D class lifeboat

D class lifeboat

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 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.

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.

External links

* [http://www.rnli.org.uk/FLEET.asp RNLI Fleet] - RNLI Fleet Pages
* [http://www.rnli.co.uk/what_we_do/rapid_response_unit] - RNLI Rapid Response Page


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Oakley class lifeboat — 37 02 Manchester Unity of Oddfellows Class overview Builders: J.Samuel White …   Wikipedia

  • Arun class lifeboat — Class overview Builders: VT Halmatic Fairey Marine Operators …   Wikipedia

  • Mersey class lifeboat — 12 007 RNLB Spirit Of Derbyshire Class overview Name: Mersey Class …   Wikipedia

  • XP class lifeboat — The XP class lifeboat is a class of small inflatable boat operated by the RNLI of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The XP Class Lifeboat, Based on the commercially available Avon Rover 280 is mainly used as a small tender carried on board the RNLI …   Wikipedia

  • Y class lifeboat — The Y class lifeboat is a class of small inflatable boat operated by the RNLI of the United Kingdom and Ireland.The Y Class Lifeboat is mainly used as a small tender carried on board the RNLI All Weather lifeboats that serve the shores of the… …   Wikipedia

  • X class lifeboat — The X class lifeboats is a class of small inflatable boat operated by the RNLI of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The X Class Lifeboat is used as a small tender carried on board the RNLI All Weather lifeboats that serve the shores of the UK.The X …   Wikipedia

  • Severn class lifeboat — The Severn class lifeboat is the largest lifeboat used by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a UK charity dedicated to saving life at sea. The class is named after the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain.There are forty… …   Wikipedia

  • Trent class lifeboat — Trent class lifeboats serve the shores of the UK and Ireland as a part of the RNLI all weather fleet. They are named after the River Trent, the second longest river wholly in England.Designed to lie afloat at deep water or at a berth, the all… …   Wikipedia

  • IB1 class lifeboat — IB1 class lifeboats are inflatable boats serving in the UK s RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) fleet. Although they are known as the IB1 at times, they are the latest development of the D class lifeboat and as such are mainly referred to as a D Class …   Wikipedia

  • Tyne class lifeboat — Tyne class lifeboats serve the shores of the UK as a part of the RNLI fleet. They are named after the River Tyne in north east England. The class was introduced in 1982, and the last boat was built in 1990.The unusual design of this lifeboat… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”