D-class lifeboat (Zodiac III)
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2024) |
 D-233 being launched at Borth
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | D-class (Zodiac III) |
| Builders | Zodiac Nautic |
| Operators |  RNLI |
| Preceded by | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| Succeeded by | D-class (EA16) |
| Built | 1971–1987 |
| In service | 1971–1996 |
| Completed | 64 |
| Retired | 64 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Zodiac III |
| Complement | 2 or 3 |
The D-class (Zodiac III) lifeboat is a class of inflatable boat operated between 1971 and 1996 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was replaced operationally by the D-class (EA16).
Utilization
For more than 60 years the D-class has served as the workhorse of the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) fleet. The D-class is one of the few RNLI types not to feature a rigid hull. The D-class was specifically designed as a light and highly manoeuvrable rapid response craft, especially suited to close shore work.
RNLI Fleet
| Op. No.[a] | Name | In service [1] | Station | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-205 | Unnamed | 1971–1976 1976–1987 |
Conwy Relief fleet |
|
| D-206 | Unnamed | 1971–1974 1974–1975 1976–1987 1987–1992 |
Relief fleet Harwich Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-28-P) |
|
| D-207 | Unnamed | 1972–1974 1974–1988 1988–???? |
Criccieth Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-29-P) |
|
| D-214 | Unnamed | 1972–1976 1977–1987 |
Exmouth Relief fleet |
|
| D-223 | Unnamed | 1972–1987 | Relief fleet | |
| D-224 | Unnamed | 1975–1982 1982–1988 1988–???? |
Stranraer Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-30-P) |
|
| D-225 | Unnamed | 1975–1976 1977–1978 1978–1986 1986–1987 1987–1988 |
Moelfre Harwich Relief fleet Southend-on-Sea Publicity Boat (D-31-P) |
|
| D-226 | Unnamed | 1975–1982 1982–1988 |
Hastings Relief fleet |
|
| D-227 | Unnamed | 1976–1982 1982–1988 1988–???? |
Withernsea Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-32-P) |
|
| D-228 | Unnamed | 1975–1982 1982–1986 1986 1986–1987 1987–???? |
Craster Relief fleet Rhyl Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-33-P) |
|
| D-229 | Unnamed | 1975–1984 1984–1988 |
Cullercoats Relief fleet |
|
| D-230 | Miss Winfield | 1975–1987 1987 |
West Kirby Relief fleet |
|
| D-231 | Unnamed | 1976–1986 1987 |
Burnham-on-Crouch Relief fleet |
|
| D-232 | Unnamed | 1975–1987 1988 |
Bude Publicity Boat (D-4-P) |
|
| D-233 | Unnamed | 1976–1987 | Borth | |
| D-234 | Unnamed | 1975–1984 1985–1986 1987 1987–1993 |
Stonehaven Amble Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-6-P) |
|
| D-235 | Unnamed | 1975–1978 1979–1987 1988 |
St Abbs Tighnabruaich Publicity Boat (D-11-P) |
|
| D-236 | Unnamed | 1975–1987 1988–???? |
Southend-on-Sea Publicity Boat |
|
| D-237 | Unnamed | 1975–1987 1987 1987–1989 |
Crimdon Dene Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-13-P) |
|
| D-238 | Hemel Hempstead Round Table | 1976–1987 1987–???? |
New Quay Publicity Boat (D-15-P) |
|
| D-239 | Unnamed | 1976–1987 | Conwy | |
| D-240 | Unnamed | 1976–1978 1978–1987 1987–1988 |
Harwich Relief fleet Publicity Boat (D-4-P) |
|
| D-241 | Unnamed | 1976–1986 1986 1987 |
Rye Harbour Kilkeel Relief fleet |
|
| D-242 | Unnamed | 1976–1987 1987–???? |
Little and Broad Haven Publicity Boat |
|
| D-243 | Unnamed | 1976–1987 1987–1988 1988–1991 |
Rhyl Relief fleet Publicity Boat |
|
| D-244 | Unnamed | 1976–1987 1987–1988 |
Bembridge Publicity Boat |
|
| D-245 | Alick Mackay | 1976–1985 1985–1988 1988>1994 |
Kinghorn Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| D-246 | Spirit of Rotary | 1976–1987 1987–1988 |
Wells-next-the-Sea Relief fleet |
|
| D-247 | Unnamed | 1976–1987 | Mablethorpe | |
| D-248 | Unnamed | 1976–1978 1978–1988 |
Yarmouth Relief fleet |
|
| D-249 | Caribbean I | 1976–1987 | Holyhead | |
| D-250 | Unnamed | 1977–1988 1988–1993 |
Llandudno Publicity Boat (D-4-P) |
|
| D-251 | Unnamed | 1977–1988 | Lytham St Annes | |
| D-252 | Unnamed | 1976–1988 1988–???? |
Flint Publicity Boat (D-5-P) |
|
| D-253 | Unnamed | 1976–1988 | Sheerness | |
| D-254 | Unnamed | 1977–1988 | Walmer | |
| D-255 | Unnamed | 1977–1987 | Exmouth | |
| D-256 | Lion Cub I | 1978–1986 1986–1988 |
St Ives Relief fleet |
|
| D-257 | Unnamed | 1978–1988 | Port Isaac | |
| D-258 | Unnamed | 1978 1981 1983–1984 1986–1988 1986–1994 |
On Board 70-003 On Board 70-003 On Board 70-003 On Board 70-003 Boarding Boat |
|
| D-259 | S.M.T.A. Shuttle | 1978–1988 1988–1989 |
Trearddur Bay Boarding Boat |
|
| D-260 | Gwynaeth | 1978–1988 1988–1993 |
Whitby Boarding Boat |
|
| D-261 | Unnamed | 1978–1988 1988>1994 |
Kippford Boarding Boat |
|
| D-262 | Clacton Round Table 3484 | 1978–1984 1984–1988 1988–1991 |
Clacton-on-Sea Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| D-263 | Unnamed | 1978–1988 | On Board 70-002 | |
| D-270 | Unnamed | 1980–1988 | Aldeburgh | |
| D-271 | Unnamed | 1980–1988 1988–1989 1989–1993 |
North Sunderland Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| D-272 | Unnamed | 1980–1983 1983–1989 |
Criccieth Relief fleet |
|
| D-278 | Unnamed | 1980–1984 1984–1989 1989–???? |
Newquay Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| D-279 | Unnamed | 1981–1989 1989–???? |
Penarth Boarding Boat |
|
| D-280 | Unnamed | 1981–1989 1989–1992 |
Tynemouth Publicity Boat (D-2-P) |
|
| D-281 | Sewing Machine Times | 1981–1989 1989–???? |
Aberdeen Publicity Boat (D-9-P) |
|
| D-282 | Unnamed | 1981–1989 1989–1993 |
Weston-super-Mare Boarding Boat |
|
| D-283 | Unnamed | 1982–1990 | Skerries | |
| D-287 | Unnamed | 1983–1989 1989–???? |
Stranraer Publicity Boat |
|
| D-288 | Cinque Ports I | 1983–1989 1989–???? |
Hastings Publicity Boat (D-20-P) |
|
| D-289 | Unnamed | 1983–1989 | Withernsea | |
| D-290 | Unnamed | 1983–1989 1989–1990 |
Craster Relief fleet |
|
| D-312 | Court Henbury | 1985–1992 1992–1995 |
Relief fleet Publicity Boat |
|
| D-313 | Unnamed | 1985–1992 1992–1995 |
Relief fleet Publicity Boat |
|
| D-314 | Tricentrol I | 1985–1992 1992–1995 |
Relief fleet Publicity Boat |
|
| D-340 | Blue Peter VI | 1987–1994 | Relief fleet | |
| D-341 | Unnamed | 1987–1988 1988 1989 1989–1993 1993–1994 |
Relief fleet Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
|
| D-342 | Unnamed | 1987–1992 1993–1996 |
Relief fleet Boarding Boat |
- ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat.
References
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 72–78.
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