Class overview

Builders	Groves & Guttridge, Cowes Camper & Nicholson, Gosport
Operators	RNLI
Preceded by	Watson
Succeeded by	Tyne
Built	1969–1973^[1]
In service	1969–1993
Completed	11
Retired	11
General characteristics
Type	motor lifeboat
Displacement	27 tons
Length	48 ft 6 in (14.78 m)
Beam	14 ft (4.3 m)
Draught	4 ft 8 in (1.42 m)
Propulsion	2 x 110 bhp Gardner 6LX diesel engines
Speed	9.5 knots (10.9 mph)
Range	150 nautical miles (280 km)
Crew	7

The Solent-class lifeboat is a steel-hulled version of the 48-foot-6-inch (14.78 m) Oakley-class self-righting lifeboat and is sometimes referred to as the 48-foot, 6-inch Oakley-class Mark III.^[2] Solent Operational Numbers followed on from the first three 48-foot, 6-inch Oakleys and were interrupted by the last two Oakleys (48-12 and 48-13). The operational numbers of the Solent-class had three digits in the suffix to indicate a metal hull (as with Clyde, Waveney, Thames and Tyne classes, one Arun class and the first eleven Merseys). Two digits indicates a wooden, glass-reinforced plastic or fiber-reinforced composite hull.

Description

The Solent was powered by twin 110 bhp Gardner 6LX diesel engines which gave the boat a top speed of 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph). There were twin spade rudders installed which were coupled to Mathway manual steering gear.

Apart from the steel hull, the Solent-class differed from the Oakley-class in its self-righting mechanism. The Oakley used a water ballast system, while the Solent class was self-righting as a result of its watertight superstructure. The Solent was the last class of traditional displacement-type lifeboats designed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.^[2]

There were two versions of the Solent, unofficially known as "Mark I" and "Mark II". The "Mark I" boats have a vertical steering wheel. Sliding doors provide access to the forward end of the wheelhouse on each side. The "Mark II" boats have a seated steering position with hinged wheelhouse doors at the after end of the wheelhouse. These boats entered service in 1972.^[2]

The first four Solent-class boats (ON 1007-1010) and the last three (ON 1019-1021) were built at Cowes by Groves & Guttridge. The second four (ON 1011-1014) were built at Gosport by Camper & Nicholson.

Fleet

ON^[a]	Op. No.^[b]	Name	Built	In service^[3]	Principal Station	Comments^[3]
1007	48-004	George Urie Scott	1969	1969–1978 1979–1984 1985–1989 1989–1990	Lochinver Rosslare Harbour Lochinver Relief fleet	Sold 1990. November 2022, Renamed Highlander, Ameland, NL
1008	48-005	James and Mariska Joicey	1969	1969–1986 1987–1988 1988–1990	Peterhead The Lizard Relief fleet	Sold 1990. Restored 2014–2021. December 2022, at Restonguet Creek, Mylor, Cornwall.
1009	48-006	Jack Shayler and the Lees	1970	1970–1987 1988 1989 1989–1993	Bembridge Dunbar Wicklow Relief fleet	Sold June 1994. Renamed Anne, SAR Tallinn, Estonia. Broken up 2021.
1010	48-007	David and Elizabeth King and E.B.	1970	1970–1988 1988–1989 1989–1990	Longhope Invergordon Relief fleet	Sold 1990. August 2022, Private Ownership, Unaltered, Glasson Dock, Lancashire
1011	48-008	R. Hope Roberts	1969	1969–1978 1979–1985 1985–1987 1987 1987–1993	Rosslare Harbour Fraserburgh Galway Bay Relief fleet Courtmacsherry Harbour	Sold 1993. October 2019, Renamed Sea Guardian, Private ownership, Gold Coast City Marina, Queensland, Aus.
1012	48-009	City of Birmingham	1970	1970–1983 1984–1993 1993–1994	Exmouth Walton and Frinton Relief fleet	Sold July 1995 to ADES Uruguay ADES 14. Retired 2014.
1013	48-010	The Royal British Legion Jubilee	1970	1970–1978 1979–1979 1979–1986 1986–1988 1988–1990	Relief Fleet Fraserburgh Relief fleet Peterhead Relief fleet	Sold April 1990. Named Ocean Jubilee, restored in Wakefield. Renamed The Royal British Legion Jubilee, Broken up in Knottingley, 2020.
1014	48-011	The Three Sisters	1970	1970–1988 1988–1989 1989–1990	Thurso Wicklow Relief fleet	Sold April 1990. October 2018, Heavily converted cruiser at Turnchapel, Plymouth
1019	48-014	Lady MacRobert	1972	1972–1989 1989–1993	Montrose Relief fleet	Sold March 1994 to ADES Uruguay ADES 12. Retired 2021.
1020	48-015	Hugh William Viscount Gough	1973	1973–1984 1984–1988 1988–1993	Stornoway Barra Island Dunbar	Sold September 1993. September 2021, Unaltered pleasure boat, Puteri Harbour Marina, Johur Baharu, Malaysia
1021	48-016	Douglas Currie	1973	1973–1974 1974–1975 1975–1984 1985 1986–1989 1990–1992	Relief fleet Kirkwall Macduff Fraserburgh Portpatrick Workington	Sold 1992. March 2022, Unaltered, private ownership, Fraserburgh, Scotland

^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

References

^ Howarth, Patrick (1981), Lifeboat – In Danger's Hour. (Third Impression 1982 ed.), Hamlyn, p. 140, ISBN 0-600-34959-4
^ ^a ^b ^c Evans, Clayton (2003), Rescue at Sea – An International History of Lifesaving, Coastal Rescue Craft and Organisations, Conway Maritime Press, p. 161, ISBN 0-85177-934-4
^ ^a ^b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.

Classes of Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Operational fleet
All-weather lifeboats	Mersey Severn Shannon Tamar Trent
Inshore lifeboats	B-class: Atlantic 85 D-class: IB1 E-class: Mark II Mark III H-class (Hovercraft)
Small inflatables	Arancia X-class XP-class Y-class

Historic lifeboats

Pulling and sailing lifeboats

All-weather motor lifeboats

Up to 10 knots	35ft 6in Self-righting Barnett Beach Liverpool Norfolk and Suffolk Oakley Ramsgate Rother Solent Surf Watson
Above 10 knots	Arun Brede Clyde Thames Tyne Waveney

Inshore lifeboats

A-class: Hatch
McLachlan
Boston Whaler
B-class: Atlantic 21
Atlantic 75
C-class: Zodiac IV
D-class: RFD PB16
Avon S650
Zodiac III
EA16
E-class: Mark I

Experimental lifeboats

Keith Nelson
Medina

Royal National Lifeboat Institution