# Waveney-class lifeboat

The Waveney-class lifeboat was the first class of lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) capable of operating at speeds in excess of 10 knots (12 mph). Based on an American design, 22 saw operational service between 1964 and 1999 at the RNLI's stations around the coast of the United Kingdom and Ireland. After being superseded by faster boats in the 1990s, many were sold for further use with lifeboat services abroad, notably in Australia and New Zealand.
The class name comes from the River Waveney which discharges into the North Sea at Great Yarmouth.

## History

In the 1960s the RNLI's fleet consisted of motor lifeboats of limited speed due to the shape of their hulls. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) had developed a 44-foot motor lifeboat which planed across the surface of the water, the consequence of which is a reduced wetted surface area to the hull, and therefore a much higher speed. One was built for the RNLI by the USCG in Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard, Maryland, and this was put through extensive trials and proved capable of operating in restricted spaces, even though the propellers lacked the usual protection afforded to lifeboats.
The prototype was never given a name although the crews nicknamed it "The Yank". It entered trials in 1964 but the first production boats did not start to emerge until 1967. After six had been placed in service there was a hiatus which lasted until 1974 when production was restarted, and then continued through until 1982 by which time 22 were in service. The entire fleet was replaced between 1996 and 1999 as new Trent and Severn lifeboats came into service, but many were sold for further use as lifeboats or pilot boats.
The boats launched in 1967 and 1968 were built by Brooke Marine at Lowestoft and those in 1974/5 by Groves and Gutteridge in Cowes. The 1976/7 batch came from Bideford Ship Yard and the last three from Fairey Marine in Cowes.
Two 50-foot (15 m) long versions were built as the first of a proposed fleet of Thames-class lifeboats but the class was cancelled in favour of an Arun class with a different hull shape and improved crew facilities.

## Description

The steel hull is 44 feet 10 inches (13.67 m) long and 12 feet 8 inches (3.86 m) wide, drawing 4 feet 2 inches (1.27 m) of water. The hull is divided into seven watertight compartments including two survivor compartments and a crew space. The coxswain operates the boat from an open wheelhouse. Powered by a pair of diesel engines, it has an operating radius of 95 nautical miles (176 km).
The prototype was built with twin 200 brake horsepower (150 kW) Cummins V-6 engines but in 1973 was upgraded to 250 bhp (190 kW) Ford Mermaid 595T 6-cylinder engines. The first batch of production boats were initially built with pairs of 215 bhp (160 kW) Cummins V-6 engines. All these, including the by then re-engined prototype were fitted in the early 1980s with 203 bhp (151 kW) Caterpillar D3208 V-8 engines. The Groves & Guttridge built boats of 1974/5 had more powerful 260 bhp (190 kW) General Motors V-8 engines which they retained throughout their service life. The four boats of the 1976/7 Bideford Ship Yard build were originally fitted with 250 bhp Ford Mermaid 595T 6-cylinder engines but these were changed within five years for 250 bhp Caterpillar D3208T V-8 engines as had by then been fitted to the three final boats.

## RNLI fleet

| ON | Op. No. | Name | Built | In service | Principal Stations | Comments |
| – | 44-001 | Unnamed | 1964 | 1964–1996 | Falmouth | Preserved at RNLI Historic Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard |
| 1001 | 44-002 | John F. Kennedy | 1966 | 1967–1990 1990-1996 | Dún Laoghaire Relief fleet | Sold 1996. Renamed Sarah JFK. Renamed Fortitude, Charter Boat, Lagos, Nigeria. Last recorded, October 2019. |
| 1002 | 44-003 | Khami | 1967 | 1967–1980 1980–1990 1990 1990–1997 | Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Relief fleet Ramsgate Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to RVCP Australia. |
| 1003 | 44-004 | Faithful Forrester | 1967 | 1967–1979 1979–1984 1984–1985 1985-1997 | Dover Relief fleet Holyhead Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to RVCP Australia. |
| 1004 | 44-005 | Margaret Graham | 1967 | 1967–1980 1980–1986 1986–1999 | Harwich Relief fleet Amble | Sold 1999. Renamed St Hilda of Whitby. Unaltered Pilot boat at Whitby, July 2024. |
| 1005 | 44-006 | Arthur and Blanche Harris | 1968 | 1968–1974 1974–1979 1979–1985 1985–1993 1993–1995 1995–1996 | Barry Dock Relief fleet Donaghadee Relief fleet Courtmacsherry Harbour Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to RVCP Australia. |
| 1006 | 44-007 | Connel Elizabeth Cargill | 1967 | 1968–1985 1986–1990 1990–1991 1991 1991–1997 | Troon Arklow Relief fleet Portree Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to RVCP Australia. |
| 1026 | 44-008 | Eric Seal (Civil Service No. 36) | 1974 | 1974–1996 | Eyemouth | Sold 1999 to Sea Rescue Institute, Namibia. |
| 1027 | 44-009 | Helen Turnbull | 1974 | 1974–1996 1996–1997 1997 | Sheerness Achill Island Relief fleet | Sold 1999. Renamed Badger, pleasure boat, Douglas. Renamed Sturm, pleasure boat, Bowling Basin, Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, May 2023. |
| 1028 | 44-010 | Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse II | 1974 | 1974–1987 1987–1996 1996–1997 | Plymouth Fowey Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to New Zealand |
| 1029 | 44-011 | Augustine Courtauld | 1974 | 1974–1983 1983–1985 1985–1987 1987–1988 1988–1990 1990–1997 | Poole Relief fleet Troon Plymouth Relief fleet Arklow | Sold 1999 to RVCP Australia. |
| 1033 | 44-012 | The White Rose of Yorkshire | 1974 | 1974–1988 1988–1996 1996–1997 | Whitby Invergordon Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to Canada. |
| 1034 | 44-013 | Thomas James King | 1975 | 1975–1989 1989–1993 1993–1995 1995–1997 | St Helier Relief fleet Dunbar Relief fleet | Sold 1998. Renamed Northesk, Pilot boat Montrose. Sold April 2022, Renamed Ledra Express. Workboat, Ledra Ena Shipping, Limassol, Cyprus, November 2024. |
| 1035 | 44-014 | St Patrick | 1975 | 1975–1996 | Dunmore East | Sold 1999 to RVCP Australia |
| 1036 | 44-015 | Lady of Lancashire | 1975 | 1976–1989 1990–1995 1995–1996 | Fleetwood Dún Laoghaire Relief fleet | Sold 1996. Renamed St Boisil, Pilot boat Berwick-on-Tweed. Sold August 2022. Private Ownership, Berwick-on-Tweed, April 2024. |
| 1042 | 44-016 | Ralph and Joy Swann | 1976 | 1976–1990 1990–1991 1991–1996 1996–1997 1997–1998 | Ramsgate Tobermory Portree Relief fleet Achill Island | Sold July 1998. Renamed West Swann. Used as passenger ferry between West and East Falkland. Sitting derelict on hard standing, West Falkland, June 2020. |
| 1043 | 44-017 | The Nelsons of Donaghadee, Wavy Line | 1976 | 1976–1978 1978–1990 1990–1997 | Donaghadee Relief fleet Sunderland | Sold 1997 to New Zealand |
| 1044 | 44-018 | The Scout | 1977 | 1977–1997 | Hartlepool | Sold 1997 to ADES Uruguay |
| 1045 | 44-019 | Louis Marchesi of Round Table | 1977 | 1977–1985 1985–1986 1986–1994 1994–1996 1996–1997 | Newhaven Relief fleet Alderney Exmouth Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to New Zealand |
| 1060 | 44-020 | John Fison | 1980 | 1980–1996 1996–1999 | Harwich Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to New Zealand |
| 1065 | 44-021 | Barham | 1980 | 1980–1996 1996–1999 | Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Relief fleet | Sold 1999 to New Zealand. |
| 1079 | 44-022 | The William and Jane | 1982 | 1982–1995 1996–1999 | Blyth Larne | Sold 1999 to New Zealand. |
* ↑ 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.

## Other fleets
### Australia

RVCP Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol was formed in 1937. In 2008 it amalgamated with Australian Volunteer Coast Guard and Volunteer Rescue Association to form Marine Rescue New South Wales.
| RNLI ON | Name | In Service | Station | Comments |
| 1002 | P&O Nedlloyd Stratheden | 1999–???? | Brighton le Sands | Sold before 2012. Renamed Khami. Private Ownership, Esperence, Western Australia Sold 2014. Yacht Club Rescue Vessel, Beauty Point, Tasmania, Australia. Restored to RNLI 44-003 livery. Sold ????. Safety Vessel, Scarborough, Western Australia, September 2024. |
| 1003 | P&O Nedlloyd Strathmore | 1999–2011 | Narooma | Sold 2011. Renamed Harbour Conquest. Crew transfer and utility vessel, with Harbour Services Australia, Fremantle. Sold ????. Private Ownership, Freemantle, Western Australia, May 2023 |
| 1005 | P&O Nedlloyd Strathallan | 1999–2007 2007–2009 | Ulladulla Broken Bay | Sold 2009. Renamed Harbour Crusader. Crew transfer and utility vessel with Harbour Services Australia, Fremantle. Scrapped 2019 |
| 1006 | P&O Nedlloyd Rawalpindi | 1999–???? | Mosman | Sold before 2013. Sold 2013. Workboat/houseboat, Brisbane River, Queensland, Australia, July 2024 |
| 1029 | P&O Nedlloyd Strathaird | 1999–2002 2002–2011 | Broken Bay, Trial Bay | Sold 20 May 2011. Renamed Augustine Courtauld Work boat for Melbourne Charter Services P/L, Pier 35 Marina, Melbourne. Restored to RNLI 44-011 Livery. Last recorded, October 2022 |
| 1035 | P&O Nedlloyd Strathnaver | 1999–2009 | Batemans Bay | Sold 18 October 2009. Renamed St. Patrick Strathnaver Private Ownership, Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. Sold 6 October 2022. Private Ownership, Somerville, Victoria, Australia, under restoration, December 2022. |

### New Zealand

The Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation, now Royal New Zealand Coastguard is the primary civilian marine search and rescue organisation for New Zealand. Unlike a number of other countries, the organisation is a non-governmental, civilian charitable organisation, with no enforcement powers.
| RNLI ON | Name | In Service | Station | Comments |
| 1028 | Westgate Rescue (Taranaki Volunteer Coastguard) | 2000–2012 | Port Taranaki | Sold 2012. Renamed Harrier. Private Ownership, Fiordland, New Zealand, April 2019 |
| 1043 | Nicholsons Rescue/Trust Porinua Rescue (Mana Volunteer Coastguard) | 1998–2010 | Mana Island | Sold 2010. Renamed Toucan. Sold 2015, Workboat, Lyttelton, New Zealand. Sold October 2021. Workboat, Whanganui River, New Zealand, December 2021 |
| 1045 | P&O Nedlloyd Rescue (Waiheke Volunteer Coastguard) | 1999–2006 | Waiheke Island | Sold 4 May 2006. Renamed Louis Marchesi of Round Table. Sold 20 September 2010. Private Ownership, Northcote Point, Auckland, August 2024. |
| 1060 | Hamilton Rotary Rescue (Raglan Volunteer Coastguard) | 1999–2005 | Raglan | Sold 2006. Renamed Harbour Cruiser. Crew transfer and utility vessel, Harbour Services, Fremantle, Australia. Reported for sale, January 2021 |
| 1065 | Barham (Hawkes Bay Volunteer Coastguard) | 2000–2003 | Napier | Sold 27 June 2003. Renamed Legend Private Ownership, Auckland. Sold 31 January 2008. Private Ownership, Seaview Marina, Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, October 2015 |
| 1079 | John Barton Acland Rescue (Kaikoura Volunteer Coastguard) | 1999–2005 | Kaikōura | Sold 21 April 2005. Renamed Gryphon. Private ownership, Newport, Oregon, USA, November 2024. |

### Other Rescue Services

| RNLI ON | Name | In Service | Station | Comments |
| 1026 | Spirit of Standard Bank (Sea Rescue Institute of Namibia) | 1999–2005 2005–2022 | Walvis Bay Lüderitz | Retired from service. Stored on hardstanding at Lüderitz, Namibia, November 2022 |
| 1033 | 1a 001 The White Rose of Yorkshire (Canadian Lifeboat Institution) | 1999–2008 | Roberts Bank, Vancouver, Canada | Sold 2008. Private ownership, Ladner, British Columbia, February 2023 |
| 1044 | ADES 16 Montemar (14-016) (ADES Uruguay) | 1997–2012 | Puerto del Buceo, Uruguay | Sold 2015. Workboat, Puerto Santiago Vázquez, December 2024. |