Atlantic 21-class lifeboat

The Atlantic 21 is part of the B-class of lifeboats that served the shores of the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of the RNLI inshore fleet. The Atlantic 21 was the first generation Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), originated at and by Atlantic College in South Wales, the birth place of the RIB after which the craft is so named. The school was also one of nine locations where the RNLI first established lifeboat stations using smaller inshore watercraft. Atlantic College Lifeboat Station was commissioned by the RNLI in 1963 and decommissioned in 2013.

Falmouth Round Table (B-595) during Falmouth Lifeboat Day, August 2006.
Class overview
Name:	B-class (Atlantic 21)
Builders:	Inshore Lifeboat Centre, Cowes
Operators:	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded by:	C-class
Succeeded by:	B-class (Atlantic 75)
Built:	1969–1994
In service:	1970–2007
Completed:	96
General characteristics
Displacement:	1.4 tonnes
Length:	7.21 m (23.7 ft)
Beam:	2.49 m (8.2 ft)
Draught:	0.81 m (2.7 ft)
Propulsion:	2 × 70 hp (52 kW) 2-stroke outboard engines
Speed:	32 knots (37 mph)
Endurance:	3 hours
Capacity:	22
Complement:	3

Nearly all of the Atlantic 21s have been retired from service by 2006, one of the notable exceptions to this being the boat allocated to Walmer in Kent. RNLB James Burgess (B-589) was retired to the relief fleet in December 2006, it was replaced by an Atlantic 85.

Description

The Atlantic 21 can be launched from a davit, trolley or floating boathouse depending on the location of the station and the available facilities.

The boat carries a variety of equipment which includes two VHF radios, first aid kit and oxygen, GPS navigation system, night vision equipment, self-righting system, anchor and various warps, toolkit, towing system, illuminating and distress pyrotechnics, spotlight, torches.

The rollbar assembly installed above the engines contains a self-righting bag which is operated by a member of the crew activating a gas bottle.

Fleet

Atlantic 21 B-526 alongside Atlantic 75 B-713 in 2005

Atlantic 21 B-582 in Poole Harbour in 2007

Atlantic 21 B-584 on exercise in Bangor Bay in 2006

Atlantic 21 B-592 on Lough Erne in 2004

Op. No.[lower-alpha 1]	Name	In service	Station	Comments
B-500	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1970–1977	Trialled at various stations	First Atlantic 21 (Prototype) Now at Royal National Lifeboat Collection - Chatham
B-501	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1970–1977	Relief fleet
B-502	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1972–1973	Trials
B-503	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1972–1975	Hartlepool
B-504	Blue Peter I	1972–1973	Littlehampton
B-505	Major Osman Gabriel	1972–1975 1975–1979 1979–1980 1980–1982	Queensferry Relief fleet Silloth Atlantic College
B-506	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1972–1976 1976–1978 1978–	West Mersea Relief fleet Staithes and Runswick
B-507	Griende	1972–2005	KNRM	Built for KNRM
B-508	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1973–1980	UWC Atlantic College
B-509	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1973–1981 1981–1985	New Brighton Relief fleet
B-510	Tuimelaar	1973–	KNRM	Built for KNRM
B-511	Co-Operative No.1	1973–1975 1975–1979 1981–1985 1985–1989 1989–1997	Largs Hayling Island Relief fleet Clacton-on-Sea Relief fleet
B-512	U.S.Navy League	1973–1980 1980–1990 1990–1992 1992–1997 1997–1998 1998–2001 2001–2009	Lyme Regis Relief fleet Walmer Relief fleet Weymouth Sligo Bay Publicity fleet	Damaged by vandals and scrapped
B-513	William McCunn and Broom Y.F.	1973–1980 1980–1997	Largs Relief fleet
B-514	Guide Friendship 1	1973–1983 1983–2000	Aberdovey Relief fleet	Now with ICE-SAR
B-515	V E Webber	1973–1985 1985–1992 1992–1993 1993–1994 1994–2000	Beaumaris Relief fleet Port Erin Flamborough Relief fleet	Now with ICE-SAR
B-516	Whitstable Branch	1973–1984 1983–1990	Whitstable Relief fleet
B-517	Blue Peter I	1973–1974 1974–	Littlehampton Relief fleet
B-518	Sole Bay	1973–1985 1985–1990	Southwold Relief fleet	Now privately owned at St Helens, Isle of Wight
B-519	Surrey Forester	1973–1986 1986–1990	Lymington Relief fleet
B-520	Wildenrath Whizzer	1974–1986 1986–1990 1990–1993 1993–2005	Appledore Redcar Relief fleet Publicity fleet
B-521	Mary Livingstone	1975–1981 1981–1994	Queensferry Relief fleet
B-522	Dolfijn	1974–	KNRM	Built for KNRM
B-523	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1974–1985 1985–1995 1995–1998	Littlehampton Relief fleet ILC, Cowes	Now named Bay Mermaid I with Cardiff Harbour Authority
B-524		1974–	KNRM	Built for KNRM
B-525	Spix's Macaw	1974–2001 2001–2004	Relief fleet Enniskillin
B-526	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1974–1978 1978–1987 1987–1995 1995–1997 1997–1998 1998–2002 2002–2009 2010-2013 2014-2016	Relief fleet Harwich Relief fleet Hayling Island Clacton-on-Sea Relief fleet ILC, Cowes LifeSaving Victoria, AU VMR, AU	2010 - Transferred to Lifesaving Victoria (Melbourne, Australia) 2013 - Operated by VMR Mornington - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc - (Mornington, Australia)
B-527	Percy Garon	1976–1986 1986–1998	Southend-on-Sea Relief fleet	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-528	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1975–2000	Relief fleet
B-529	Alexander Duckham	1976–1987 1988–1990 1991–1993 1993–2000	West Mersea Mudeford Falmouth Relief fleet
B-530	Himley Hall	1975–1981 1981–1985 1985–1989 1989–1993	Eastney Relief fleet Macduff Relief fleet
B-531	Foresters	1975–1988 1988–2002	Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Relief fleet	2002–2011 with Poole Harbour Commission 2011–present with Aegir Nautical
B-532	Guide Friendship III	1975–1986 1986–1998	Hartlepool Relief fleet	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-533	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1975–1988 1988–1998	Littlestone-on-Sea Relief fleet
B-534	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1975–
B-535	R.A.O.B.	1975–1976 1976–1992 1992–1995 1995–1997	Hartlepool Berwick-upon-Tweed Relief fleet Kyle of Lochalsh	1997–2010 with Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue as Clara T. 2010–present in private ownership in Szczecin, Poland named Aga B (cooperating with local rescue services)
B-536	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1976–1989 1989–1992 1992–1994 1994–1999	Peel Relief fleet Sheringham Relief fleet
B-537	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1976–1989	Relief fleet
B-538	Lord Brotherton	1978–1989 1989–1990	Staithes and Runswick Relief fleet
B-539	Lions International	1978–1989 1989–1990 1990–1991 1991–1994 1993–1994 1994–1998	Brighton Relief fleet St. Catherine Relief fleet Sheringham Relief fleet
B-540	Wolverhampton	1978–1990 1990–1996 1996–2000	Abersoch Relief fleet Trearddur Bay	Now with ICE-SAR
B-541	Elizabeth Bestwick	1976–1988 1988–1991 1992–1997	Relief fleet Falmouth Relief fleet
B-542	William Yeo	1976–1987 1987–2003	Relief fleet ILC, Cowes
B-543	Round Table	1978–1990 1990–2001	Helensburgh Relief fleet
B-544	Catherine Plumbley	1976–1994 1994–1998	Minehead Relief fleet	Now with ICE-SAR
B-545	Amelia Gregory Armstrong	1980–1995 1995–1998	Silloth Relief fleet
B-546	Forester Benevolence	1980–1997 1997–1998	Lyme Regis Relief fleet	Now in Portugal
B-547	Forester Liberty	1980–1998	Largs	Now named Káraborg (BB 7482) with ICE-SAR
B-548	Aldershot	1980–1994 1994–1995 1995–1998 1998–? ?–2015 2015–2016 2016–...	Hayling Island Poole Relief fleet Finnish Lifeboat Society Unknown Private owner Muhu Maritime Rescue Society	Now with Muhu Maritime Rescue Society (Muhu, Saaremaa, Estonia)
B-549	Blenwatch	1981–1996 1996–1998 1998–2001 2001–2003	New Brighton Tighnabruaich Relief fleet Enniskillen	Now with ICE-SAR
B-550	"City of Portsmouth"	1981–1996 1996–1998	Portsmouth Relief fleet	1998 - Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society Now with Estonian Maritime Rescue Organization (Tallinna Vabatahtlik Merepääste/Tallinn SAR)
B-551	Constance Macnay	1981–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999	Queensferry Relief fleet Clifden	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-552	Bruinvis	1981–2006	KNRM	Built for KNRM
B-553	Kirklees	1981–1998 1998–1999 1999–2000	Newbiggin Helvick Head Relief fleet	2000–2013 named Dove with Sandown & Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat 2013–present with Lagan Search and Rescue
B-554	American Ambassador	1982–2000 2000–2001	Atlantic College Relief fleet	Now in Australia
B-555	Long Life I	1982–1997	Relief fleet
B-556	Spirit of America	1982–1998 1998–1999	Hunstanton Relief fleet	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-557	Weston Centenary	1983–2000	Weston-super-Mare	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-558	Ramsgate Enterprise	1984–2000 2000–2001	Ramsgate Relief fleet	2002–2007 named St. Brendan with Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue
B-559	Long Life 3	1984–1999 1999–2001	Aberdovey Relief fleet	Now named Spirit of Tortola at British Virgin Islands
B-560	British Diver	1984–2000	Whitstable
B-561	Marjorie Turner	1983–2002	Youghal	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-562	The Quiver	1985–1998 1998–2001	Southwold Relief fleet	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-563	Blue Peter II	1985–2000 2000–2002	Beaumaris Relief fleet	Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-564	Blue Peter I	1985–2001 2001–2003	Littlehampton Relief fleet
B-565	Manchester and District XXXII	1986–1997 1997–1998	Appledore Relief fleet
B-566	Frank and Mary Atkinson	1986–2002	Lymington	Now named Willemtje with KNRM
B-567	Percy Garon II	1986–2001 2001–2004	Southend-on-Sea Relief fleet	Sold to Chile
B-568	Burton Brewer	1986–2000 2000–2005 2005–2007	Hartlepool Relief fleet ILC, Cowes	Now with Dorset Police (P-002)
B-569	Unnamed[lower-alpha 2]	1986–1994 1994–1997 1997–1998 1998–2000	Portaferry Relief fleet Helvick Head Relief fleet
B-570	Himley Hall	1987–2001 2001–2005	West Mersea Relief fleet
B-571	British Diver II	1987–2002 2002–2006 2006–2007	Harwich Relief fleet ILC, Cowes	Now with LifeSaving Victoria (Melbourne, Australia) 2016 - Operated by VMR Hastings - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc (Hastings, Australia)
B-572	Dorothy and Kathrine Barr	1988–2002	St Abbs	Now with Chilean Lifeboats
B-573	The Lady Dart and Long Life II	1988–2002	Littlestone-on-Sea	Now with Chilean Lifeboats
B-574	Joseph B Press	1988–2002 2002–2007 2007–2008	Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Relief fleet ILC, Cowes
B-575	John Batstone	1989–1992 1992–1997 1997–1998 1998–2000 2000–2002	Peel Relief fleet Clifden Relief fleet Crosshaven
B-576	Ellis Sinclair	1989–2002 2002–2006	Staithes and Runswick Relief fleet
B-577	Graham hillier and Tony Cater	1989–1997 1997–1999	Brighton Relief fleet	1999–2004 named Sidmouth Herald with Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat 2005–present named Ira with Nisos Yacht Charter in the Ionian Islands, Greece
B-578	The Rotary Club of Glasgow	1989–2006 2006–2008	Macduff ILC, Cowes	Now with Dorset Police (P-001)
B-579	Institute of London Underwriters	1989–1997 1997–2001 2001–2002 2002–2003	Clacton-on-Sea Relief fleet St Abbs Relief fleet
B-580	Leicester Challenge	1990–2001 2001–2002 2002–2009	Redcar Sligo bay Relief fleet
B-581	Andrew Mason	1990–2002 2002–2004 2004–2009 2009–	Helensburgh Relief fleet Enniskillin Relief fleet
B-582	Borough of Solihull	1990–2002 2002–2007 2007–2008	Abersoch Relief fleet ILC, Cowes	2008–2011 with Dorset Police (P-003) 2011 - returned to RNLI
B-583	Ken Derham	1990–2006 2006–2009	Mudeford ILC, Cowes
B-584	Youth of Ulster	1991–2006 2006–	Bangor Relief fleet
B-585	Peter and Grace Ewing	1991–2006 2006–	Kirkcudbright ILC, Cowes
B-586	Clothworker	1991–1998 1998–1999 1999–2001 2001–2002 2002–2004 2004–2007 2007–2009	Relief fleet Cardigan Relief fleet Littlehampton Relief fleet Lough Derg Relief fleet
B-587	Jessie Eliza'	1991–2001	St Catherine's
B-588	Frank and Dorothy	1991–2006 2006–2008 2008–2009	Teignmouth Relief fleet Storage
B-589	James Burgess	1992–2006 2006–2009	Walmer ILC, Cowes	2009 - Sold to Gardline
B-590	Wolverson X-Ray	1992–2006 2006–2011	Mudeford Relief fleet	Now named The Dove II with Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat
B-591	Edmund and Joan White	1992–2006 2006–2009	Cullercoats Enniskillin	Now with ICE-SAR in Eskifjordur
B-592	Ernest Armstrong	1992–1998 1998–2001 2001–2003 2003–2006	Relief fleet Lamlash Relief Enniskillin
B-593	Valerie Hull	1993–2006 2006–2010	Kilkeel ILC, Cowes	2010–2013 with Oban Sea Cadets 2013–present in private ownership
B-594	Herbert and Edith	1993–2006 2006–	Port Erin ILC, Cowes
B-595	Falmouth Round Table	1994–2007	Falmouth	Now with KNRM

1. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.
2. Not every Atlantic 21-class lifeboat was given a name

External links

• RNLI FLeet
• Lifeboatsonline.com (Atlantic 21)
• Atlantic College Lifeboat Station
• RIB History (2017 video) at UWC Atlantic College