The Atlantic 85 is part of the B-class of lifeboats that serve the shores of the United Kingdom and Ireland as a part of the

RNLI The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. It i ...

inshore fleet. The Atlantic 85 is the third generation B-class

Rigid Inflatable Boat A rigid inflatable boat (RIB), also rigid-hull inflatable boat or rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), is a lightweight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a rigid hull bottom joined to side-forming air tubes that are i ...

(RIB) developed from the and the later . The Atlantic design of the B-class of lifeboats is named after

Atlantic College Atlantic College (formally the United World College of the Atlantic; alternatively styled UWC Atlantic College, UWCAC, or UWCA) is an independent boarding school in the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales. Founded in 1962, it was the first of ...

, where the design was originally developed.

Design

The hull is constructed in a fibre reinforced composite, consisting of a

carbon fibre Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...

and foam core

laminate Lamination is the technique/process of manufacturing a material in multiple layers, so that the composite material achieves improved strength, stability, sound insulation, appearance, or other properties from the use of the differing materia ...

with an epoxy glass and foam sandwich layup. The tubes are

Hypalon Hypalon is a chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) synthetic rubber (CSM) noted for its resistance to chemicals, temperature extremes, and ultraviolet light. It was a product of DuPont Performance Elastomers, a subsidiary of DuPont. Hypalon as it i ...

. The boat is powered by twin Yamaha 4-stroke outboard engines that have been inversion-proofed to ensure the engines are still operational after a capsize. Like previous RIBs, it has a manually operated self-righting mechanism that deploys an airbag mounted atop the A-frame. It is capable of being beached in an emergency without sustaining damage to engines or steering gear. The Atlantic 85 is fitted with radar and VHF

direction finding Direction finding (DF), or radio direction finding (RDF), isin accordance with International Telecommunication Union (ITU)defined as radio location that uses the reception of radio waves to determine the direction in which a radio stati ...

equipment and can be operated safely in daylight in a force 6/7 and at night in a force 5/6. The Atlantic 85 also has intercom communications between the crew and VHF radio via their helmets,

DGPS Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPSs) supplement and enhance the positional data available from global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs). A DGPS for GPS can increase accuracy by about a thousandfold, from approximately to . DGPSs ...

Chartplotter A Chartplotter is a device used in marine navigation that integrates GPS data with an electronic navigational chart (ENC). The chartplotter displays the ENC along with the position, heading and speed of the ship, and may display additional inf ...

. It also carries a searchlight, night-vision equipment and illuminating paraflares for night-time operations. To ensure equipment is kept to a high standard of repair, boats go through annual or bi-annual overhauls, and 4-year refits.

Fleet

RNLI B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Poole, England arp

References

External links

RNLI Fleet

''B''-class Atlantic 85
{{RNLI lifeboat classes

Design

Fleet

See also

References

External links