New Fast Slipway Boat Will Replace 'Archetypal' Tyne Class Lifeboat – Fishupdate.com

New Fast Slipway Boat Will Replace ‘Archetypal’ Tyne Class Lifeboat Fishing Monthly Published:  28 May, 2003

A NEW class of RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute) lifeboat designated as the FSB II (Fast Slipway Boat) has been in planned development since 1994, and will replace the archetypal Tyne Class lifeboat that has delivered outstanding service around the UK’s shores for more than 20 years.

The FSB II will begin entering the RNLI fleet in 2004/5 as the new Tamar class boat. It offers considerable improvements over the Tyne Class such as the Cat C18 marine diesel engines fromCatepillar.

It is likely that between 30 and 40 Tamar Class boats will be built and put into service over the next five years, and the long planning and development process is required to design, test and develop a vessel for a 20-year life as Professor Bob Cripps RNLI Engineering Manager explains:

“We have to make sure that the new boat is as near to perfect for its role as is currently technologically possible.

“We are talking about life and death here and, without wishing to be too dramatic, these boats need to be right – not only as far as the people we rescue are concerned, but also in terms of the safety of the dedicated, brave and highly skilled RNLI crews who may be asked to go out at any time of the day or night and in any kind of weather or sea conditions.”