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


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