Rother-class lifeboat

Privately owned Rother-class lifeboat Harold Salvesen (ON 1022) departing Donaghadee.
Class overview
Builders
Operators
Preceded byOakley
Succeeded byMersey
Built1972–1982
In service1973–2011
Completed14
Retired14
General characteristics
Displacement13 tons
Length37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)
Beam11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Draught3 ft 6 in (1.07 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 x 52-hp Ford Thornycroft 250 diesel
  • 2 x 52-hp Mermaid '397' diesel
  • 2 x 52-hp Mermaid 'Melody' diesel
Speed8 knots (9.2 mph)
Range180 nautical miles (330 km)
Complement7

The Rother-class lifeboat was a self-righting lifeboat, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution around the coast of the United Kingdom and Ireland between 1972 and 1995. They were based on the 37 ft (11 m) Oakley-class lifeboat.[1]

History

The Rother-class was a development of the 37 ft (11 m) Oakley lifeboat, and like its predecessor, was primarily intended for carriage launching, although six of the 14 were assigned to slipway stations.

Design

A major change was the abandonment of the Oakley's complicated water ballast self-righting system. The Rother achieved its self-righting ability from its extended watertight superstructure, and all had an enclosed wheelhouse, with the radar mounted on the roof.

Twin 52-hp diesel engines gave a maximum speed of 8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h), and at this speed, the range was around 180 nautical miles (210 mi; 330 km).[2]

The boats built for Walmer and Aldeburgh had strengthened hulls for beach launching over skids.[2]

Retirement

The Rother-class was the final displacement hull lifeboat produced by the RNLI. Even before production began, the RNLI had already started operating much faster lifeboats, like the Waveney-class, twice as fast at 15 knots. The 18.5 knot Arun-class also commenced service in 1972. By 1983, a target date of 1993 had been set, for all 201 offshore stations to operate faster lifeboats, capable of at least 15 knots, with the majority at 17–18 knots. As a result, all the Rother-class lifeboats had a shorter than usual career, and none of the 14 built reached 20 years service life with the RNLI.[3]

The RNLB James Cable (ON 1068), built in 1982, was the last displacement hull lifeboat in RNLI service, operating for just 11 years, before being withdrawn from Aldeburgh in December 1993.[4]

Two boats, Alice Upjohn (ON 1048) and James Cable (ON 1068) were sold to overseas rescue services in New Zealand and Uruguay, the latter operating until 2011 before being retired.[4]

Fleet

Note: Op No.s 37-01 to 37-26 were allocated to Oakley-class lifeboats, the Rother-class continuing the series from 37-27.

ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name Built In service[4] Station Launching method Comments[2]
998 37-27 Osman Gabriel 1972 1973–1992 Port Erin Slipway [Note 1] Sold March 1993.
Renamed Anita, last reported ashore at Dirhami, Estonia, July 2023.
1992–1993 Relief fleet
999 37-28 Diana White 1973 1973–1991 Sennen Cove Slipway [Note 2] Sold 1992.
Renamed Joseph Day, but by February 2017 it was awaiting restoration as Diana White on a farm at Mangatangi, New Zealand. Last reported stripped down and for sale, Katikati, New Zealand, January 2023.
1000 37-29 Mary Gabriel 1973 1974–1990 Hoylake Carriage [Note 3] Sold October 1992.
Previously on display at Chatham Historic Dockyard, later a trip boat at Tenby (2020) and Scarborough (2022). Stored for restoration at Lea Valley Marina, October 2025.
1990–1992 Rhyl Carriage
1022 37-30 Harold Salvesen 1973 1974–1986 Amble Afloat [Note 4] Sold October 1992.
Private ownership at Milford Haven, January 2025.
1986–1992 Relief fleet
1992 Rhyl Carriage
1023 37-31 J. Reginald Corah 1974 1975–1992 Swanage Slipway [Note 5] Sold June 1995.
By June 2022, had been renamed Louise 2-G-B-H. At Guldborg, Denmark, October 2025.
1024 37-32 The Hampshire Rose 1974 1975–1990 Walmer Beach [Note 6] Sold October 1992.
Trip boat at Ilfracombe, Devon, March 2025.
1990–1991 Relief fleet
1991 Anstruther Afloat
1991–1992 Relief fleet
1046 37-33 Silver Jubilee
(Civil Service No. 38) 		1977 1978–1991 Margate Carriage [Note 7] Sold March 1994.
Unaltered working pleasure boat at Yonkers Yacht Club, River Hudson, December 2025.
1991–1993 Relief fleet
1047 37-34 Horace Clarkson 1977 1977–1987 Moelfre Slipway [Note 8] Sold May 1993.
Unaltered working pleasure boat at Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, December 2025.
1987–1993 Relief fleet
1048 37-35 Alice Upjohn 1976 1977–1992 Dungeness Carriage [Note 9] Sold 1995, named Ivan Talley Rescue at Greymouth, New Zealand. See below.
1992–1995 Relief fleet
1054 37-36 Shoreline 1979 1979–1982 Blyth Slipway [Note 10] Sold February 1994.
Renamed Porta Maggie, later Mairi Bhan. Private ownership at Banavie, Scotland, October 2025.
1982–1993 Arbroath Slipway
1055 37-37 Duke of Kent 1982 1979–1993 Eastbourne Slipway [Note 11] Sold June 1995.
Initially used as a survey boat at Tayport Harbour, pleasure boat by 2012. Returned to Eastbourne in 2017 for restoration, standing near the Inshore Lifeboat Station, December 2025.
1063 37-38 Princess of Wales 1982 1982–1992 Barmouth Carriage [Note 12] Sold May 1993.
Renamed Glow-worm. Unaltered condition, stored at Portraine, Dublin, December 2025.
1992–1993 Relief fleet
1064 37-39 The Davys Family 1981 1981–1986 Shoreham Harbour Slipway [Note 13] Sold July 1995. Renamed The Mary Heather, ashore as a holiday let on the Cuan Sound, Seil, Scotland, December 2025.
1986–1993 Relief fleet
1068 37-40 James Cable 1982 1982–1993 Aldeburgh Beach [Note 14] Sold August 1994.
Renamed ADES 13 Agustin Carlevaro with ADES Uruguay. See below.
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Other fleets

RNLI ON[a] Name Built In service[4] Station Comments[2][4]
1048
  • Ivan Talley Rescue
  • (Greymouth Coastguard Rescue)
 1977 1995–2007
Sold 2008.
Private ownership as Alice Upjohn, Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, New Zealand, January 2024.
1068
  • ADES 13 Agustin Carlevaro
  • (ADES Uruguay)
 1982 1995–2011 Montevideo, Uruguay Sold 2011.
Renamed Nauti II. Workboat at Montevideo, May 2022.
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Gift of Maj. O. Gabriel, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Thornycroft '250' diesel engines, costing £60,000.
  2. ^ Anonymous gift, plus contribution from the Cornish Lifeboat Appeal, with twin 52-hp Thornycroft '250' diesel engines, costing £89,000.
  3. ^ Gift of Maj. O. Gabriel, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Thornycroft '250' diesel engines, costing £90,000.
  4. ^ Gift of The Salvesen Trust, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 52-hp Thornycroft '250' diesel engines, costing £95,000.
  5. ^ Gift of the J. Reginald Corah Foundation, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 52-hp Thornycroft '250' diesel engines, costing £95,000.
  6. ^ Gift of The Hampshire Rose appeal, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Thornycroft '250' diesel engines, costing £95,000.
  7. ^ Gift of the Civil Service LB fund, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid '397' diesel engines, costing £105,000.
  8. ^ Gift of H. Clarkson and Co. Ltd., built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid '397' diesel engines, costing £107,000.
  9. ^ Gift of Miss Upjohn, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid '397' diesel engines, costing £130,000.
  10. ^ Gift of The Shoreline Appeal, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid '397' diesel engines, costing £210,000.
  11. ^ Gift of The Eastbourne Lifeboat Appeal, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid '397' diesel engines, costing £210,000.
  12. ^ Gift of The Welsh Lifeboat Appeal, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid 'Melody' diesel engines, costing £239,197.
  13. ^ Gift of Mrs Mason, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid 'Melody' diesel engines, costing £240,000.
  14. ^ Gift of The Aldeburgh Lifeboat Appeal, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, with twin 52-hp Mermaid 'Melody' diesel engines, costing £246,000.

References

  1. ^ "Rother class lifeboat". Lifeboats Online. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Morris, Jeff (2008). List of British Lifeboats Part 3 (Third ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 40–41.
  3. ^ "Fast Work". The Lifeboat. 53 (523): 11–14. Spring 1993. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d e Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2026). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2026. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 42–46.
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