Guernsey's Fleet - picture by Brian Green

Spirit of Guernsey leaving St Peter Port harbour - picture by Brian Green

Spirit of Guernsey - picture by Carl Bisson

Spirit of Guernsey in shelter of the coast - picture by Brian Green

St Peter Port Lifeboat - picture by Tony Rive

Severn

Please click on pictures on the right for larger images

The Severn class lifeboat is the largest lifeboat used by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a UK charity dedicated to saving life at sea. The class is named after the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain.

There are forty-six Severn class lifeboats serving the RNLI around the coast of the UK and Ireland since the introduction of the class in 1996. It carries a Y Class inflatable boat, which can be deployed by an on-board crane for use in shallow water.

Severns have a comprehensive electronics fit including full MF and VHF DSC radio equipment, DGPS Navigator, an electronic chart system, VHF/DF, radar and weather sensors. For added manoeuvrability, in addition to twin engines, the Severn also has a bow thruster fitted. The propellers are enclosed so the Severn can take ground without damaging them.

The Severn is constructed of fibre reinforced composite material, and the hard chine semi-displacement hull built to a two compartment standard, meaning it can stay afloat with two of its five compartments flooded. Provision for survivors includes comprehensive first aid equipment including stretchers, oxygen and Entonox.

Severns carry a portable salvage pump in a water-tight container, and can also carry out pumping and fire fighting tasks using the engine driven general service pump.

Category All-weather
Introduced 1995
Length 17m
Range 250 nautical miles
Speed 25 knots
Weight 41 tonnes
Crew 6
Construction Fibre reinforced composite
Launch type Moored afloat

Key Features

Self righting

All RNLI all-weather lifeboats are inherently self righting and undergo a rigorous righting trial before joining the fleet. Should an all-weather lifeboat be knocked over in extreme weather, it will automatically right itself within a few seconds.

Navigation and communication

All-weather lifeboats are fitted with the latest in navigation, location and communication equipment - including electronic chart plotter, VHF radio with direction finder, radar and global positioning systems (GPS). Inshore lifeboats and hovercraft also have VHF radio and GPS, with the Atlantic 85 and E class carrying the additional radar.

A complete tour of Guernsey's Lifeboat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MGhTzqpTVQ

General Information

Country Guernsey, Channel Islands
Organisation RNLI
Royal National Lifeboat Institution Lifeboat class Severn / 17.00m
Name Spirit of Guernsey
Operational number 17-04
Internal Number ON 1203
Call sign VQFT6

Technical Data

Classification all-weather lifeboat
Propulsion motor
Launch method afloat
Selfrighting yes
Selfrighting type inherent
Hull type semi-planning
Hull material Fibre Reinforced Composite (FRC)
Superstructure material Fibre Reinforced Composite (FRC)
Length 17.00 m
Beam 5.49 m
Draught 1.37 m
Displacement 37.5 ton
Speed 25 knots
Propellers 2
Fixed pitch propellers 2
Engines 2x 1,200 = 2,400 hp
Engine manufacturer Caterpillar
Bowthrusters 1x
Range 250 nautical miles
Fuel consumption 480 l/h
Fuel capacity 5,500 litres
Survivor capacity, selfrighting 47
Survivor capacity, non-selfrighting 185
Crew 6 - 7

Arun lifeboat - the Sir William Arnold

Press for more information