B Class (Atlantic 21) Lifeboats

Bangor’s old Atlantic 21 class boat “Youth of Ulster” about to depart from the harbour. Photo Albert Bridge

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.

All Atlantic 21 class lifeboats have retired from RNLI service with last one standing down from service in 2009.

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 & 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.

Atlantic 21 Facts

In Service: 1970 to 2007

Length: 7.21m

Width: 2.49m

Load:

Launch Type: Carriage, davit or floating boathouse

Fuel Capacity:

Crew: 3

Range: 3 Hours

Engines: 2 x 70hp 2 stroke outboard engines

Note: Table below is a work in progress. Any further information will be welcomed.

Number	Name	Service History	Notes
B-500		Trials at various locations 1970 to 1977	(1)
B-501		Relief 1970 to 1977
B-502		Trials 1972 to 1973
B-503		Hartlepool 1972 to 1975
B-504	Blue Peter I	Littlehampton 1972 to 1973
B-505	Major Osman Gabriel	Queensferry 1972 to 1975 Relief 1975 to 1979 Silloth 1979 to 1980 Atlantic College 1980 to 1982
B-506		West Mersea 1972 to 1976 Relief 1976 to 1978 Staithes and Runswick 1978 to ????
B-507	Griende	Built for KNRM 1972 to 2005
B-508		Atlantic College 1973 to 1980
B-509		New Brighton 1973 to 1981 Relief 1981 to 1985
B-510	Tuimelaar	Built for KNRM 1973
B-511	Co-Operative No. 1	Largs 1973 to 1975 Hayling Island 1975 to 1979 Newbiggin 1981 1982 Hunstanton 1982 Relief 1982 to 1985 Clacton-on-Sea 1985 to 1989 Relief 1985 to 1997
B-512	U.S. Navy League	Lyme Regis 1973 to 1980 Relief 1980 to 1990 Walmer 1990 to 1992 Relief 1992 to 1994 Bundoran 1994 to 1995 Relief 1995 to 1997 Weymouth 1997 to 1998 Clifden 1998 Relief 1998 to 1999 Sligo Bay 1998 to 2001 Publicity Fleet 2001	(2)
B-513	William McCunn	Largs 1973 to 1980 Relief 1980 to 1988 Bangor 1988 to 1990 Relief 1990 to 1997
B-514	Guide Friendship 1	Aberdovey 1974 to 1983 Relief 1983 to 1984 Clacton-on-Sea 1984 to 1985 Redcar 1986 Relief 1986 to 1991 Cullercoats 1991 to 1992 Relief 1992 to 2000	(3)
B-515	V E Webber	Beaumaris 1976 to 1985 Relief 1985 to 1992 Port Erin 1992 to 1993 Flamborough 1993 to 1994 Relief 1994 to 1996 Penarth 1996 Relief 1996 to 2000	(3)
B-516	Whitstable Branch	Whitstable 1974 to 1983 Relief 1983 to 1990
B-517	Blue Peter I	Littlehampton 1973 to 1974
B-518	Sole Bay	Southwold 1973 to 1985 Relief 1985 to 1987 Falmouth 1987 to 1988 Relief 1988 to 1990
B-519	Surrey Forester	Lymington 1973 to 1986 Relief 1986 to 1990
B-520	Wildenrath Wizzer	Appledore 1974 to 1986 Redcar 1986 to 1990 Relief 1990 to 1993 Publicity 1993 to 2005
B-521	Mary Livingstone	Queensferry 1975 to 1981 Relief 1981 to 1994
B-522	Dolfijn	Built for KNRM 1974
B-523		Littlehampton 1974 to 1985 Relief 1985 to 1995. ILC 1995 to 1998
B-524		Built for KNRM 1974
B-525	Spix's Macaw	Relief 1974 to 1979 Hayling Island 1979 to 1980 Relief 1980 to 1988 Kircudbright 1988 to 1991 Relief 1991 to 2001 Enniskillen (Upper) 2001 to 2004
B-526		Relief 1974 to 1978 Harwich 1978 to 1987 Relief 1987 to 1995 Hayling Island 1995 to 1997 Clacton-on-Sea 1997 to 1998 Relief 1998 to 2002 Training 2002 to 2009	(4)
B-527	Percy Garon (Civil Service)	Southend-on-Sea 1976 to 1986 Relief 1986 to 1998	(5)
B-528		Relief 1975 to 1976 Blackpool 1976 to 1978 Relief 1978 to 2000
B-529	Alexander Duckham	West Mersea 1976 to 1987 Mudeford 1988 to 1990 Falmouth 1991 to 1993 Relief 1993 to 2000
B-530	Guide Friendship II	Eastney 1975 to 1981 Relief 1981 to 1985 Macduff 1985 to 1989 Relief 1989 to 1993
B-531	Foresters	Great Yarmouth and Gorleston 1975 to 1988 Relief 1988 to 2002
B-532	Guide Friendship III	Hartlepool 1976 1986 Relief 1986 to 1998	(5)
B-533		Littlestone-on-Sea 1976 to 1988 Relief 1988 to 1990 Teignmouth 1990 to 1991 Relief 1991 to 1992 Kilkeel 1992 to 1993 Relief 1993 to 1998
B-534
B-535	R.A.O.B.	Hartlepool 1975 to 1976 Berwick-upon-Tweed 1976 to 1992 Relief 1992 to 1995 Kyle of Lochalsh 1995 to 1997	(B)
B-536		Peel 1976 to 1989 Relief 1989 to 1992 Sheringham 1992 to 1994 Relief 1994 to 1999
B-537		Relief 1976 to 1978 Blackpool 1978 to 1979 Relief 1979 to 1983 Youghal 1983 to 1984 Relief 1984 to 1986 St. Abbs 1986 to 1988 Relief 1988 to 1999
B-538	Lord Brotherton	Staithes and Runswick 1978 to 1989 Relief 1989 to 1990
B-539	Lions International District 105 SE	Brighton 1978 to 1989 Relief 1989 to 1990 St. Catherine 1990 to 1991 Relief 1991 to 1998
B-540	Wolverhampton	Abersoch 1978 to 1990 Relief 1990 to 2000	(3)
B-541	Elizabeth Bestwick	Relief 1976 to 1988 Falmouth 1988 to 1991 Berwick-Upon-Tweed 1992 to 1993 Falmouth 1993 to 1994 Hayling Island 1994 to 1995 Weymouth 1995 to 1996 Relief 1996 to 1997
B-542	William Yeo	Relief 1976 to 1987 ILC 1987 to 2003
B-543	Round Table	Helensburgh 1978 to 1990 Relief 1990 to 1996 Weymouth 1996 to 1997 Skerries 1997 to 1998 Clovelly 1998 to 1999 Relief 1999 to 2001
B-544	Catherine Plumbley	Minehead 1976 to 1994 Relief 1994 to 1998	(3)
B-545	Amelia Gregory Armstrong	Silloth 1980 to 1995 Relief 1995 to 1998
B-546	Forester Benevolence	Lyme Regis 1980 to 1997 Relief 1997 to 1998
B-547	Forester Liberty	Largs 1980 to 1998	(3)

B-548	Aldershot	Hayling Island 1980 to 1994 Poole 1994 to 1995 Relief 1995 to 1998	(5)
B-549	Blenwatch	New Brighton 1981 to 1996 Tiggnabruich 1996 to 1998 Relief 1998 to 2001 Enniskillen (Lower) 2001to 2003	(3)
B-550	City of Portsmouth	Portsmouth 1981 to 1996 Relief 1996 to 1998	(5)
B-551	Constance Macnay	Queensferry 1981 to 1997 Relief 1997 to 1998 Clifden 1998 to 1999	(5)
B-552	Bruinvis	Built for KNRM 1981
B-553	Kirklees	Newbiggin 1982 to 1998 Helvick Head 1998 to 1999 Relief 1999 to 2000	(6)
B-554	American Ambassador	Atlantic College 1982 to 2000 Relief 2000 to 2001
B-555	Long Life I	Relief 1982 to 1997
B-556	Spirit of America	Hunstanton 1982 to 1998 Relief 1998 to 1999	(5)
B-557	Weston Centenery	Weston-Super-Mare 1983 to 2001	(5)
B-558	Ramsgate Enterprise	Ramsgate 1984 to 2000 Relief 2000 to 2001	(7)
B-559	Long Life III	Aberdovey 1983 to 1999 Relief 1999 to 2001	(8)
B-560	British Diver	Whitstable 1984 to 2000
B-561	Marjorie Turner	Youghal 1984 to 2002	(5)
B-562	The Quiver	Southwold 1985 to 1998 Relief 1998 to 2001	(5)
B-563	Blue Peter II	Beaumaris 1985 to 2000 Relief 2000 to 2002	(5)
B-564	Blue Peter I	Littlehampton 1985 to 2001 Relief 2001 to 2003
B-565	Manchester and District XXXII	Appledore 1986 to 1997 Relief 1997 to 1998
B-566	Frank and Mary Atkinson	Lymington 1986 to 2002	(9)
B-567	Percy Garron II	Southend-on-Sea 1986 to 2001 Relief 2001 to 2002 Great Yarmouth and Gorleston 2002 Relief 2002 to 2004
B-568	Burton Brewer	Hartlepool 1986 to 2000 Relief 2000 to 2005 Training 2005 to 2007
B-569	Blue Peter V	Portaferry 1986 to 1994 Relief 1994 to 1997 Helvick Head 1997 to 1998 Relief 1998 to 2000
B-570	Himley Hall	West Mersea 1987 to 2001 Relief 2001 to 2005
B-571	British Diver II	Harwich 1987 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2006 Training 2006 to 2007
B-572	Dorothy and Katherine Barr	St Abbs 1988 to 2002	(10)
B-573	The Lady Dart and Long Life II	Littlestone-on-Sea 1988 to 2001	(10)
B-574	Joseph B. Press	Great Yarmouth and Gorleston 1988 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2007 Training 2007 to 2008
B-575	John Batstone	Peel 1989 to 1992 Relief 1992 to 1997 Clifden 1997 to 1998 Relief 1998 to 2000 Crosshaven 2000 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2005
B-576	Ellis Sinclair	Staithes and Runswick 1989 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2006
B-577	Graham hillier and Tony Cater	(11)
B-578	The Rotary Club of Glasgow	MacDuff 1989 to 2006 Training 2006 to 2008
B-579	Institute of London Underwriters	Clacton-on-Sea 1989 to 1997 Relief 1997 to 2001 St. Abbs 2001 to 2002 Relief 2002to 2003
B-580	Leicester Challenge	Redcar 1990 to 2001 Sligo Bay 2001 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2009
B-581	Andrew Mason	Helensburgh 1990 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2004 Enniskillen (Upper) 2004 to 2009
B-582	Borough of Solihull	Abersoch 1990 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2007 Training 2007 to 2008
B-583	Ken Derham	Mudeford 1990 to 2006 Training 2006 to 2009
B-584	Youth of Ulster	Bangor 1990 to 2006
B-585	Peter and Grace Ewing	Kirkcudbright 1991 to 2006
B-586	Clothworker	Relief 1991 to 1998 Cardigan 1998 to 1999 Relief 1999 to 2001 Littlehampton 2001 to 2002 Relief 2002 to 2004 Lough Derg 2004 to 2007 Relief 2007 to 2009
B-587	Jessie Eliza	St. Catherine's 1991 to 2000	(9)
B-588	Frank and Dorothy	Teignmouth 1991 to 2006 Relief 2006 to 2008
B-589	James Burgess	Walmar 1992 to 2006 Training 2006 to 2009
B-590	Wolverson X-Ray		(6)
B-591	Edmund and Joan White	Cullercoats 1992 to 2006 Enniskillen (Lower) 2006 to 2009	(3)
B-592	Ernest Armstrong	Relief 1992 to 1998 Arran/Lamlash 1998 to 2001 Relief 2001 to 2003 Enniskillin (Lower) 2003 to 2006
B-593	Valerie Hull	Kilkeel 1993 to 2006
B-594	Herbert and Edith	Port Erin 1993 to 2006
B-595	Falmouth Round Table	Falmouth 1994 to 2007	(9)

Lifeboats highlighted in GREEN are/were based at Irish Lifeboat stations.

Lifeboats listed in BLUE were built for the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM).

Lifeboats listed in YELLOW require further information.

Notes

(1) Prototype Atlantic 21. On display at the RNLI Museum, Chatham.

(2) Damaged by vandals and scrapped.

(3) Sold to the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR).

(4) Sold to the Marine Volunteer Rescue (Australia).

(5) Sold to the Finnish Lifeboat Society.

(6) Sold to the Sandown & Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat service.

(7) Sold to Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association (CRBI) Ireland.

(8) Sold to the Virgin Islands SAR.

(9) Sold to the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM).

(10) Sold to the Chilean Lifeboat service.

(11) Sold to Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat.

(12) Sold to the Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue (CRBI) Ireland.

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