Brede-class lifeboat


The Brede-class lifeboat was operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution from its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom between 1982 and 2002, at which time it was the fastest all-weather lifeboat in its fleet. Eleven were put into service and when replaced by larger boats seven were sold for further use as lifeboats, mainly in South Africa.
The class took its name from the River Brede which joins the River Rother to flow into the English Channel at Rye, Sussex.

History

During the 1960s and 1970s the RNLI had placed a number of fast lifeboats into service. These had mostly been Waveney-class lifeboats but there was a need for smaller, more manoeuvrable boats that were larger than the inshore lifeboats. A large boat was built using the construction methods of the Atlantic 21 but this Medina-class lifeboat was never adopted. A prototype Brede was constructed in 1981 and the following year the first two production Brede-class were built. These had a larger wheelhouse than the prototype and placed in service at and lifeboat stations in October. Ten more production boats followed but production ceased in 1985. The first Brede to be withdrawn was RNLB Ann Richie which only saw five years service. By the end of 1994 the fleet had been reduced to just five boats; three in the relief fleet and those stationed at and. The boats had been too small to operate in extreme weather and surveys highlighted potential problems with structural strength.
Most of the fleet found new use with other rescue services. One was transported to New Zealand in 1993, and six were sold between 1994 and 2002 for use in South Africa. The NSRI in South Africa announced in September 2016 that they were embarking on a project to replace their ageing Brede lifeboat fleet, starting with Eikos Rescuer II based in Durban, with further replacements planned for every two years. The Brede lifeboats will be sold out of the fleet as they are replaced.

Description

The Brede was built with a glass reinforced plastic hull, a strengthened version of a commercial design by Lochin Marine of Rye, Sussex. It was fitted with twin 203 hp diesel engines which gave it a top speed of which was faster than any other all-weather lifeboat in the fleet until the introduction of the and classes in 1991. It had an operating range of.
The hull was divided into five watertight compartments and spaces were filled with buoyant materials which combined with a watertight GRP wheelhouse to give it a self-righting capability. A survivors' cabin was sited forward of the wheelhouse with eight seats and a stretcher could be carried in the wheelhouse which had seats for the four crew members.

RNLI fleet

All built by Lochin Marine, Rye
ONOp. No.NameBuiltIn serviceStationFurther use
106633-01–1981––Trials boat 1981–1982. Sold for use as a workboat at Yarmouth.
108033-02Ann Richie19821982–1987Broken up 1988.
108333-03Leonore Chilcott19821982–1988Sold 1990 for use as a diving support boat at Littlehampton. In 2000 she took up duty as a pilot boat at Braye.
108433-04Philip Vaux19821983–1989Sold 1990 for use at Poole but since believed moved to Spain.
108733-05Merchant Navy19831983–1987
1987–1989		Relief fleet
Sold 1990; in use as a pleasure boat Lyonesse on the River Hamble.
Sold to South Africa in 2012 for further use as a lifeboat.
108833-06Caroline Finch19831983–1994Sold 1994 to South Africa.
108933-07Inner Wheel19831983–2001
2001–2002
Sold 2002 to South Africa.
109033-08Foresters Future19841984–1986
1986–2002
Relief fleet		Sold 2002 to South Africa.
110133-09Enid of Yorkshire19841984–1997Relief fleetSold 1997 to South Africa.
110233-10Nottinghamshire19841984–1988
1989–1997
Sold 1997 to South Africa.
110433-11Safeway19851985–2001Sold 2002 to South Africa.
110533-12Amateur Swimming Associations19851985–1989
1989–1993		Relief fleet
Sold September 1993 to New Zealand.

Other fleets

New Zealand

South Africa

Second-hand Bredes operated by the National Sea Rescue Institute in South Africa. As from 2019, the NSRI has embarked on a project to replace the ageing Brede fleet with a new class of lifeboat.
NameRNLI ONBuiltTo NSRIStationNotes
Eikos Rescuer II110419852002Lifeboat Rescue 5, Durban.Decommissioned June 2019. Sold and renamed to "Bosss Charger"
Nadine Gordimer108919832002Lifeboat Rescue 8, Hout BayRecently been refitted and returned to the water. The work carried out was started at the end of March 2012 and completed on 20 February 2013.
Sanlam Rescuer110219841997Lifeboat Rescue 9, Gordons BayDestroyed by fire whilst awaiting refit in a boat building factory in December 2010.
South Star108819831994Lifeboat Rescue 17, Hermanus
Spirit of Safmarine III109019842002Lifeboat Rescue 10, Simon's Town
Spirit of Toft110119841997Lifeboat Rescue 6, Port Elizabeth
Rescue 15108719832012Lifeboat Rescue 15, Mossel BayRecently been refitted along with Hout Bay's Nadine Gordimer. The vessel was returned to the water on 6 November 2012.