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Shannon-class lifeboat
The Shannon-class lifeboat (previously FCB2 – Fast Carriage Boat 2) is the latest class of lifeboat currently being deployed to the RNLI fleet to serve the shores of the British Isles. While the Shannon class has mainly replaced the Mersey-class lifeboats, it has also replaced some Tyne-class and Trent-class lifeboats, and a Severn-class lifeboat.
The experimental boat, named Effseabee Too underwent sea trials during 2005–2008. It is based on a Camarc Pilot vessel design, and was designed by RNLI engineers, with a fibre-reinforced composite hull, powered by twin water jets. It had a top speed of approximately 30 knots (55 km/h; 35 mph), but was planned to be rated down to 25–27 knots (46–50 km/h; 29–31 mph) when the final design was put into production.
In 2008, FCB2 development was delayed due to hull shape issues, as trials showed crews would be subjected to unacceptable shocks and excessive horizontal shaking in high seas. The RNLI indicated that the project would be extended by at least three more years to research a new hull shape.
In April 2009 it was announced a new hull had been chosen. The Shannon class prototype boat was completed late 2011 when active service was expected to start in mid-2013.
In April 2011 it was announced the class would be named after the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland. This is the first time that the name of an Irish river has been used for a class of RNLI lifeboat.
After boatyard acceptance in March 2012 the first of the fleet went through sea acceptance trials in 2012.
Early hulls were moulded by SAR Composites at Lymington, a subsidiary of the RNLI, which had also taken over the Southampton boat-builder Green Marine. Fitting out of Shannon lifeboats was undertaken by the Berthon Boat Co. of Lymington (BBC), the last being the Swanage lifeboat 13-13 George Thomas Lacy (ON 1320) in 2016.
The RNLI opened their All-weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) production facility at Poole in October 2015, designed to bring construction, repair and maintenance of the RNLI lifeboats under one roof for the first time. The facility, projected to cost £11.2 million, was designed to see a production cost saving of £3.7 million per annum. The centre would initially take-over fitting out process of the Shannon lifeboats. Following work by SAR and BBC, the first lifeboat completed at the ALC was 13-12 Cosandra (ON 1319). Work at SAR continued until all hull moulding operations were transferred from the Lymington facility.
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Shannon-class lifeboat
The Shannon-class lifeboat (previously FCB2 – Fast Carriage Boat 2) is the latest class of lifeboat currently being deployed to the RNLI fleet to serve the shores of the British Isles. While the Shannon class has mainly replaced the Mersey-class lifeboats, it has also replaced some Tyne-class and Trent-class lifeboats, and a Severn-class lifeboat.
The experimental boat, named Effseabee Too underwent sea trials during 2005–2008. It is based on a Camarc Pilot vessel design, and was designed by RNLI engineers, with a fibre-reinforced composite hull, powered by twin water jets. It had a top speed of approximately 30 knots (55 km/h; 35 mph), but was planned to be rated down to 25–27 knots (46–50 km/h; 29–31 mph) when the final design was put into production.
In 2008, FCB2 development was delayed due to hull shape issues, as trials showed crews would be subjected to unacceptable shocks and excessive horizontal shaking in high seas. The RNLI indicated that the project would be extended by at least three more years to research a new hull shape.
In April 2009 it was announced a new hull had been chosen. The Shannon class prototype boat was completed late 2011 when active service was expected to start in mid-2013.
In April 2011 it was announced the class would be named after the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland. This is the first time that the name of an Irish river has been used for a class of RNLI lifeboat.
After boatyard acceptance in March 2012 the first of the fleet went through sea acceptance trials in 2012.
Early hulls were moulded by SAR Composites at Lymington, a subsidiary of the RNLI, which had also taken over the Southampton boat-builder Green Marine. Fitting out of Shannon lifeboats was undertaken by the Berthon Boat Co. of Lymington (BBC), the last being the Swanage lifeboat 13-13 George Thomas Lacy (ON 1320) in 2016.
The RNLI opened their All-weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) production facility at Poole in October 2015, designed to bring construction, repair and maintenance of the RNLI lifeboats under one roof for the first time. The facility, projected to cost £11.2 million, was designed to see a production cost saving of £3.7 million per annum. The centre would initially take-over fitting out process of the Shannon lifeboats. Following work by SAR and BBC, the first lifeboat completed at the ALC was 13-12 Cosandra (ON 1319). Work at SAR continued until all hull moulding operations were transferred from the Lymington facility.