Atlantic 21-class lifeboat

Falmouth Round Table (B-595) during Falmouth Lifeboat Day, August 2006.
Class overview
Name:	B-class (Atlantic 21)
Builders:	Inshore Lifeboat Centre, Cowes
Operators:	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded by:	C-class
Succeeded by:	B-class (Atlantic 75)
Built:	1969–1994
In service:	1970–2007
Completed:	96
General characteristics
Displacement:	1.4 tonnes
Length:	7.21 m (23.7 ft)
Beam:	2.49 m (8.2 ft)
Draught:	0.81 m (2.7 ft)
Propulsion:	2 × 70 hp (52 kW) 2-stroke outboard engines
Speed:	32 knots (37 mph)
Endurance:	3 hours
Capacity:	22
Complement:	3

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 (RIB), first developed at Atlantic College in South Wales.

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 (B-589) was retired to the relief fleet in December 2006, it was replaced by a B-class (Atlantic 85).

The Atlantic 21 can be launched from either a davit, trolley or from a 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 & 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.

2010-2013

2014-2016

LifeSaving Victoria, AU

VMR, AU

2010 - Transferred to Lifesaving Victoria (Melbourne, Australia)

2013 - Operated by VMR Mornington - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc - (Mornington, Australia)

2016 - Operated by VMR Hastings - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc (Hastings, Australia)