Atlantic 75-class lifeboat

Second-generation Rigid Inflatable Boat

Atlantic 75 - Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat B-776
Class overview
NameAtlantic 75
BuildersInshore Lifeboat Centre, Cowes
Operators Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded byAtlantic 21
Succeeded byAtlantic 85
In service1993-2021
Completed97
Lost1
Retired96
General characteristics
Displacement1.6 tonnes
Length7.38 m (24.2 ft)
Beam2.65 m (8.7 ft)
Draught0.41 m (1.3 ft)
Propulsion2 × Evinrude 2-stroke outboard engines, 70 hp (52 kW) or 2 × Yamaha 75 hp (56 kW) engines
Speed32 knots (37 mph; 59 km/h)
Endurance2.5 hours
Capacity23
Complement3

The Atlantic 75 is the second-generation Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) in the B-class series of Inshore lifeboats that were operated around the shores of the British Isles and the Channel Islands by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) between 1993 and 2021. This lifeboat was a development of, and gradually replaced, the Atlantic 21-class lifeboat, and was superseded by the Atlantic 85-class lifeboat.[1]

Description

The Atlantic 75 has Hypalon-coated nylon inflatable sponsons. Changing from the grey of the Atlantic 21, all Atlantic 75 sponsons are orange. A conical diaphragm is placed between sections of the sponson, to transfer pressure should damage or leaking occur. The lifeboat has a moulded fibreglass rigid hull, topped with a marine plywood deck, with fuel tanks under the deck. The crew seats are mounted on a fibreglass centre console. A tubular aluminium roll-bar carries communication aerials for GPS satellite navigation and VHF radio, and an inflatable airbag for self-righting. The twin Evinrude 70-hp engines were modified at the RNLI's Inshore Lifeboat Centre at Cowes to prevent water ingress in case of capsize, and allow restart. A tubular mast is provided to mount navigation lights and an emergency blue light.[2]

One of the main improvements made to the Atlantic 75 is the addition of a 200 L (44 imp gal) ballast tank at the front of the boat which enables the boat to launch into larger surf than the Atlantic 21. This tank is filled by a water scoop between the engines; it keeps the bow of the lifeboat weighed down, allowing higher speeds.[3]

All of the following fleet details are referenced to the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society Handbook, published annually, with information retrieved directly from RNLI records.[4]

Atlantic 75 fleet

Op. No.[a] Name In service[4] Station Comments
B-700 Susan Peacock
  • 1992–1996
  • 1996–1997
  • 1997–2003
  • 2003
  • 2003
  • 2003–2004
  • 2004–2005
  • 2005
  • 2006–2009
B-701 Gordon England
  • 1994–2001
  • 2001–2002
  • 2002–2005
  • 2005–2007
B-702 Manchester Unity of Oddfellows
  • 1994–2007
  • 2007–2012
First Atlantic 75 to be officially placed on service
B-703 Jason Logg
  • 1994–2007
  • 2008–2013
Sold 2013
B-704 Enid Mary
  • 1994–2007
  • 2007–2009
  • 2009–2011
Sold to the Finnish Lifeboat Institute in 2011. Served in Tampere from 2012 to 2022 and moved to Iisalmi in 2023.
B-705 Vera Skilton
  • 1994–1997
  • 1997
  • 1997–2003
  • 2003
  • 2003–2004
  • 2004
  • 2005–2007
  • 2007–2010
Sold 2010
B-706 Blue Peter V
  • 1994–2009
  • 2009–2011
Sold 2011
B-707 Mercurious
  • 1994–2007
  • 2007–2008
  • 2008–2011
  • 2011–2015
To National Maritime Museum, Falmouth 2015
B-708
  • Bessie
  • Spirit of Hornsea
  • 1994–2007
  • 2007–2008
  • 2008–2012
  • 2012–2013
  • 2013–2019
B-709 Lucy Beryl
  • 1995–2001
  • 2001–2002
  • 2002–2007
  • 2007–2011
  • Relief fleet
  • Kessock
  • Relief fleet
  • Training fleet
Kaskinen Finland 2011
B-710 Friendly Forrester II
  • 1995–2008
  • 2008–2009
  • 2009–2012
  • 2012–2013
Sold 2013.
B-711 Helene
  • 1995–2009
  • 2009–2012
Sold in Holland 2012.
B-712 Betty Battle
  • 1995–2009
  • 2009–2010
Sold to ICE-SAR 2010, now at Eyrarbakki, Iceland.
B-713 OEM Stone I
  • 1995–2008
  • 2008
  • 2008–2009
Now with Dorset Police (P003)
B-714 Spirit of Cumbria
  • 1995–2008
  • 2008–2009
Sold to KNRM 2010
B-715 Phyllis
  • 1995–2007
  • 2007–2008
  • 2008
  • 2008–2009
  • 2009–2012
Sold to KNRM 2012
B-716 Gordon Mote
  • 1995–1999
  • 1999–2017
  • Relief fleet
  • RNLI College
Capsize Training boat at RNLI Lifeboat College
B-717 Daisy Aitken
  • 1995–2007
  • 2007
  • 2007–2009
  • 2009
Now at Skagastrond with ICE-SAR
B-718 Rotaract I
  • 1995–1996
  • 1996–1998
  • 1998–2002
  • 2002
  • 2002–2008
  • 2008–2009
  • 2009
Now with ICE-SAR
B-719 Percy Henry Patmore MBE MM
  • 1995–2009
  • 2009
Now with ICE-SAR
B-720 Frederick Robertson
  • 1995–2009
  • 2009–2012
B-721 Rock Light
  • 1996–2009
  • 2009
Now at Keflavik with ICE-SAR
B-722 Beatrice Dorothy
  • 1996–1998
  • 1998
  • 1998–2010
  • 2010–2013
  • Relief fleet
  • Blackpool
  • Relief fleet
  • Hired to Dorset Police (P-006)
Dorset Police (P-006) at 2012 Olympics in Weymouth. Now with Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK - Marine Conservation Charity
B-723 Walters Lifeboat
  • 1996–2009
  • 2009
  • 2009-2011
B-724 Rotarian Dennis Cullen
  • 1996–2008
  • 2008-2010
  • 2010-2014
  • Relief fleet
  • Training fleet
  • Relief fleet
B-725 Spirit of Penarth
  • 1996–2010
  • 2010–2012
B-726 Giles
  • 1996–2009
  • 2009–2013
Now with Dorset Police (P-004)
B-727 Commander & Mrs Rodney Wells
  • 1996–2010
  • 2010–2011
B-728 Dorothy Mary
  • 1996–2010
  • 2010–2012
  • 2012-2014
B-729 Rose West
  • 1996–2010
  • 2010–2011
  • 2011–2013
B-730 CSMA-Frizell
  • 1996–2010
  • 2010–2012
  • 2012
B-731 Dorothy Selina
  • 1997–2010
  • 2010–2011
  • 2011–2014
Bought by Nisos Yacht Charter as support vessel in the Ionian Islands, Greece
B-732 Elizabeth Ann
  • 1997–2007
  • 2007–2008
  • 2008–2009
  • 2009–2012
  • Relief fleet
  • Gravesend
  • Relief fleet
  • Hired to Dorset Police
B-733 Brandy Hole
  • 1997–2011
  • 2011–2012
  • 2012–2013
  • 2013–2015
B-734 Amy Constance
  • 1997–2002
  • 2002
  • 2002–2004
  • 2004
  • 2004–2005
  • 2005–2008
  • 2008–2009
  • 2009–2010
  • 2010–2012
B-735 Donald and Ethel Macrae
  • 1997–2012
  • 2012–2014
Private pleasure boat Isles of Scilly
B-736 Toshiba Wave Warrior
  • 1997–2002
  • 2002–2004
  • 2004–2007
  • 2007–2008
  • 2008
  • 2008
  • 2008–2009
  • 2009–2010
  • 2010–2012
B-737 Thelma Glossop
  • 1997–2011
  • 2011–2013
B-738 Dochas 1997–2010 Galway Withdrawn from service as uneconomic repair. Sold as repairable to Private owner in Netherlands.
B-739 Peggy Keith Learmond
  • 1997–2011
  • 2011–2012
Now with ICE-SAR in Húsavík
B-740 Alexander Cattanach
  • 1997–2011
  • 2011–2013
  • 2013–2014
B-741 Pearl of Dorset
  • 1997–2012
  • 2012–2014
B-742 Douglas Paley
  • 1997–2012
  • 2012
  • 2012–2015
  • 2015–2016
B-743 Alex & Maime Preston
  • 1998–2012
  • 2012–2013
Now on service with Red Cross in Biscay, Basque Country
B-744 Robert George Alexander
  • 1998–2012
  • 2012–2013
Now on service with Red Cross in Biscay, Basque Country
B-745 CSMA 75th Anniversary
  • 1998–2012
  • 2012–2013
  • 2013–2015
B-746 Phyl Clare 3 1998–2015 Weymouth
B-747 Rockabill
  • 1998–2012
  • 2012–2013
  • 2013–2015
  • 2015–2017
Now on service in Lesbos, Greece with HRT[5]
B-748 Bickerstaffe
  • 1998–2013
  • 2013–2014
  • 2014–2016
B-749 D J S Haverhill 1998–2011 Hunstanton Now with ICE-SAR Reykjavik
B-750 Leslie Tranmer
  • 1998–2013
  • 2013–2015
  • 2015–2017
B-751 Benjamin Dowing Fairbridge
  • 1999–2013
  • 2013–2015
B-752 Tanni Grey
  • 1999–2013
  • 2013–2014
B-753 City of Bradford V
  • 1999–2001
  • 2001–2002
  • 2002–2009
  • 2009
  • 2009–2012
  • 2012–2013
  • 2013–2014
  • 2014–2016
Now on service in Lesbos, Greece with HRT[5]
B-754 Pride of Sherwood
  • 1999–2000
  • 2000–2001
  • 2001
  • 2001–2002
  • 2002–2012
  • 2012–2013
  • 2013–2016
[6]
B-755 London's Anniversary 175
  • 1999–2003
  • 2003
  • 2003–2012
  • 2012–2013
  • 2013–2014
  • 2014–2015
  • 2015–2016
  • 2016
B-756 Eve Pank
  • 1999–2005
  • 2005–2007
  • 2007–2019
Now in service in Naantali with Finnish Lifeboat Institution, SMPS, as Pv Reka, callsign VLS4984
B-757 Miss Miriam and Miss Nellie Garbutt
  • 1999–2010
  • 2010–2011
  • 2011–2015
  • Relief fleet
  • Galway
  • Relief fleet
B-758 Sandwell Lifeline
  • 1999–2016
  • 2016–2017
B-759 Spirit of Clovelly
  • 1999–2014
  • 2014–2015
  • 2015
  • 2015–2018
B-760 Alice and Charles
  • 1999–2013
  • 2013–2016
  • 2016–2017
B-761 Dignity 2000–2014 West Mersea
B-762
  • Jack & Joyce Burcombe,
  • Sea Weaver
  • 2000–2004
  • 2004–2007
  • 2007–2014
  • 2014–2017
  • 2021–
B-763 Colin James Daniel
  • 2000–2013
  • 2013–2018
B-764 Oxford Town & Gown
  • 2000–2014
  • 2014–2015
B-765 Bob Turnbull 2000–2014 Ramsgate
B-766
  • BBC Radio Cleveland,
  • Haverigg Inshore
  • 2000–2015
  • 2015–2017
[7]
B-767 Maritime Nation
  • 2000–2002
  • 2002
  • 2002–2014
  • 2014–2017
Now at Suðureyri, Iceland with ICE-SAR[8]
B-768 Blue Peter II
  • 2000–2010
  • 2010
  • 2010–2011
B-769 Coventry & Warwickshire
  • 2001–2005
  • 2005–2006
  • 2006–2008
  • 2008–2018
In use with Falkland Islands Fire and Rescue Service, February 2022
B-770 The Boys Brigade
  • 2001–2014
  • 2014–2015
  • 2015
  • 2015–2017
  • 2017–2018
B-771 The Moray Dolphin
  • 2002–2014
  • 2014–2016
B-772 The Eric Rowse
  • 2001–2010
  • 2010–2014
  • 2014–2019
Now with Toila SAR[9]
B-773
  • Duckhams 2001,
  • Spirit of Hornsea
  • 2001–2015
  • 2015–2017
  • 2019–2024
B-774 Braemar
  • 2001–2014
  • 2014
  • 2014–2015
  • 2015–2021
B-775 Millennium Forrester
  • 2001–2004
  • 2004–2005
  • 2006–2018
  • 2018
B-776 Vic and Billie Whiffen
  • 2001–2015
  • 2015–2016
  • 2016–2019
B-777 Leicester Challenge II
  • 2001–2012
  • 2012–2014
  • 2014–2018
B-778 Joan Mary
  • 2002–2015
  • 2015–2017
Bought by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution in 2021. Now serving as a training and backup boat in Bågaskär training center.
B-779 Blue Peter I
  • 2002–2016
  • 2016–2017
  • 2017–2019
B-780 Patricia Jennings
  • 2002–2016
  • 2016–2018
Transferred to Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
B-781 Elsinore
  • 2002–2015
  • 2015–2019
B-782 Miss Betty
  • 2002–2016
  • 2016–2017
  • 2017–2019
  • 2019–2020
B-783 Dorothy and Katherine Barr II
  • 2002–2015
  • 2015–2016
2016, Transferred to Humber Lifeboat Station for use as a boarding boat
B-784
  • Victor "Danny" Lovelock,
  • Spirit of the West Wight IV
  • 2002–2015
  • 2015–2020
  • 2020–2024
B-785 Fred Clarke 2002–2021 Littlestone-on-Sea Last Atlantic 75 on RNLI Service[10]
B-786 Seahorse IV 2002–2017 Great Yarmouth and Gorleston (written off)
B-787 Paul Alexander
  • 2002–2016
  • 2016–2018
  • 2018–2020
B-788 Pride of Leicester
  • 2002–2016
  • 2016–2017
  • 2017–2021
B-789 Sure and Steadfast
  • 2003–2018
  • 2018–2019
  • 2019–2021
B-790 Margaret Bench of Solihull
  • 2002–2015
  • 2015–2017
  • 2017–2021
Bought by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution in 2021
B-791 Gladys Winifred Tiffney 2002–2017 Helensburgh Transferred to Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
B-792 Joseph and Mary Hiley
  • 2002–2008
  • 2008–2012
  • 2012–2018
B-793 Alan and Margaret
  • 2003–2016
  • 2016–2018
  • 2018–2019
B-794 Joan Bate
  • 2003–2018
  • 2018-2019
  • 2020-2021
B-795 Staines Whitfield
  • 2004–2018
  • 2018-2019
  • 2019-2020
B-796 Miss Sally Anne (Baggy)
  • 2003–2018
  • 2018-2019
  • 2019
  1. ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat.

References

  1. ^ "End of era as last Atlantic 75 stood down". Fishing News. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  2. ^ "The Atlantic 75". The Lifeboat. 56 (542): 24–25. Winter 1997. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Dart D'Tales" (PDF). Dartmouth RNLI. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 67–69.
  5. ^ a b "| Facebook page of the rescue team in Lesbos". Facebook page. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  6. ^ "B-754 The Pride of Sherwood". RNLI Nottinghamshire. Archived from the original on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Welcome | Haverigg Inshore Rescue Team". haverigginshore.org.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  8. ^ "| Facebook page of the rescue team in Suðureyri". Facebook page. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  9. ^ "| Facebook page of the Toila Voluntary Marine Rescue". Facebook page. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  10. ^ "End of era as last Atlantic-75 stooddown". Fishing News. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  • RNLI Fleet: B-class (Atlantic)
  • Atlantic 75 class lifeboat at Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI Lifeboat Station
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