The 37ft Oakley, designed by R. A. Oakley, the Institution's surveyor of lifeboats, was the first modern lifeboat with a self-righting capability, and the first boat of the class to be built, 3. G.

Graves of Sheffield, went on station at Scarborough in 1958. Her self-righting ability is provided by water ballast transferring, should the boat be knocked down, from a bilge tank into a righting tank on her port side. All modern lifeboats undergo righting trials in controlled conditions, being hauled over by crane, before being sent to station..