The D-class (RFD 320) lifeboat is a class of inflatable boat operated between 1967 and 1983 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
They were manufactured by R.F.D. Co.Ltd of Gadalming, Surrey, a company founded by engineer Reginald Foster Dagnall. Over time, RFD became a synonym for "Rapid Flotation Devices".
For more than 60 years the D-class has served as the workhorse of the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) fleet. The D-class is one of the few RNLI types not to feature a rigid hull. The D-class was specifically designed as a light and highly manoeuvrable rapid response craft, especially suited to close shore work.
There were only six D-class (RFD 320) boats in the RNLI Fleet, and all were utilised as Boarding Boats.
| Op. No. | Name | In service [1] | Station | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-77 | 1967–1980 | Boarding Boat (Y1) | ||
| D-78 | 1967–1976 | Boarding Boat (Y2) | ||
| D-79 | 1967–1981 | Boarding Boat (Y3) | ||
| D-80 | 1967–1983 | Boarding Boat (Y4) | ||
| D-118 | 1966–1980 | Boarding Boat (Y6) | ||
| D-119 | 1966–1976 | Boarding Boat (Y7) | ||