Arun class lifeboat
Encyclopedia

The Arun class lifeboat is a fast all-weather lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...

 designed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....

 (RNLI) for service at its stations around the coasts of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

 and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. They were operated by the RNLI between 1971 and 2008. Many have been sold to see further service in the lifeboat and coastguard services of other countries.

The class takes its name from the River Arun
River Arun
The Arun is a river in the English county of West Sussex. Its source is a series of small streams in the St Leonard's Forest area, to the east of Horsham...

 in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...

, England.

History

The RNLI's first lifeboat capable of speeds in excess of 10 knots (19.6 km/h) was the 14 knots (27.4 km/h) introduced in 1967. This was based on an American design, but in 1971 it was replaced by the Arun which was designed by the RNLI and gave vastly improved accommodation and increased the speed to 18.5 knots (36.3 km/h).

The first prototype boat entered service at in 1972 but moved on to where it was stationed until 1997. Two more boats were introduced in 1973 and 1974 and then full production started in 1975 although small numbers of Waveneys were still built until 1982. By 1990 46 Arun Class boats had been launched. The following year saw the launch of the first 25 knots (49 km/h) and class boats.

The three prototype boats were withdrawn in 1994–1997, the third of which then went on display at the National Lifeboat Museum. The production series boats were taken out of regular service between 1998 and 2007. While a few have found new uses around the coast of Great Britain, the majority have been sold to other lifeboat operators around the world, predominantly in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

 and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

  and some further boats were built new for service in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

. Those travelling long distances go as deck cargo on larger ships but those going to closer harbours are generally sailed across under their own power. The first boat to go to Iceland, the Richard Evans, was loaded as deck cargo on a container ship but was washed overboard during the passage – the only Arun to have been lost at sea.

Design

The design was developed for the RNLI by J.A. MacLachlan working for naval architects G.L. Watson of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

. Initially proposed with 'chines' along the hull to disperse the spray and improve stability when underway at speed, this caused a high deck above water which proved difficult when trying to get people aboard from the water, so the chines were dispensed with on the second boat and the deck curved down nearer the water. The three prototypes were built with wooden hulls and were respectively 51 in 7 in (15.72 m), 52 feet (15.8 m) and 54 feet (16.5 m) long. The next four boats were 54 ft (16.5 m) long with glass reinforced plastic (GRP) hulls but the remainder were 52 ft (15.8 m) long. These all had GRP hulls except for one built in 1986 with a steel hull. It was regarded as the best of the class for seakeeping, although the slowest. The GRP hulls were moulded in blue material in the outer skin. After a while it was found that water was accumulating in the fibreglass which added up to 2 tons to the weight. The boats had the coloured layer stripped off and replaced by a new one made with clear gel which reduced the amount of water absorbed.

The large watertight cabin gave it self-righting capability. Two survivor cabins are situated below decks where first aid and emergency equipment is stowed. The hull is divided into 26 watertight compartments as protection against sinking should it be holed. There is also a flying bridge above the main cabin with an auxiliary steering position which can be used when additional height or visibility is required during an operation. The boat won a Design Council award in 1982.

Two Caterpillar D343 460 hp diesel engines are fitted although there was some variation among the fleet. Fuel tanks have 620 gallon capacity which gives an operating range of 250 nautical miles (463 km).

RNLI fleet

'ON' is the RNLI's sequential Official Number; 'Op. No.' is the operational number painted onto the boat.
ON Op. No. Name Built In service Principal stations Further use
1018 52-01 Arun 1971 1972–1997 Commercial use at Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...

1025 52-02 Sir William Arnold 1973 1973–1997 Pleasure boat at Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

1037 54-03 Edward Bridges (C.S. No. 37) 1974 1975–1994 Preserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard
Chatham Historic Dockyard
Chatham Historic Dockyard is a maritime museum on part of the site of the former royal/naval dockyard at Chatham in Kent, England.Chatham Dockyard covered 400 acres and was one of the Royal Navy's main facilities for several hundred years until it was closed in 1984. After closure the dockyard was...

1049 54-04 Tony Vandervell 1976 1975–1999 Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

1050 54-05 B.P. Forties 1975 1975–1998 Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

1051 54-06 The Gough Ritchie 1976 1976–1998 Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

1052 54-07 City of Bradford IV 1976 1977–1998 (1977–1987)
(1991–1998)
Ship's tender in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

1053 52-08 Joy and John Wade 1977 1977–2001 Iceland
1056 52-09 Spirit of Tayside 1978 1978–1999 Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

1057 52-10 Solidan 1978 1978–2001 (1978–1997) Iceland
1058 52-11 Elizabeth Ann 1979 1979–2001 Australia
1059 52-12 Walter and Margaret Couper 1979 1979–2001 Finland
1061 52-13 George and Olive Turner 1980 1980–2000 Iceland
1062 52-14 Edith Emilie 1980 1980–1999 Pilot boat at Montrose
Montrose
-Places:Scotland* Montrose, AngusAustralia* Montrose, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart* Montrose, Victoria, a suburb of MelbourneCanada* Montrose, British Columbia* Montrose , neighborhood in Edmonton, Alberta* Montrose No...

1067 52-15 Hyman Winstone 1980 1980–2002 (1985–1998) Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...

1070 52-16 Richard Evans (C.S. No. 39) 1981 1981–2003 (1981–2000) Sold to Iceland but wrecked during delivery.
1071 52-17 Sir Max Aitken 1981 1981–2001 Trip boat on the River Crouch
River Crouch
The River Crouch is a river that flows entirely through the English county of Essex.The distance of the Navigation between Holliwell Point which is north of Foulness Island and Battlesbridge is 17.5 Miles, i.e. 15.21 Nautical Miles.-Route:...

1073 52-18 Robert Edgar 1981 1981–2002 (1981–1997) Pleasure boat in New Zealand
1076 52-19 Marie Winstone 1981 1981–2002 (1981–1994)
(1995–2001)
Finland
1077 52-20 Duchess of Kent 1982 1982–2002 Madeira
1078 52-21 The Davina and Charles Matthew Hunter 1982 1982–2003 (1982–2001) Iceland
1081 52-22 Ralph and Bonella Farrant 1982 1982–2003 (1994–1999) China
1082 52-23 Margaret Frances Love 1982 1983–2003 (1983–1996)
(1997–2003)
China
1085 52-24 Mabel Alice 1982 1983–2003 Trip boat at Portishead
Portishead, Somerset
Portishead is a coastal town on the Severn Estuary within the unitary authority of North Somerset, which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset England. It has a population of 22,000, an increase of over 3,000 since the 2001 census, with a growth rate of 40 per cent, considerably in excess...

1086 52-25 A.J.R. & L.G. Uridge 1983 1983–2003 Finland
1092 52-26 St Brendan 1984 1984–2001 Fishing boat at Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....

1093 52-27 Charles Brown 1984 1984–2005 China
1098 52-28 Sir Max Allen II 1984 1984–2005 (1984–1999)
(1999–2004)
China
1099 52-29 The Joseph Rothwell Sykes and Hilda M 1984 1984–2002 (1984–1998) Finland
1100 52-030 Snolda 1986 1986–2007 (1986–1998) Iceland
1103 52-31 Newsbuoy 1984 1984–2004 Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...

1106 52-32 Keith Anderson 1985 1985–2003 (1985–1999) China
1107 52-33 City of Belfast 1985 1985–2003 China
1108 52-34 Margaret Russell Fraser 1984 1986–2004 Iceland
1113 52-35 City of Dublin 1986 1986–2003 Iceland
1118 52-36 Roy and Barbara Harding 1987 1987–2004 (1987–1997)
(1998–2004)
Iceland
1123 52-37 Kenneth Thelwall 1987 1987–2004 (1987–1997)
(1998–2003)
China
1134 52-38 City of Glasgow III 1987 1987–2005 Iceland
1135 52-39 Mickie Salvensen 1988 1988–2006 (1988–1998) Iceland
1136 52-40 City of Plymouth 1987 1988–2004 Iceland
1143 52-41 Ann Lewis Fraser 1988 1988–2004 (1988–1998)
(1998–2003)
China
1144 52-42 Murray Lornie 1988 1989–2005 Iceland
1149 52-43 The Queen Mother 1989 1989–2009 Sold to the Montevideo Pilot Association, Uruguay as Ederra 4
1150 52-44 Hibernia 1989 1989–2007 China
1159 52-45 Mabel Williams 1990 1990–2007 (1990–1998) China
1160 52-46 Duke of Atholl 1990 1990–2007 Iceland

Australia

Name RNLI ON Built Sold Station
P V Danial Thain 1056 1978 1999 Port Stephens
Port Stephens
Port Stephens is a large natural harbour located about north-east of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It lies wholly within the Port Stephens Local Government Area although its northern shoreline forms the boundary between the Port Stephens and Great Lakes LGAs...

, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

P&O Nedlloyd Encounter 1058 1979 2002 Ulladulla, New South Wales

Canada

Ten boats were built for the Canadian Coast Guard, they were all built in Canada with aluminium hulls except for the British-built prototype which has a steel one.

Chile

Name RNLI ON Built Sold Station Comments
Capitan Eduardo Simpson Roth 1051 1976 1998 Valparaiso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...

54 ft (16.5 m) boat

China

Name RNLI ON Built Sold Station
Huaying 390 1150 1989 2007 Waigaoqiao
Huaying 391 1159 1990 2007 Donghai
Huaying 392 1143 1988 2006 Shantou
Shantou
Shantou , historically known as Swatow or Suátao, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong province, People's Republic of China, with a total population of 5,391,028 as of 2010 and an administrative area of...

Huaying 393 1081 1982 2004 Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....

Huaying 394 1107 1985 2004 Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...

Huaying 395 1106 1985 2004 Dalian
Huaying 396 1093 1984 2005 Shenzen
Huaying 397 1098 1984 2005 Zhangjiang
Zhangjiang
Zhangjiang High-Tech is a technology park in Pudong, Shanghai. It is operated by Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Development Co., Ltd.As of 2005, there were 110 research and development institutions and 327 companies in the technology park.-History:...

Huaying 398 1082 1982 2004 Donghai, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

Huaying 399 1123 1987 2004 Wenzhou
Wenzhou
Wenzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. The area under its jurisdiction, which includes two satellite cities and six counties, had a population of 9,122,100 as of 2010....

, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...


Denmark

Name RNLI ON Built Sold Station
Ziska 1103 1984 2005 Klaksvik
Klaksvík
Klaksvík is the second largest town of the Faroe Islands.The town is located on Borðoy, which is one of the northernmost islands ....

, Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...


Finland

Name RNLI ON Built Sold Station Comments
Hebe 1086 1983 2003 Kemi
Kemi
Kemi is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour....

Janne Malén 1099 1984 2002 Uusikaupunki
Uusikaupunki
Uusikaupunki , is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is inland water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Finnish...

Mac Elliott 1049 1975 1999 Porkkala
Porkkala
Porkkala is a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland located at Kirkkonummi in Southern Finland.The peninsula had great strategic value, as coastal artillery based there would be able to reach more than halfway across the Gulf of Finland...

, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

54 ft (16.5 m) boat
Russarö 1059 1979 2001 Hanko
Torbay 1076 1981 2002 Kaskinen
Kaskinen
Kaskinen is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Ostrobothnia region. The population of Kaskinen is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water . The population density is...


Greece

The Greek boats were built in the United Kingdom with GRP hulls.

Iceland

Name RNLI ON Built Sold Station Comments
Asgimur S Bjornsson 1057 1978 2002 Reykjavik
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...

Bjorg 1053 1977 2002 Rif
Rif
The Rif or Riff is a mainly mountainous region of northern Morocco, with some fertile plains, stretching from Cape Spartel and Tangier in the west to Ras Kebdana and the Melwiyya River in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the river of Wergha in the south.It is part of the...

Einar Sigurjonsson 1078 1982 2003 Hafnarfjordur
Jon Oddgeir 1061 1980 2000 Relief Reported for sale in 2008
1070 1981 2003 Wrecked on passage to Iceland
Gunnbjorg 1118 1987 2004 Raufarhofn
Raufarhofn
Raufarhöfn is a village located on the northeastern tip of the Melrakkaslétta peninsula in Iceland.As of January 2011, it has 194 inhabitants. It was a major fish processing station during the large herring catches in the mid 20th century.-External links:*...

Replacement for ON 1070 lost on passage
Hafbjorg 1113 1986 2004 Neskaupstadur
Hannes Þ Hafstein 1050 1975 1999 Sandgerdi 54 ft (16.5 m) boat, previously Oddur V Gislason but replaced by ON 1100.
Hunabjorg 1136 1987 2005 Skagastrond
Ingibjorg 1108 1986 2006 Hornafjordur
Hornafjördur
Hornafjördur is a small fjord in southeastern Iceland. The town Höfn is located on its shores....

Oddur V Gislason 1100 1986 2007 Grindavik
Grindavík
Grindavík is a fishing town at the peninsula of Reykjanes at the south-western coast of Iceland.It is one of the few cities with a harbour at this coast. Most of the 2,800 inhabitants work in the fishing industry...

Steel hull
Sigurvin 1144 198 2005 Siglufjordur
Sveinbjörn Sveinsson 1134 1987 2006 Vopnafjordur
Vordur II 1135 1988 2006 Patreksfjordur
Gunnar Fridriksson 1160 1990 2007 Isafjordur

Madeira

Name RNLI ON Built Sold Station
? 1067 1980 2003 Canical
Caniçal
Caniçal is a civil parish in the municipality of Machico in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. In 2001 the population was less than 4000 inhabitants, in an 11.85 km² area of islets and raised escarpments...

? 1077 1982 2003 Canical
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK