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D-class lifeboat (Zodiac III)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

D-233 being launched at Borth
Class overview
NameD-class (Zodiac III)
BuildersZodiac Nautic
Operators RNLI
Preceded byD-class (RFD PB16)
Succeeded byD-class (EA16)
Built1971–1987
In service1971–1996
Completed64
Retired64
General characteristics
Class and typeZodiac III
Complement2 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

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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

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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 Weston-super-Mare
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
  1. ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat.

References

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  1. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 72–78.