Tamar-class lifeboat
The Padstow lifeboat Spirit of Padstow
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Tamar class |
| Builders: |
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| Operators: |
 Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Kent Police
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| Preceded by: | Tyne |
| Cost: | £2.6m |
| Built: | 2000–2013 |
| In service: | 2006– |
| Building: | 0 |
| Planned: | 27 |
| Completed: | 27 |
| Active: | 27 |
| Retired: | 1 (Prototype) |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 31.5 t (31 long tons) |
| Length: | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Beam: | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Draught: | 1.35 m (4.4 ft) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 25 knots (29 mph; 46 km/h) |
| Range: | 250 nmi (460 km) |
| Capacity: | 118 (self-righting up to 44) |
| Complement: | 7 |
Tamar-class lifeboats are all-weather lifeboats (ALBs) operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. They have replaced the majority of the older Tyne-class ALBs. The prototype was built in 2000 and 27 production boats were introduced between 2006 and 2013.
The class name comes from the River Tamar in south west England which flows into the English Channel where they were manufactured by Babcock International Group.
Since 1982 the RNLI had deployed Tyne-class lifeboats at stations which launched their boats down slipways or needed to operate in shallow waters. The organisation desired to increase the speed and range of their operations so introduced faster Severn and Trent boats starting in 1994 at locations where they could be moored afloat. They then needed to produce a boat with similar capabilities but with protected propellers and other modifications that would allow it to be launched on a slipway.
Although nominally the replacement for the Tyne-class ALBs, only twenty seven Tamars have been built (compared to forty Tynes). The remaining Tynes will be replaced by Shannon-class boats.
The prototype Tamar was built in 2000 and was used for trials until 2006. It was sold in December 2008 to Kent Police, becoming Princess Alexandra III, the force's permanent maritime vessel operating out of Sheerness. The first production boat, Haydn Miller entered service at Tenby in March 2006. A few of the early boats suffered problems such as fuel leaking under the floor of the engine room around hydraulic lines. These boats were recalled and the problems rectified.
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