Shannon-class lifeboat

The Shannon-class lifeboat[2] (previously FCB2 – Fast Carriage Boat 2) is the latest class of lifeboat currently being deployed to the RNLI fleet to serve the shores of the British Isles. The Shannon class is due to replace the Mersey class carriage-launched lifeboat and the remaining Tyne-class lifeboats.

13–15 RNLB Frederic William Plaxton
Scarborough's Shannon-class 13–15 RNLB Frederic William Plaxton
Class overview
Builders
  • Inhouse at the ALC RNLI HQ Poole[1]
  • Fit out:-Inhouse at the ALC RNLI HQ Poole
Operators Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded byMersey class lifeboat, Tyne-class lifeboat & Trent-class lifeboat
Cost£2.5m
Built2012–
In serviceSpring 2013
Planned~50
Active29 (25 at stations, 4 relief fleet)
General characteristics (1st Experimental boat, Camarc hull)
Displacement14.6 long tons (15 t)
Length13.6 m (44 ft 7 in)
Beam4.54 m (14 ft 11 in)
Draught0.75 m (2 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Scania DI13 engines, 650 hp (485 kW)
  • 2 × Hamilton HJ 362 Waterjets
Speed27 knots (31 mph; 50 km/h)
Range250 nmi (460 km)
Complement5-6
General characteristics (Prototype, RNLI hull)
Displacement17 long tons (17 t)
Length13.6 m (44 ft 7 in)
Beam4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Draught1.0 m (3 ft 3 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Scania DI13M, 650 hp (485 kW)
  • 2 × Hamilton HJ 364 Waterjets
Speed25 knots (29 mph; 46 km/h)
Range250 nmi (460 km)
Complement6 crew (survivor capacity 23 self-righting or 79 not self-righting)

History
FCB2, the prototype boat

The experimental boat, named Effseabee Too underwent sea trials during 2005–2008. It is based on a Camarc Pilot vessel design, and was designed by RNLI engineers, with a fibre-reinforced composite hull, powered by twin water jets. It had a top speed of approximately 30 knots (55 km/h; 35 mph), but was planned to be rated down to 25–27 knots (46–50 km/h; 29–31 mph) when the final design was put into production. In 2008, FCB2 development was delayed due to hull shape issues, as trials showed crews would be subjected to unacceptable shocks and excessive horizontal shaking in high seas. The RNLI indicated that the project would be extended by at least three more years to research a new hull shape.

In April 2009 it was announced a new hull had been chosen. The Shannon class prototype boat was completed late 2011 when active service was expected to start in mid-2013.[3]

In April 2011 it was announced the class would be named after the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland. This is the first time that the name of an Irish river has been used for a class of RNLI lifeboat.[2]

After boatyard acceptance in March 2012 the first of the fleet went through sea acceptance trials in 2012.

Early hulls were moulded by SAR Composites and up to ON1318 were fitted out by Berthon Boat Co. of Lymington.[4]

From ON1319 fitting-out progressively switched to the RNLI All-Weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) at Poole, to which hull moulding also transferred from ON1330.

Service

The first Shannon-class to be delivered for service was demonstrated at Dungeness, Kent on 21 February 2014.[5] The boat, to begin active service the following month, has been named The Morrell in honour of Barbara Morrell, a keen fundraiser for the RNLI who bequeathed the service £6 million which she asked to be used for a lifeboat for Kent.[5][6][7][8][9]

The Shannon class uses similar Systems and Information Management System (SIMS)[10] technology to that of the Tamar class lifeboat so that crew members can operate all of the boat's systems collaboratively without leaving their seats. Crew seats are also similar to the Tamar, sprung to reduce the shocks in heavy seas. [11]

Most Shannons are launched by a newly designed Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS) by which a tractor propels the lifeboat on its cradle into the water. The cradle is then tilted and acts as a mobile slipway as the boat is launched by release of a single bow strop from the wheelhouse, rather than the old carriage launched method of four chains being released by crew members on deck. Recovery is bow first onto the cradle, which then rotates through 180 degrees, enabling the boat to be launched again within ten minutes. Some Shannons are due to be kept afloat at moorings or a pontoon berth and the boats are also capable of being slipway launched, although only Swanage currently has a slipway launched Shannon. The boat at Workington uses the same davit crane system as the previous Tyne class boat.[12]

Fleet
ON[lower-alpha 1] Op. No.[lower-alpha 2] Name[13][14] Builder In service Principal Station Launch method[lower-alpha 3] MMSI[15]
1285 --- Effseabee Two SAR/BBC 2005–2008 Experimental boat
1308 13-01 Jock and Annie Slater SAR/BBC 2012–2019
2019–		 Relief fleet
Wicklow		 235091414
1309 13-02 The Morrell SAR/BBC 2014– Dungeness SLARS 235101095
1310 13-03 R and J Welburn SAR/BBC 2014– Exmouth SLARS 235101096
1311 13-04 Storm Rider SAR/BBC 2014– Relief fleet 235101097
1312 13-05 Patsy Knight SAR/BBC 2014– Lowestoft [16] Afloat 235101098
1313 13-06 Edmund Hawthorn Micklewood SAR/BBC 2014– Hoylake[17] SLARS 235106573
1314 13-07 Reg SAR/BBC 2015– Relief fleet 235106574
1315 13-08 Derek Bullivant SAR/BBC 2015– Lough Swilly Afloat 235106575
1316 13-09 The Barry and Peggy High Foundation SAR/BBC 2015– Ilfracombe [18] SLARS 235106576
1317 13-10 Ian Grant Smith SAR/BBC 2015– Montrose[19] Afloat 235106578
1318 13-11 Nora Stachura SAR/BBC 2015– St Ives SLARS 235106579
1319 13-12 Cosandra SAR/BBC/ALC 2016– Relief fleet 235106581
1320 13-13 George Thomas Lacy SAR/BBC 2016– Swanage Slipway 235106583
1321 13–14 Kenneth James Pierpoint SAR/ALC 2016– Fleetwood Afloat 235109051
1322 13–15 Frederick William Plaxton SAR/ALC 2016– Scarborough SLARS 235109052
1323 13–16 Elizabeth and Leonard SAR/ALC 2016– Amble Afloat 235109054
1324 13–17 Joel and April Grunhill SAR/ALC 2017– Skegness SLARS 235109055
1325 13–18 William F. Yates SAR/ALC 2017– Llandudno SLARS 235109056
1326 13–19 Dorothy May White SAR/ALC 2017– Workington Davit 235109062
1327 13–20 Denise and Eric SAR/ALC 2017– Selsey SLARS 235109063
1328 13–21 Brianne Aldington SAR/ALC 2017–2019
2019–		 Relief fleet
Clifden (Ireland)		 Afloat 235113727
1329 13–22 Antony Patrick Jones SAR/ALC 2017– Bridlington SLARS 235113728
1330 13–23 Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan ALC 2017– Girvan Afloat 235113731
1331 13–24 Barbara Ann ALC 2018– Lytham St. Annes SLARS 235113732
1332 13–25 Stella and Humphrey Berkley ALC 2018– Relief fleet 235113733
1333 13–26 John Metters ALC 2018– Relief fleet 235113734
1334 13–27 Joanna and Henry Williams ALC 2018– Relief fleet 232009169
1335 13–28 Richard and Caroline Colton ALC 2018– Hastings SLARS 232009175
1336 13–29 Helen Hastings ALC 2018– Eyemouth Afloat 232009187
1337 13–30 Ella Larsen ALC 2019– Barmouth SLARS 232009189
1338 13–31 Michael O’Brien ALC 2019– Clogher Head SLARS 232009189
1339 13–32 Ruth and David Arthur ALC 2019– Relief fleet 232009231
1340 13–33 Bridie O'Shea ALC 2019– Relief fleet 232009300
1341 13–34 Anthony Kenneth Heard ALC 2019– Rhyl SLARS 232009301
1342 13–35 Frank and Brenda Winter ALC 2021- Peel SLARS 232009302
1343 13–36 John and Elizabeth Allen ALC 2021- Seahouses SLARS 232009305
1344 13–37 Agnes A.P. Barr ALC 2020 Invergordon Afloat 232009306
1345 13–38 Judith Copping Joyce ALC 2021 Sheerness Afloat 232009307
1346 13–39 Smith Brothers ALC 2021 Pwllheli SLARS 232025975
1347 13–40 Eric's Legend ALC 2020 Relief Fleet 232025977
1348 13–41 William and Agnes Wray ALC 2021 Dunmore East SLARS 232025976
1349 13–42 Anne and James Ritchie II ALC 2022 - Ramsey (IoM) SLARS 232026001
1350 13–43 ALC Clifden 232026003
1351 13–44 George and Frances Phelon ALC Great Yarmouth and Gorleston
1352 13–45 Val Adnams ALC 2023- Courtmacsherry Afloat 232027355
1353 13–46 Duke of Edinburgh ALC Wells Next the Sea SLARS 232027356
1354 13–47 ALC Relief Fleet
1355 13–48 Roy Barker V ALC 2023 New Quay[20] SLARS
1356 13-49 Lois Ivan ALC 2023 Whitby[21]
1357 13-50 ALC 2023 Oban
  1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.
  3. Relief boats use the launch method of the station they are covering. Boats are capable of any of the launch methods but may require minor modification.

References
  1. "RNLI Press Release 16/01/09". Rnli.org.uk. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. "Newest class of RNLI lifeboat to be named after River Shannon". Rnli.org.uk. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  3. "New hull design announced for latest class of RNLI lifeboat". Rnli.org.uk. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  4. "Introducing the Shannon Class lifeboat". Chriswah. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  5. "Shannon superlifeboat arrives at Dungeness". bbc.co.uk. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  6. Frost, Paul (4 December 2016). "Rhyl RNLI station allocated new Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat!". Rhyl RNLI.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Swanage RNLI Lifeboat Station". Blog.swanagelifeboat.org.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  9. "Newest lifeboat for new Montrose RNLI station". BBC News Online. BBC. 20 July 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  10. "SIMS: Technology that puts crew safety first | RNLI". RNLI Magazine. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  11. RNLI FCB2 newsletter Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  12. "Workington Lifeboat Station - RNLI Lifeboat Stations". rnli.org. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  13. "Donate toward our lifesaving future". RNLI. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  14. "NavynutsRNLIShannonclass". Lifeboatsonline.com. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  15. "Particulars of Ship stations". www.itu.int. Archived from the original on 26 March 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  16. "Lowestoft to receive new RNLI Shannon class lifeboat". Rnli.org. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  17. "Generous legacy from former Wren to fund Hoylake's new RNLI lifeboat". Rnli.org. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  18. "Berthon Welcomes Benefactor of New Ilfracombe Lifeboat". chriswah. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  19. "New Shannon class water jet lifeboat arrives at RNLI Montrose station". BBC News. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  20. "Bell ringing ceremony takes place for New Quay RNLI's new lifeboat". Rnli.org. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  21. Mitchinson, James, ed. (5 April 2023). "Target is reached for lifeboat tributes". The Yorkshire Post. p. 7. ISSN 0963-1496.
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