The Lifeboats

Exmouth Lifeboat Station has two lifeboats:

The Shannon Class All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) R and J Welburn

The Shannon is the latest class of all-weather lifeboat to join the RNLI fleet and the first to be propelled by waterjets instead of traditional propellers, making it our most agile and manoeuvrable all-weather lifeboat yet.

It is designed to be launched and recovered from a beach via a new faster and safer launch and recovery system, as well as lie afloat.

Designed entirely in-house by a team of RNLI engineers, the RNLI has harnessed cutting-edge technology to ensure this new lifeboat meets the demands of a 21st century rescue service, building on systems developed for its big sister, the Tamar class.

Length: OA 13.6m
Beam: 4.5m
Draught: 1m
Max. Speed: 25 knots
Range: 250 nm
Engines: 2 x 13-litre 650hp Scania D13 engines with twin Hamilton HJ364 waterjets

The D Class Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) George Bearman II

For more than 40 years the D class lifeboat has served as the workhorse of the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) fleet. Significantly smaller in comparison to the rest of the inshore fleet, the D-class is also the only vessel not to feature a rigid hull. The main aspect of the boat would be both its size and weight. The D-class has been specifically designed as a light and highly manoeuvrable rapid response craft – a title which it gracefully exceeds.

The current ILB, D805, entered service at Exmouth on 12 January 2017 and was the second D class lifeboat provided for us by Donor, Pauline Smith in memory of her Grandfather.

Length: 4.95m (16ft)
No. of crew: 3 or 4
Propulsion: Mariner 50hp outboard
Max. Speed: 25 knots
Endurance: 3 Hours at full speed
Displacement: 338 kg

See more details about RNLI Lifeboats here.