Product Idea |

RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat

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Last Updated . Click "Updates" above to see the latest.

In 1822, following the wrecking of several ships near the coast of the Isle of Man, a local resident launched an appeal to form an institution that could preserve life and property from shipwrecks. 
After little initial success, a meeting was held in March 1824 to form the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck. Funded by charitable donations the RNIPLS changed its name to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1854.

Roll forward 200 years, and the RNLI is still funded entirely by donations from the public and still saving lives at sea “without fear or favour”.

As a proud supporter of the charity - and an AFOL - what better way to celebrate the bicentennial of the Angels of the Sea, than to propose a project based on the latest All Weather lifeboat design - the innovative ‘Shannon’ Class boat. This lifeboat is unique in it’s design - as it can be launched and recovered from a beach using SLARS - the Shannon Launch And Recovery System.

Features within this project;
*updates to the original submission highlighted in bold

  • Updated images showing a Brighter Orange Colour Scheme - as requested by supporters.
  • A modular build design, with the lifeboat split into four sections.
  • Two fully directional waterjets for agility and manoeuvrability, connected to a pair of purpose built engines in the engine room.
  • A crew cabin with room for six volunteer crew, and an access hatch to reach the engine room below.
  • A deck fitted with safety railings.
  • A flying bridge allowing control of the lifeboat outside of the cabin.
  • Radar, loudspeaker, aerial, antennas and flags above the flying bridge.
  • An Updated and Redesigned Launch and recovery system - a mobile slipway that can carry the lifeboat down a beach and to the sea for launch, as well as recovering the lifeboat from the beach upon return and winching it back onto the trailer.
  • A new Interactive Tilting Lever Mechanism that can lift the trailer unit, creating a slipway that allows the lifeboat to be launched into water and also - once rotated 180º - can recover the lifeboat from its beached landing.
  • A Redesigned Turntable Feature built into the Launch and Recovery System that - once recovered - can turn the lifeboat 180º ready for the next launch.
  • A submersible tractor unit that pulls the Launch and Recovery System with a drivers seat that can rotate 180º.

Help make this project a reality, and further the spread the word about the selfless work that the RNLI do.

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