Lincolnshire.

Portsmouth Lifeboat Station is located at Eastney Point near Southsea, on Portsea Island, in the English county of Hampshire. It sits facing Langstone Harbour on one of the tributaries flowing into the Solent.

Selsey Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in Selsey, West Sussex on the south coast of England.

Littlehampton Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Littlehampton, in West Sussex, on the south coast of England.The station is on the harbour side on the eastern bank of the River Arun, a quarter mile from the harbour entrance and the pier. The current lifeboat house on Fisherman's Quay was built in 2002.

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References

↑ Leach, Nicholas (30 April 2014). The Lifeboat Service in South East England. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445617572.
↑ "Allen McLachlan". G. L. Watson & Co. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
1 2 Leach, Nicholas (2021). A Class Inshore Lifeboats. Foxglove Publishing. pp. 1–64. ISBN 9781909540224.
↑ "In September 1969 the RNLI Placed Its First Order for New Fast Boats". The Lifeboat. 42 (442). January 1973. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
↑ Morris, Jeff (2000). The Story of Weston-super-Mare Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society. p. 8.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
↑ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.

External links

RNLI Fleet

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[Op-8] 1 2 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

[1] Leach, Nicholas (30 April 2014). The Lifeboat Service in South East England. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445617572.

[GLW-2] "Allen McLachlan". G. L. Watson & Co. Retrieved 5 June 2024.

[AClassNL-3] 1 2 Leach, Nicholas (2021). A Class Inshore Lifeboats. Foxglove Publishing. pp. 1–64. ISBN 9781909540224.

[Sept1969-4] "In September 1969 the RNLI Placed Its First Order for New Fast Boats". The Lifeboat. 42 (442). January 1973. Retrieved 5 June 2024.

[5] Morris, Jeff (2000). The Story of Weston-super-Mare Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society. p. 8.

[LBES-6] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.

[Lifeboat_Gallantry-7] Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.

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