The Shannon-class lifeboat[1] (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. The Shannon class is due to replace most lifeboats and some lifeboats.
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 30kn, but was planned to be rated down to 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 and up to ON1318 were fitted out by Berthon Boat Co. of Lymington.[2] From ON1319 fitting-out progressively switched to the RNLI All-Weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) at Poole, to which hull moulding also transferred from ON1330.
The first Shannon-class to be delivered for service was demonstrated at Dungeness, Kent on 21 February 2014. The boat, to begin active service the following month, has been named The Morrell in honour of Barbara Morrell, a keen fundraiser for the RNLI who bequeathed the service £6 million which she asked to be used for a lifeboat for Kent.[3]
The Shannon class uses similar Systems and Information Management System (SIMS)[4] technology to that of the lifeboat so that crew members can operate all of the boat's systems collaboratively without leaving their seats. Crew seats are also similar to the Tamar, sprung to reduce the shocks in heavy seas. [5] At many stations Shannons are launched by a newly designed Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS) by which a tractor propels the lifeboat on its cradle into the water. The cradle is then tilted and acts as a mobile slipway as the boat is launched by release of a single bow strop from the wheelhouse, rather than the old carriage launched method of four chains being released by crew members on deck. Recovery is bow first onto the cradle, which then rotates through 180 degrees, enabling the boat to be launched again within ten minutes. An increasing number of Shannons are kept afloat at moorings or a pontoon berth as they replace Trent class boats and the boats are also capable of being slipway launched, although only currently has a slipway launched Shannon. The boat at uses the same davit crane system as the previous lifeboat.[6]
| ON | Op. No. | Name | Builder | In service[7] | Station | Launch method | MMSI | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1285 | FCB2 | Effseabee Two | / | Experimental boat | Afloat | 244810618 | [8] | |
| 1308 | Jock and Annie Slater | SAR/BBC | 2012–2019 2019–2020 2020– | Relief fleet Relief fleet | Afloat | 235091414 | ||
| 1309 | 13-02 | The Morrell | SAR/BBC | 2014– | SLARS | 235101095 | ||
| 1310 | 13-03 | R and J Welburn | SAR/BBC | 2014– | SLARS | 235101096 | ||
| 1311 | 13-04 | Storm Rider | SAR/BBC | 2014– | Relief fleet | 235101097 | ||
| 1312 | 13-05 | Patsy Knight | SAR/BBC | 2014– | Afloat | 235101098 | [9] | |
| 1313 | 13-06 | Edmund Hawthorn Micklewood | SAR/BBC | 2014– | SLARS | 235106573 | [10] | |
| 1314 | 13-07 | Reg | SAR/BBC | 2015– | Relief fleet | 235106574 | ||
| 1315 | 13-08 | Derek Bullivant | SAR/BBC | 2015– | Afloat | 235106575 | ||
| 1316 | 13-09 | The Barry and Peggy High Foundation | SAR/BBC | 2015– | SLARS | 235106576 | ||
| 1317 | 13-10 | Ian Grant Smith | SAR/BBC | 2015– | Afloat | 235106578 | [11] [12] | |
| 1318 | 13-11 | Nora Stachura | SAR/BBC | 2015– | SLARS | 235106579 | ||
| 1319 | 13-12 | Cosandra | SAR/BBC/ | 2016– | Relief fleet | 235106581 | ||
| 1320 | 13-13 | George Thomas Lacy | SAR/BBC | 2016– | Slipway | 235106583 | ||
| 1321 | 13-14 | Kenneth James Pierpoint | SAR/ALC | 2016– | Afloat | 235109051 | ||
| 1322 | 13-15 | Frederick William Plaxton | SAR/ALC | 2016– | SLARS | 235109052 | ||
| 1323 | 13-16 | Elizabeth and Leonard | SAR/ALC | 2016– | Afloat | 235109054 | ||
| 1324 | 13-17 | Joel and April Grunhill | SAR/ALC | 2017– | SLARS | 235109055 | ||
| 1325 | 13-18 | William F. Yates | SAR/ALC | 2017– | SLARS | 235109056 | ||
| 1326 | 13-19 | Dorothy May White | SAR/ALC | 2017– | Davit | 235109062 | ||
| 1327 | 13-20 | Denise and Eric | SAR/ALC | 2017– | SLARS | 235109063 | ||
| 1328 | 13-21 | Brianne Aldington | SAR/ALC | 2017–2019 2019–2022 2022– | Relief fleet Relief fleet | Afloat | 235113727 | |
| 1329 | 13-22 | Antony Patrick Jones | SAR/ALC | 2017– | SLARS | 235113728 | ||
| 1330 | 13-23 | Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan | ALC | 2017– | Afloat | 235113731 | ||
| 1331 | 13-24 | Barbara Ann | ALC | 2018– | SLARS | 235113732 | ||
| 1332 | 13-25 | Stella and Humfrey Berkeley | ALC | 2018–2021 2021–2024 | Relief fleet | Afloat Afloat | 235113733 | |
| 1333 | 13-26 | John Metters | ALC | 2018– | Relief fleet | 235113734 | ||
| 1334 | 13-27 | Joanna and Henry Williams | ALC | 2018–2020 2020–20242024- | Relief fleet Relief Fleet | Afloat | 232009169 | |
| 1335 | 13-28 | Richard and Caroline Colton | ALC | 2018– | SLARS | 232009175 | [13] | |
| 1336 | 13-29 | Helen Hastings | ALC | 2018– | Afloat | 232009187 | [14] | |
| 1337 | 13-30 | Ella Larsen | ALC | 2019– | SLARS | 232009189 | [15] | |
| 1338 | 13-31 | Michael O’Brien | ALC | 2019– | SLARS | 232009189 | [16] | |
| 1339 | 13-32 | Ruth and David Arthur | ALC | 2019– | Relief fleet | 232009231 | ||
| 1340 | 13-33 | Bridie O'Shea | ALC | 2019–20242024- | Relief fleetWicklow | 232009300 | ||
| 1341 | 13-34 | Anthony Kenneth Heard | ALC | 2019– | SLARS | 232009301 | [17] | |
| 1342 | 13-35 | Frank and Brenda Winter | ALC | 2021– | SLARS | 232009302 | [18] | |
| 1343 | 13-36 | John and Elizabeth Allen | ALC | 2021– | SLARS | 232009305 | [19] | |
| 1344 | 13-37 | Agnes A.P. Barr | ALC | 2020– | Afloat | 232009306 | Launch a Memory[20] | |
| 1345 | 13-38 | Judith Copping Joyce | ALC | 2021– | Afloat | 232009307 | [21] | |
| 1346 | 13-39 | Smith Brothers | ALC | 2021–2024 2024 2024– | Relief fleet | SLARS | 232025975 | [22] |
| 1347 | 13-40 | Eric's Legend | ALC | 2020– | Relief fleet | 232025977 | Launch a Memory | |
| 1348 | 13-41 | William and Agnes Wray | ALC | 2021– | SLARS | 232025976 | [23] | |
| 1349 | 13-42 | ALC | 2022– | SLARS | 232026001 | [24] | ||
| 1350 | 13-43 | St Christopher | ALC | 2022– | Afloat | 232026003 | [25] Launch a Memory | |
| 1351 | 13-44 | George and Frances Phelon | ALC | Afloat | 232026007 | Legacy Lifeboat[26] | ||
| 1352 | 13-45 | Val Adnams | ALC | 2023– | Afloat | 232027355 | [27] | |
| 1353 | 13-46 | Duke of Edinburgh (Civil Service No.53) | ALC | 2023– | SLARS | 232027356 | [28] Launch a Memory | |
| 1354 | 13-47 | Robert and Catherine Steen | ALC | SLARS | 232027358 | Launch a Memory | ||
| 1355 | 13-48 | Roy Barker V | ALC | 2023– | SLARS | 232027359 | [29] | |
| 1356 | 13-49 | Lois Ivan | ALC | 2023– | Afloat | 232027360 | [30] Launch a Memory | |
| 1357 | 13-50 | The Campbell-Watson | ALC | 2024– | Afloat | 232027361 | [31] | |
| 1358 | 13-51 | Richard and Caroline Colton II | ALC | 2024– | Afloat | 232051614 | [32] | |
| 1359 | 13-52 | Chris and Jo West | ALC | SLARS | 232052719 | [33] | ||
| 1360 | 13-53 | Roy Holloway | ALC | Afloat | 232025390 | [34] | ||
| 1361 | 13-54 | John Sharp | ALC | Afloat | ||||
| 1362 | 13-55 | ALC | ||||||
| 1363 | 13-56 | ALC | ||||||
| 1364 | 13-57 | ALC | ||||||