Our Lifeboat: The D Class
Courtown Lifeboat is a D Class Lifeboat.
The D class has been the workhorse of the service for 40 years. It is small and highly manoeuvrable, making it ideal for rescues close to shore in fair to moderate conditions. It has a single outboard engine and can be righted manually by the crew following a capsize. The design of the D class has continued to evolve since its introduction. The details given are for the latest version that was introduced in 2003.
Image: Shane Willoughby
|
Category |
Inshore |
|
Introduced |
1963 (latest version in 2003) |
|
Length |
5m |
|
Range |
3 hours at maximum speed |
|
Speed |
25 knots |
|
Weight |
436kg |
|
Crew |
2/3 |
|
Construction |
Hypalon coated polyester |
|
Launch type |
Trolley or davit |
Running costs for the RNLI
The RNLI’s running costs average around £378,000 (€417,300) a day. For every £1 raised, 84p is spent on operations and 16p is spent on generating income.
| Lifeboat BoatD class | €40,300 |
Inshore Gear Per Crew member
| Gloves | €18 | |
| Drysuit | €352 | |
| Thermal suit | €90 | |
| Safety helmet | €183 | |
| Lifejacket | €245 |
Righting and restarting
B and E class inshore lifeboats feature a manually operated, self-righting mechanism that inflates a large airbag with compressed air. The D class can be righted manually by its crew who are fully trained in manual capsize procedures. All inshore lifeboats are fitted with inversion-proofed engines that can be restarted following a capsize.
