Looking at lifeboats...

the WAVENEY class The first in a series of profiles of lifeboat classes The Waveney was the first of the RNLI's classes of 'fast lifeboat' and originated as a design operated by the US Coastguard for general purpose inshore work.

The 44ft boat was designed with a 'semi-planing' hull form. This allows the hull to lift at speed, reducing drag and enabling speeds far greater than the 8 or 9 knots achieved by conventional 'displacement' hull lifeboats of the time.

The first boat (44-001, not named) was built by the USCG and bought by the RNLI in 1964 for evaluation trials which lasted some 18 months. It was decided that the boat could cope well with UK conditions and at the end of the trials the Institution decided to build further boats to the design, but incorporating certain modifications.

These included extra fuel tanks, a double bottom, extended wheelhouse and raised fore-and aft cabin tops to improve her self-righting ability. These modifications were not carried out retrospectively on 44-001 which therefore differs from other members of the class. She is still in service in the relief fleet. The first Waveneys to bebuiltbytheRNLI(44- 002 to 44-007) were constructed in 1967 and 1968 by Brooke Marine on the River Waveney in Norfolk, that river giving the class its name. Subsequent boats were built by Groves and Gutterige (44-008 to 44-015), Bideford Shipyard (44- 016 to 44-019) and Fairey Marine (44-020 to 44-022), the last in 1982.

At first some crews were disconcerted by the relatively low initial stability, a function of her hull shape and the need for self-righting, but her general behaviour and high power which enabled her to 'climb out of anything' soon endeared her to lifeboatmen and the boats are universally liked by their crews.

The first seven of the class (including 44-001) were built with two Cummins diesel engines, giving a speed of 13 knots, but the remainder were built with two GM (44-008 to 44-015), Ford Mermaid (44-016 to 44019) or Caterpillar (44-020 to 44-022) diesel engines giving a maximum speed of 16 knots. Earlier boats have since been re-engined with Caterpillar diesels, although power and speed remain unchanged.

The coxswain is seated in an open, but protected wheelhouse, with seats for the remainder of the crew in the cabin.

Two cabins, forward and aft, have space for survivors.

Due to the hull form and the exposed propellers the Waveney is operated only at stations where the lifeboat can remain afloat.

No further Waveney class lifeboats will be built and the first boat of the class is due for replacement in 1993. WAVENEY CLASS Introduced: Designed by: Number built: Number in service at November 1989: Launching method: Number of crew: Length overall: Beam: Displacement: Engine type: Maximum speed: Radius of action: 1964/67 (see text) US Coastguard/RNLI modifications 22 22 Lies afloat 5 44ft 10in (13.4m) 12ft Sin (3.7m) 19 tons (approx) See text 16 knots (see text) 95 nautical miles (Total range is twice the radius of action).