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==External links==
==External links==
[[Image:BluePeterIII-LifeboatD-112.jpg|thumb|right|D-112 ''Blue Peter III'' part of the Royal National Lifeboat Collection on display at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham.]]
[[Image:BluePeterIII-LifeboatD-112.jpg|thumb|right|D-112 ''Blue Peter III'' part of the Royal National Lifeboat Collection on display at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham.]]
*[http://www.rnli.org.uk/FLEET.asp RNLI Fleet Pages]
*[http://www.rnli.org.uk/what_we_do/lifeboats/current_lifeboats/fleet RNLI Fleet]
*[http://www.rnli.co.uk/what_we_do/rapid_response_unit RNLI Rapid Response Page]
*[http://www.rnli.co.uk/what_we_do/rapid_response_unit RNLI Rapid Response Page]


Revision as of 10:04, 23 May 2011

D-Class Lifeboat at Speed
Class overview
BuildersAvon Inflatables
Operators Royal National Lifeboat Institution
In service1963–
General characteristics
Length4.9 m (16 ft)
Propulsion1 × Mariner outboard engine, 40 hp (30 kW)
Speed20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Endurance3 hours at full speed
Complement3 or 4

The D class lifeboat is a class of inflatable boat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Utilization

For more than 40 years the D-class has served as the workhorse of the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) fleet. Significantly smaller in comparison to the rest of the inshore fleet, the D-class is also one of the few RNLI types not to feature a rigid hull. The main aspect of the boat would be both its size and weight - only 436 kg (961 lb). The D-class has been specifically designed as a light and highly manoeuvrable rapid response craft.

Design and construction

The D-class lifeboat consists of two sponsons, together housing seven inflatable segments intersected by baffles. The main construction fabric is Hypalon-coated Nylon which provides a durable, non-tear surface.

This is one of the smaller classes of lifeboat operated by the RNLI, and they are a common sight at lifeboat stations around the coast. Unlike other members of the ILB fleet, the D-class does not have a rigid hull; all others, with the exception of the Arancia, hovercraft and ALB Tenders, are Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs).

The D-class normally has a crew of three or four and is primarily used for surfer/swimmer incidents as well as assisting in cliff incidents where the casualty is near the water. The very nature of its work requires a swift response, and the D-class can normally be afloat within five minutes of the pagers going off.

Stations using D class lifeboats

There are currently 81 RNLI stations in the UK and Ireland using D-class lifeboats, with 84 D-class lifeboats operating.

List of RNLI stations using the D-class[1]

These are: (Station:boat name)

References

  1. ^ "D class". RNLI. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
D-112 Blue Peter III part of the Royal National Lifeboat Collection on display at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham.
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