Atlantic 21-class lifeboat
The Atlantic 21 is part of the B-class of lifeboats that served the shores of the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of the RNLI inshore fleet. The Atlantic 21 was the first generation Rigid Inflatable Boat, originated at and by Atlantic College in South Wales, the birth place of the RIB after which the craft is so named. The school was also one of nine locations where the RNLI first established lifeboat stations using smaller inshore watercraft. Atlantic College Lifeboat Station was commissioned by the RNLI in 1963 and decommissioned in 2013.
Nearly all of the Atlantic 21s have been retired from service by 2006, one of the notable exceptions to this being the boat allocated to Walmer in Kent. RNLB James Burgess was retired to the relief fleet in December 2006, it was replaced by an Atlantic 85.
Description
The Atlantic 21 can be launched from a davit, trolley or floating boathouse depending on the location of the station and the available facilities.The boat carries a variety of equipment which includes two VHF radios, first aid kit and oxygen, GPS navigation system, night vision equipment, self-righting system, anchor and various warps, toolkit, towing system, illuminating and distress pyrotechnics, spotlight, torches.
The rollbar assembly installed above the engines contains a self-righting bag which is operated by a member of the crew activating a gas bottle.
Fleet
| Op. No. | Name | In service | Station | Comments |
| B-500 | Unnamed | 1970–1977 | Trialled at various stations | First Atlantic 21 Now at Royal National Lifeboat Collection - Chatham |
| B-501 | Unnamed | 1970–1977 | Relief fleet | |
| B-502 | Unnamed | 1972–1973 | Trials | |
| B-503 | Unnamed | 1972–1975 | ||
| B-504 | Blue Peter I | 1972–1973 | ||
| B-505 | Major Osman Gabriel | 1972–1975 1975–1979 1979–1980 1980–1982 | Relief fleet | |
| B-506 | Unnamed | 1972–1976 1976–1978 1978– | Relief fleet | |
| B-507 | Griende | 1972–2005 | KNRM | Built for KNRM |
| B-508 | Unnamed | 1973–1980 | UWC Atlantic College | |
| B-509 | Unnamed | 1973–1981 1981–1985 | Relief fleet | |
| B-510 | Tuimelaar | 1973– | KNRM | Built for KNRM |
| B-511 | Co-Operative No.1 | 1973–1975 1975–1979 1981–1985 1985–1989 1989–1997 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-512 | U.S.Navy League | 1973–1980 1980–1990 1990–1992 1992–1997 1997–1998 1998–2001 2001–2009 | Relief fleet Relief fleet Publicity fleet | Damaged by vandals and scrapped |
| B-513 | William McCunn and Broom Y.F. | 1973–1980 1980–1997 | Relief fleet | |
| B-514 | Guide Friendship 1 | 1973–1983 1983–2000 | Relief fleet | Now with ICE-SAR |
| B-515 | V E Webber | 1973–1985 1985–1992 1992–1993 1993–1994 1994–2000 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | Now with ICE-SAR |
| B-516 | Whitstable Branch | 1973–1984 1983–1990 | Relief fleet | |
| B-517 | Blue Peter I | 1973–1974 1974– | Relief fleet | |
| B-518 | Sole Bay | 1973–1985 1985–1990 | Relief fleet | Now privately owned at St Helens, Isle of Wight |
| B-519 | Surrey Forester | 1973–1986 1986–1990 | Relief fleet | |
| B-520 | Wildenrath Whizzer | 1974–1986 1986–1990 1990–1993 1993–2005 | Relief fleet Publicity fleet | |
| B-521 | Mary Livingstone | 1975–1981 1981–1994 | Relief fleet | |
| B-522 | Dolfijn | 1974– | KNRM | Built for KNRM |
| B-523 | Unnamed | 1974–1985 1985–1995 1995–1998 | Relief fleet ILC, Cowes | Now named Bay Mermaid I with Cardiff Harbour Authority |
| B-524 | 1974– | KNRM | Built for KNRM | |
| B-525 | Spix's Macaw | 1974–2001 2001–2004 | Relief fleet | |
| B-526 | Unnamed | 1974–1978 1978–1987 1987–1995 1995–1997 1997–1998 1998–2002 2002–2009 2010-2013 2014-2016 | Relief fleet Relief fleet Relief fleet ILC, Cowes LifeSaving Victoria, AU VMR, AU | 2010 - Transferred to Lifesaving Victoria 2013 - Operated by VMR Mornington - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc - |
| B-527 | Percy Garon | 1976–1986 1986–1998 | Relief fleet | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society |
| B-528 | Unnamed | 1975–2000 | Relief fleet | |
| B-529 | Alexander Duckham | 1976–1987 1988–1990 1991–1993 1993–2000 | Relief fleet | |
| B-530 | Himley Hall | 1975–1981 1981–1985 1985–1989 1989–1993 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-531 | Foresters | 1975–1988 1988–2002 | Relief fleet | 2002–2011 with Poole Harbour Commission 2011–present with Aegir Nautical |
| B-532 | Guide Friendship III | 1975–1986 1986–1998 | Relief fleet | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society |
| B-533 | Unnamed | 1975–1988 1988–1998 | Relief fleet | |
| B-534 | Unnamed | 1975– | ||
| B-535 | R.A.O.B. | 1975–1976 1976–1992 1992–1995 1995–1997 | Relief fleet | 1997–2010 with Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue as Clara T. 2010–present in private ownership in Szczecin, Poland named Aga B |
| B-536 | Unnamed | 1976–1989 1989–1992 1992–1994 1994–1999 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-537 | Unnamed | 1976–1989 | Relief fleet | |
| B-538 | Lord Brotherton | 1978–1989 1989–1990 | Relief fleet | |
| B-539 | Lions International | 1978–1989 1989–1990 1990–1991 1991–1994 1993–1994 1994–1998 | Relief fleet Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-540 | Wolverhampton | 1978–1990 1990–1996 1996–2000 | Relief fleet | Now with ICE-SAR |
| B-541 | Elizabeth Bestwick | 1976–1988 1988–1991 1992–1997 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-542 | William Yeo | 1976–1987 1987–2003 | Relief fleet ILC, Cowes | |
| B-543 | Round Table | 1978–1990 1990–2001 | Relief fleet | |
| B-544 | Catherine Plumbley | 1976–1994 1994–1998 | Relief fleet | Now with ICE-SAR |
| B-545 | Amelia Gregory Armstrong | 1980–1995 1995–1998 | Relief fleet | |
| B-546 | Forester Benevolence | 1980–1997 1997–1998 | Relief fleet | Now in Portugal |
| B-547 | Forester Liberty | 1980–1998 | Now named Káraborg with ICE-SAR | |
| B-548 | Aldershot | 1980–1994 1994–1995 1995–1998 1998–? ?–2015 2015–2016 2016–... | Relief fleet Finnish Lifeboat Society Unknown Private owner Muhu Maritime Rescue Society | Now with Muhu Maritime Rescue Society |
| B-549 | Blenwatch | 1981–1996 1996–1998 1998–2001 2001–2003 | Relief fleet | Now with ICE-SAR |
| B-550 | "City of Portsmouth" | 1981–1996 1996–1998 | Relief fleet | 1998 - Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society Now with Estonian Maritime Rescue Organization |
| B-551 | Constance Macnay | 1981–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999 | Relief fleet | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society |
| B-552 | Bruinvis | 1981–2006 | KNRM | Built for KNRM |
| B-553 | Kirklees | 1981–1998 1998–1999 1999–2000 | Relief fleet | 2000–2013 named Dove with Sandown & Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat 2013–present with Lagan Search and Rescue |
| B-554 | American Ambassador | 1982–2000 2000–2001 | Relief fleet | Now in Australia |
| B-555 | Long Life I | 1982–1997 | Relief fleet | |
| B-556 | Spirit of America | 1982–1998 1998–1999 | Relief fleet | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society |
| B-557 | Weston Centenary | 1983–2000 | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society | |
| B-558 | Ramsgate Enterprise | 1984–2000 2000–2001 | Relief fleet | 2002–2007 named St. Brendan with Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue |
| B-559 | Long Life 3 | 1984–1999 1999–2001 | Relief fleet | Now named Spirit of Tortola at British Virgin Islands |
| B-560 | British Diver | 1984–2000 | ||
| B-561 | Marjorie Turner | 1983–2002 | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society | |
| B-562 | The Quiver | 1985–1998 1998–2001 | Relief fleet | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society |
| B-563 | Blue Peter II | 1985–2000 2000–2002 | Relief fleet | Now with Finnish Lifeboat Society |
| B-564 | Blue Peter I | 1985–2001 2001–2003 | Relief fleet | |
| B-565 | Manchester and District XXXII | 1986–1997 1997–1998 | Relief fleet | |
| B-566 | Frank and Mary Atkinson | 1986–2002 | Now named Willemtje with KNRM | |
| B-567 | Percy Garon II | 1986–2001 2001–2004 | Relief fleet | Sold to Chile |
| B-568 | Burton Brewer | 1986–2000 2000–2005 2005–2007 | Relief fleet ILC, Cowes | Now with Dorset Police |
| B-569 | Unnamed | 1986–1994 1994–1997 1997–1998 1998–2000 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-570 | Himley Hall | 1987–2001 2001–2005 | Relief fleet | |
| B-571 | British Diver II | 1987–2002 2002–2006 2006–2007 | Relief fleet ILC, Cowes | Now with LifeSaving Victoria 2016 - Operated by VMR Hastings - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc |
| B-572 | Dorothy and Kathrine Barr | 1988–2002 | Now with Chilean Lifeboats | |
| B-573 | The Lady Dart and Long Life II | 1988–2002 | Now with Chilean Lifeboats | |
| B-574 | Joseph B Press | 1988–2002 2002–2007 2007–2008 | Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Relief fleet ILC, Cowes | |
| B-575 | John Batstone | 1989–1992 1992–1997 1997–1998 1998–2000 2000–2002 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-576 | Ellis Sinclair | 1989–2002 2002–2006 | Relief fleet | |
| B-577 | Graham hillier and Tony Cater | 1989–1997 1997–1999 | Relief fleet | 1999–2004 named Sidmouth Herald with Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat 2005–present named Ira with Nisos Yacht Charter in the Ionian Islands, Greece |
| B-578 | The Rotary Club of Glasgow | 1989–2006 2006–2008 | ILC, Cowes | Now with Dorset Police |
| B-579 | Institute of London Underwriters | 1989–1997 1997–2001 2001–2002 2002–2003 | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-580 | Leicester Challenge | 1990–2001 2001–2002 2002–2009 | Relief fleet | |
| B-581 | Andrew Mason | 1990–2002 2002–2004 2004–2009 2009– | Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-582 | Borough of Solihull | 1990–2002 2002–2007 2007–2008 | Relief fleet ILC, Cowes | 2008–2011 with Dorset Police 2011 - returned to RNLI |
| B-583 | Ken Derham | 1990–2006 2006–2009 | ILC, Cowes | |
| B-584 | Youth of Ulster | 1991–2006 2006– | Relief fleet | |
| B-585 | Peter and Grace Ewing | 1991–2006 2006– | ILC, Cowes | |
| B-586 | Clothworker | 1991–1998 1998–1999 1999–2001 2001–2002 2002–2004 2004–2007 2007–2009 | Relief fleet Relief fleet Littlehampton Relief fleet Relief fleet | |
| B-587 | Jessie Eliza' | 1991–2001 | ||
| B-588 | Frank and Dorothy | 1991–2006 2006–2008 2008–2009 | Relief fleet Storage | |
| B-589 | James Burgess | 1992–2006 2006–2009 | ILC, Cowes | 2009 - Sold to Gardline |
| B-590 | Wolverson X-Ray | 1992–2006 2006–2011 | Relief fleet | Now named The Dove II with Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat |
| B-591 | Edmund and Joan White | 1992–2006 2006–2009 | Now with ICE-SAR in Eskifjordur | |
| B-592 | Ernest Armstrong | 1992–1998 1998–2001 2001–2003 2003–2006 | Relief fleet Relief | |
| B-593 | Valerie Hull | 1993–2006 2006–2010 | ILC, Cowes | 2010–2013 with Oban Sea Cadets 2013–present in private ownership |
| B-594 | Herbert and Edith | 1993–2006 2006– | ILC, Cowes | |
| B-595 | Falmouth Round Table | 1994–2007 | Now with KNRM |