Across the UK and Ireland, a fleet of over 400 lifeboats are waiting for the call to rescue. Powered by our brave volunteers and your support, these lifeboats have saved countless lives across the years. From large all-weather lifeboats to smaller inshore vessels, each has been designed and refined to be highly capable rescue craft.

Our Shannon class lifeboats are the most agile all-weather lifeboat to join our fleet. They use waterjets instead of propellers. Discover more here.

The introduction of the Trent class all-weather lifeboat into the RNLI fleet in 1994 was a major milestone for our search and rescue service. With a top speed of 25 knots , she was our fastest all-weather lifeboat of the time and the first to be able to cover 250 nautical miles .

With over 60 years’ service, our D class lifeboat has helped us to save thousands of lives at sea and continues to be the workhorse of the RNLI fleet today. Since she joined the fleet in 1963, her design has evolved to meet the changing needs of our search and rescue service.

Our lifeboat fleet. To save lives, the RNLI take on all the challenges that the sea can throw at them. To do that, they need specialist craft. Nimble inflatable inshore lifeboats, all-weather lifeboats that can battle even the roughest seas, and hovercraft that can fly …

Oct 21, 2024 · In 2023, the relief fleet launched 792 times from over 96 stations around the coasts, rescuing struggling paddleboarders, stranded sailors and walkers cut off by the tide. The relief fleet exists to ensure that the RNLI provides constant cover and, because it does this so well, it often goes without notice.

With a top speed of 17 knots, the Mersey was our fastest all-weather lifeboat to be launched via a tractor-borne carriage when she was introduced to the fleet in 1988. Her launch and recovery system made her ideal for our beach-launching lifeboat stations.

The RNLI fleet includes inshore rescue boats (or IRBs). Used by RNLI lifeguards for surf rescues, IRBs help lifeguards reach casualties quickly in an emergency.

Nov 21, 2024 · Falmouth RNLI will be allocated a permanent Shannon class lifeboat later in 2025. The Shannon is the latest class of all-weather lifeboat to join the RNLI fleet.

The Severn class lifeboat features one of the first hard chine (angled) hull designs for the RNLI. She has the same geometric hull shape as our Trent class lifeboat and the low line of her hull makes recovering casualties much easier.