Our lifeboats
Bembridge currently has two lifeboats on operation at the station. The all-weather Tamar class lifeboat and the inshore D-class lifeboat. Designed to tackle different challenges and conditions, our team of lifeboat volunteers train and work hard to make sure they are ready to launch as soon as the call to rescue comes in.
Learn more about our two lifeboats below, take a closer look with our interactive display, and find out how you can help save lives with the volunteers at Bembridge.
Alfred Albert Williams Tamar class ALB
The Tamar class lifeboat is an all-weather lifeboat designed to be launched by slipway. First introduced in 2005, there are 23 lifeboat stations that currently have a Tamar on service.
The Alfred Albert Williams was the 17th boat built and was deployed to Bembridge in late September 2010, before being declared operational in early October. As with all Tamar class lifeboats, she is fitted with an integrated electronic Systems and Information Management System (SIMS) so that the crew can monitor, operate and control many of the boat’s systems directly from their shock-mitigating seats, which improves their safety. In 2012 she was fitted with a standalone AIS (Automated Information System).
The Norman Harvey D class ILB
Launching from a trolley or davit, the D-class lifeboat is ideal for rescues close to shore in fair to moderate conditions.
Here at Bembridge, we launch the Norman Harvey (D-778) over the beach using a tracked vehicle (Tooltrak) & trailer combination.
Our D-class lifeboat has a single 50hp outboard engine with a stainless steel propeller, and can be righted manually by the crew in the event of a capsize. First introduced into the fleet in 1963, the design of the D-class has continued to evolve since its introduction, and is known as the ‘workhorse’ of the RNLI.