| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | C-class |
| Builders | Zodiac Marine & Pool, France |
| Operators |  Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Preceded by | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| Succeeded by | |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) |
| Beam | 8 ft (2.4 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 x 40 hp Mariner outboard engines |
| Speed | >26 knots (30 mph) |
| Complement | 4 |
A C-class lifeboat usually refers to the Zodiac Grand Raid Mark IVs lifeboats, powered by twin 40 hp outboard motors, manufactured by Zodiac Marine & Pool of France, and which were operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
They were initially designated as D-class lifeboats, starting a series of boats numbered from D-500, but this was subsequently changed to C-class, to signify the difference between the twin engine C-class and the single engine D-class.
In 1970, the first lifeboats to be classed as C-class were twin engine RIBs, which were developed to be the Atlantic series lifeboats, and were re-designated B-Class. C-1 was renumbered as B-3, C-2 became B-4 etc.
The C-class Zodiac Grand Raid IV was replaced by both the D-class (EA16) and the B-class (Atlantic 21) inshore lifeboats.
Fleet
| Op. No. | Name | In Service | Station | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-3 (Ex C-1) |
Unnamed | 1970 1971 |
Littlestone-on-Sea Atlantic College |
|
| B-4 (Ex C-2) |
Unnamed | 1971–1974 1974–1976 1978 |
Helensburgh Littlestone-on-Sea Helensburgh | |
| B-5 (Ex C-3) |
Unnamed | 1972–1974 1976–1978 |
Littlestone-on-Sea Helensburgh |
|
| B-6 (Ex C-4) |
Unnamed | 1973 1974–1976 |
Lymington Helensburgh |
|
| B-7 (Ex C-5) |
Unnamed | 1974 1981–1984 |
Helensburgh Tynemouth Boarding Boat |
|
| B-8 | Unnamed | 1975 1977 |
Poole Poole |
|
| (D-500) | Unnamed | 1972–1974 1974–1979 1979–1981 |
Trials Minehead Relief fleet |
|
| (D-501) | Unnamed | Trials only | ||
| C-502 (Ex D-502) |
John Gilpin | 1973–1975 1975–1977 1977–1983 1983–1985 1985–1988 |
Trials Silloth Relief fleet Boarding Boat Inshore Lifeboat Centre |
|
| C-503 (Ex D-503) |
Unnamed | 1973–1977 1977–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 |
Trials Silloth Training fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| C-504 (Ex D-504) |
Unnamed | 1973–1978 1978–1987 |
Trials Inshore Lifeboat Centre |
|
| C-505 (Ex D-505) |
Unnamed | 1979–1986 1986–1987 1987 1987–1989 1990 |
St Abbs Red Bay Relief fleet Clifden Arran (Lamlash) |
|
| C-506 (Ex D-506) |
Unnamed | 1980–1986 1987–1988 1988–1993 1993–1997 |
Portaferry Arran (Lamlash) Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| C-507 (Ex D-507) |
Unnamed | 1981–1988 1988–1990 |
Mudeford Relief fleet |
|
| C-508 (Ex D-508) |
The Chris Pirson | 1981–1992 1992–1996 |
Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| C-509 (Ex D-509) |
Oats | 1983–1993 1993–1994 1994–1995 1995–1996 1996–1998 |
Aberystwyth Relief fleet Newquay Tighnabruaich Relief fleet |
|
| C-510 (Ex D-510) |
Unnamed | 1983–1991 1991–1995 |
Criccieth Relief fleet |
|
| C-511 (Ex D-511) |
Unnamed | 1984–1994 1994–1996 1996–2008 |
Newquay Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| C-512 (Ex D-512) |
Unnamed | 1984–1991 1991–1996 |
Cullercoats Relief fleet |
|
| C-513 | Sebag of Jersey | 1984–1990 1990–1993 1993 1993–1996 1997– |
St Catherine Relief fleet Criccieth Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| C-514 | Unnamed | 1985–1995 1995–1997 1997–1998 1998 |
Kinghorn Relief fleet Clifden Inshore Lifeboat Centre |
|
| C-515 | Unnamed | 1985–1995 1995 |
St Bees Inshore Lifeboat Centre |
|
| C-516 | Belsize Charitable Trust No.1 | 1986–1995 1995–1996 |
St Ives Relief fleet |
|
| C-517 | Unnamed | 1986–1996 1996–1997 1997–2008 |
Rye Harbour Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| C-518 | Unnamed | 1987–1997 | Cardigan | |
| C-519 | Thomas Corbett | 1987–1995 1995–1996 1996–1997 |
Red Bay Relief fleet Tighnabruaich |
|
| C-520 | Unnamed | 1988–1996 1996–1999 |
Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| C-521 | Prince of Arran | 1988–1998 | Arran (Lamlash) | |
| C-522 | Unnamed | 1989–1997 1997 1998– |
Clifden Boarding Boat Publicity |
|
| C-523 | British Diver IV | 1990–1991 1991–1993 1993–1994 1994–1995 1995–1996 1996–1998 |
Relief fleet Criccieth Relief fleet Tighnabruaich Red Bay Relief fleet |
- Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.
References
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
- Jenkins, David. "Inshore rescue - three miles from the sea!". Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
External links
| Classes of Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats | |||||||||||||||
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| Royal National Lifeboat Institution | |||||||||||||||