D class lifeboat

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D class


Introduced:	1963
Builder:	Avon Inflatables
EA16 General characteristics
Length:	4.9m (16ft)
No. of crew:	3 or 4
Propulsion:	Mariner 40hp outboard
Max. Speed:	20 knots
Endurance:	3 Hours at full speed
Weight:	436 kg

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

[edit] Utilization

For more than 40 years the D class lifeboat 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 the only vessel not to feature a rigid hull. The main aspect of the boat would be both its size and weight. The D-class has been specifically designed as a light and highly manoeuvrable rapid response craft.

[edit] Design and Construction

The D-class lifeboat is comprised of two sponsons, together housing 7 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.