Mersey-class lifeboats are All-weather lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from stations around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, with three former RNLI boats operated by ADES Uruguay, and one by Bote Salvavidas de Valparaiso, Chile. They are capable of operating at up to 17 knots (31 km/h) and can be launched from a carriage or by slipway.
RNLB 12-35 Inchcape
Launching from a carriage and Talus MB-H amphibious tractor
Launching from a slipway
Stern showing the protected propellers
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crew and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine. Lifeboats may be rigid, inflatable or rigid-inflatable combination-hulled vessels.
RNLI lifeboat in Dunbar Harbour, 1981
1906 postcard captioned, The start of the life-boat, Cape Cod
CCGS Cape Sutil, a 14.6 metres (48 ft) motor life boat.
An all-weather lifeboat from the SNSM. This is the largest class of French lifeboat, at 18 metres long. The association owns 41 all-weather rescue boats, there are 30 of this type, the others being all-weather rescue boats of the 15.50 m class and the new generation all-weather rescue boats (CTT NG).
