Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

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

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Once past their operation life, the boats have mostly been sold by the RNLI and purchased for domestic use, marine businesses for usage such as further sea lifesaving functions, diving, fishing and pleasure trips or to maritime lifesaving institutions from other countries to continue a lifesaving role. Some lifeboats of particular historic note have been preserved in museums.

History

Girvan harbour and lifeboat Girvan Harbour, Ayrshire.JPG
Girvan harbour and lifeboat
An 1863 tubular lifeboat from New Brighton, Merseyside 1863 New Brighton Lifeboat.jpg
An 1863 tubular lifeboat from New Brighton, Merseyside

The Royal Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) was founded in March 1824. [1] The RNIPLS provided lifeboats to local committees, the Coastguard and harbour authorities. The Duke of Northumberland financed a competition for a standard design of a lifeboat. The winner was William Plenty, of Newbury, Berkshire. These "pulling boats" (rowing) were between 18 and 26 feet in length and were powered by between 4 and 10 oars. They had cork in their hull and shaped air-cases fore and aft. [2] Their double-ended designs could operate a rudder from either end, so there was no need to turn.

The RNIPLS suffered from lack of funds and poor organization. Following the loss of the RNIPLS lifeboat Providence and 20 of her crew of 24 in the mouth of the river Tyne in December 1849, the need for reorganisation was recognised. Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, then First Lord of the Admiralty, took control. Richard Lewis was appointed secretary. The RNIPLS was replaced by the RNLI. Plenty's design was retired and a new design was introduced. These were larger, self-righting boats. They had a narrow beam, were 34 or 35 feet long with higher end-boxes containing the air-cases and were tested to self-right when capsized.

Later lifeboats were increased in length and were optionally powered by sail. Motors were introduced in the early 1900s. They had a greater range, facilitating the merging of lifeboat stations. Innovation in the design of lifeboats is continuous.

In 1962 the need for inshore lifeboats (ILB) was recognised. A French design was adopted, this was an inflatable of 16 foot length and a 40 hp engine with a speed of 20 knots and introduced as the D Class. It was faster than conventional lifeboats, at that time, could traverse shallow waters, go alongside persons in the water without harming them, and the running costs were much less than conventional lifeboats. In 1972 a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) was developed at Atlantic College in South Wales and introduced as the B Class Atlantic 21.

Historic lifeboat classes

Severn-class RNLI Spirit of Guernsey at St Peter Port RNLI Spirit of Guernsey 2.JPG
Severn-class RNLI Spirit of Guernsey at St Peter Port

Many lifeboat designs were named after their designers or the area of the UK they came from. More recently they have been named after rivers of the UK and Ireland: in 2019 the current larger all-weather boats were Shannon, Tamar, Severn, Trent and Mersey. [3] Each class has several designs and lengths and their means of power ranges from early rowing, sailing, steam, petrol and now diesel.

Designed by Henry Greathead, the vessel was 30 feet long and designed to be rowed by a crew of 12. It was double-ended and featured ample amounts of cork lining. However, it also had a heavy keel for stability, as well as a long steering oar, and could be rowed in either direction. Greathead's lifeboat eventually came to be used in 10 different countries, and at least one British boat remained in service for 40 years. [5]
A non-self righting type of lifeboat of various dimensions and various numbers of oars used by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the early part of the 20th century. Typically they were launched from carriages into the sea.
Used by the RNLI from the 1930s up to the 1980s. Two types appeared: single screw boat and twin screw boat introduced in 1945 as a more powerful version of the single screwed lifeboats. [6]
A prototype of a Rigid Inflatable Boat. The third that was built, funded by the RNLI, was powered by twin 285hp Caterpillar engines the Medina was capable of 28 knots using "jet" drives delivering a tonne of water per second to the nozzles at the rear of the boat.
Norfolk and Suffold class boats were able to operate further from shore and around the sandbanks common off East Anglia. James Steven No.14 Lifeboat is a surviving example.
Alfred Corry built Gt Yarmouth 1893. 44 ft Two-masted with oars, non-self righting. [7] [8] The James Stephen No.14 was fitted with a engine [9]

Operational lifeboat classes

Class NameOp. No.LengthDisplacementSpeedRange/
Endurance		CrewSurvivor CapacityLaunch TypeIntroducedNo. at StationNo. in Relief FleetNotes
All Weather Lifeboats (ALB)
Severn 17-XX17.3m42 tonnes25 knots250 nmi7124Afloat1996–2004359Gradually undergoing life extension. [12] [13]
Tamar 16-XX16.3m32 tonnes25 knots250 nmi7118Slipway or afloat2005–2013234 [14]
Trent 14-XX14.3m28 tonnes25 knots250 nmi673Afloat1994–2003298 [15]
Shannon 13-XX13.6m18 tonnes25 knots250 nmi679Carriage, afloat or slipway2013–272~ 50 planned. [16]
Mersey 12-XX11.6m14 tonnes17 knots140 nmi643Carriage, afloat or slipway1988–1993135Gradually being replaced by Shannon class. [17]
Inshore Lifeboat (ILB)
B Class Atlantic 85 B-8XX8.4m1.8 tonnes35 knots3 hours3-420Carriage, davit or floating boathouse2005–7520 [18]
E Class Mk2 E-XX10.5m5.9 tonnes40 knots3 hours420Afloat2012–3-Used exclusively on the River Thames. [19]
E Class Mk3 E-XX11.05m7.78 tonnes45 knots3 hours420Afloat2019–1-
Hovercraft H-XXX8.0m3.86 tonnes30 knots3 hours2-46From transporter or slipway2002–200943 [20]
D Class (IB1) D-XXX5.0m400 kg25 knots3 hours2-35Trolley or davit2003–11025Varieties of D Class introduced from 1963. [21]
Arancia Class A-XX3.9m165 kg26 knots20 nmi25-6Trailer or trolly2009–5-Additional 25 on lifeguarded beaches since 2001. [22]

Tenders

Historic Lifeboat Owners Association

The Historic Lifeboat Owners Association has been set up for individuals who own, maintain, crew or have a general interest in historic lifeboats. The association is a community whereby people can share knowledge, experience, information and advise on the subject, organizes social events and historic lifeboat rallies.

At the beginning of each summer an ex-lifeboat rally is held at Fowey in Cornwall whereby owners bring their boats and display them to the public; this event is organized by Fowey RNLI and is an opportunity to raise funds for the RNLI. Rallies have also been held in Falmouth, Belfast, Glasgow, Poole and Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.

See also

Related Research Articles

Severn-class lifeboat All-weather lifeboat class of the RNLI

The Severn class is the largest lifeboat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The class, which is 17.3 metres long, was introduced in to service in 1996. It is named after the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain. The lifeboats are stationed at 35 locations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland and can provide coverage up to 125 nmi (232 km) out to sea.

Mersey-class lifeboat Rescue lifeboat class

Mersey-class lifeboats are all-weather lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from stations around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and 3 former RNLI boats operated by ADES Uruguay. They are capable of operating at up to 17 knots (31 km/h) and can be launched from a carriage or by slipway.

Tyne-class lifeboat

The Tyne-class lifeboat was a class of lifeboat that served as a part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution fleet until 2019. They were named after the River Tyne in North East England.

Tamar-class lifeboat UK slipway-launched lifeboat class

Tamar-class lifeboats are all-weather lifeboats (ALBs) operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. They have replaced the majority of the older Tyne ALBs. The prototype was built in 2000 and 27 production boats were constructed between 2006 and 2013.

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 the Mersey class 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.

Y-class lifeboat

The Y-class lifeboat is a class of small inflatable rescue boat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of 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 Life Saving Great Britain, Surf Life Saving Association of Wales and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

XP-class lifeboat Class of lifeboat

The XP-class lifeboat is a class of small inflatable rescue boat operated by the RNLI of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Greathead</span>

Henry Francis Greathead (1757–1818) was a pioneering rescue lifeboat builder from South Shields. Although Lionel Lukin had patented a lifeboat in 1785, Greathead successfully petitioned parliament in 1802 with the claim that he had invented a lifeboat in 1790, and he was awarded £1,200 for his trouble. Although his claims have been contested, he did build 31 boats, which saved very many lives, and succeeded in making the concept of a shore-based rescue lifeboat widely accepted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunbar Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in East Lothian, Scotland

Dunbar Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station located in Dunbar Harbour at Dunbar, on the south-east coast of Scotland, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The station operates a Trent-class all-weather lifeboat and a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat. Dunbar is one of the earlier British ports to be served by a lifeboat, the first station being constructed in 1808.

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">Penarth Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales, UK

Penarth Lifeboat Station is located in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and originally opened in 1861.

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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bembridge Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Isle of Wight, England

Bembridge Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the village of Bembridge on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom.

<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">Calshot Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI lifeboat station in Hampshire, England

Calshot Lifeboat Station is located on Calshot Spit near the village of Calshot, Hampshire, and is on the southern bank of the open end of Southampton Water, on the south coast of England. The station is owned and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and operates two inshore lifeboats: an B-class and a D-class (IB1).

The D-class lifeboat was a sub-class of 4 inflatable boats operated as part of the D-class between 1971 and 1986 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was superseded by the D-class lifeboat.

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

Barmouth Lifeboat Station is located in Barmouth, a town at the mouth of the Afon Mawddach river in Gwynedd, Wales. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1828.

References

  1. ↑ Harvey, William (1825). Preservation of Life from Shipwreck. London. p. 54. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  2. ↑ "Report of the committee appointed to examine the lifeboats submitted to compete for the premium offered by his Grace the Duke of Northumberland". River & Rowing Museum. Retrieved 15 July 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ "Our Fleet". RNLI.
  4. ↑ "D Class Lifeboat" (PDF). RNLI. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  5. ↑ Archived 21 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Liverpool class lifeboats". Rnli-liverpool.tripod.com. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. ↑ djcragie. "Alfred Corry Lifeboat". Freespace.virgin.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Archived 6 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ "Home Page — Frinton & Walton Heritage Trust". Fwheritage.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  10. ↑ Archived 6 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ "Tyne Class Lifeboat" (PDF). RNLI. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  12. ↑ "Severn Class Lifeboat — RNLI All-Weather Lifeboat Fleet". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  13. ↑ "The magnificent Severn set to save lives for another 25 years | RNLI". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  14. ↑ "Tamar Class Lifeboat — The RNLI's Lifeboat Fleet — RNLI". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  15. ↑ "Trent Class Lifeboat — The RNLI's Lifeboat Fleet — RNLI". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  16. ↑ "Shannon Class Lifeboat — the Latest All Weather Lifeboat". rnli.org. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  17. ↑ "Mersey Class Lifeboat — The RNLI's Lifeboat Fleet — RNLI". rnli.org. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  18. ↑ "B Class Atlantic Lifeboat — One Of The Fastest RNLI Lifeboats". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  19. ↑ "E Class Lifeboats — The RNLI Lifeboat Fleet". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  20. ↑ "Rescue Hovercraft — The RNLI's Lifeboat Fleet — RNLI". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  21. ↑ "D Class Lifeboat — The Workhorse Of The RNLI for 50 Years". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  22. ↑ "RNLI Lifeboat Fleet — Inshore Rescue Boats". rnli.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.

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