Lifeboat (rescue)

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For a shipboard vessel designed to provide emergency escape, see Lifeboat (shipboard), for other uses, see Lifeboat (disambiguation)

Severn class lifeboat in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. This is the largest class of UK lifeboat, at 17 metres long

A lifeboat is a boat designed to save the lives of people in trouble at sea. This term is predominantly used in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and may refer to special shore-based vessels manned by volunteers, designed to quickly reach a ship or individuals in trouble at sea. Lifeboats may be rigid or inflatable vessels.

The first boat specialized as a lifeboat was tested on the River Tyne on January 29, 1790. William Wouldhave and Lionel Lukin both claimed to be the inventor of the first lifeboat. One example of an early lifeboat was the Landguard Fort Lifeboat of 1821, designed by Richard Hall Gower.

In U.S. waters, rescue-at-sea is part of the duties of the United States Coast Guard, which employs its multipurpose ships and aircraft in this role.

1 Modern life boats
2 See also
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Modern life boats

Modern motor life boats (MLB) originated as life boats that had been modified with the addition of an engine and provided more power to get in and out of the swell area inside the surf. They can be launched from shore in any weather and perform rescues further distances out. Older lifeboats relied on sails and oars, which are slower and dependent on wind conditions or manpower. Both types remain in use. All lifeboats of this type generally have modern electronic devices such as radios and radar to help locate the party in distress and carry medical and food supplies for the survivors.

A 47 MLB charges through the surf

The MLB was initially developed by the United States Life Saving Service in 1899, of which models derived from this hull design remained in use until 1987. The United States Life Saving Service later would become the United States Coast Guard and continue in its original mission of saving lives.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (or RNLI) maintains lifeboats around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, manned by unpaid volunteers with equipment funded through voluntary donation - web-site at www.rnli.org.uk. Most Scandinavian countries also have volunteer lifeboat societies. The local branch of a society generally schedules practices, maintains a lifeboat and shed, and is contacted by commercial marine radio operators when a rescue is needed.

In Australasia, surf lifesaving clubs operate inflatable rescue boats (IRB) for in-shore rescues of swimmers and surfers. These boats are best typified by the rubber Zodiac and are powered by an outboard motor. The rescue personnel wear wet suits.

The Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat (RIB) is now seen as the best type of craft for in-shore rescues as they are less likely to be tipped over by the wind or breakers. Specially designed Jet rescue boats have also been used successfully. Unlike ordinary pleasure craft, these small to medium sized rescue craft often have very low freeboard so that victims can be taken aboard without lifting. This means that the boats are designed to operate with water inside the boat hull and rely on flotation tanks rather than hull displacement to stay afloat and upright.

Lifeboat tender of the Oosterdam showing the "face mask" over the front windows, and the rolled-up tarp that can be brought down over the entry port to make the boat watertight

The Dutch lifeboat association (KNRM) has put many efforts in developing jet-driven RIB lifeboats. This has resulted in 3 classes. The largest is the "Arie Visser-class: length 18,80 m, twin jet, 2 x 1000 hp, max. speed 35 kts, capacity 120 persons.

Lifeboats are also operated inland at specific events, organisations such as the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK) provide coverage of rivers, lakes and such like.