Motor lifeboat

52ft Barnett class

Royal National Lifeboat Institution · United Kingdom & Ireland

Retired

The final version of the Barnett non-self-righting motor lifeboat, the RNLI's large offshore boat for much of the 20th century.

Specifications

Hull & dimensions

Manufacturer / builder: J. Samuel White; Saunders-Roe; Groves & Guttridge
Hull type: —
Hull material: —
Watertight compartments: —
Length overall: 15.8 m (51.8 ft)
Length at waterline: —
Beam: 4.11 m (13.5 ft)
Draught: —
Freeboard at bow: —
Freeboard at stern: —
Displacement: 28 t (30.9 US tons)
Gross tonnage: —
Net tonnage: —
Min vertical clearance: —
Height to highest unfixed point: —
Height to highest fixed point: —
Number built: 20
Year introduced: 1950
Year retired: 1988

Machinery & propulsion

Propulsion type: Twin diesel, propellers in tunnels
Engines: —
Engine manufacturer: —
Total engine power: —
Fuel type: —
Total fuel capacity: —
Fresh water capacity: —
Launch method: —

Performance & capabilities

Maximum speed: 9.5 kn (17.6 km/h · 10.9 mph)
Range: 300 nm (556 km · 345 mi)
Endurance: —
Crew complement: —
People capacity: —
Self-righting: —
Self-bailing: —
Ice operations capable: —
Max ice-breaking thickness: —
Medical facilities onboard: —

Operational envelope & limits

Members-only

Operating limits (seas, surf, wind), towing and stability data, and detailed engineering specifications are available to Members.

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Source citations

#	Source	Type	Supports	Accessed
[1]	RNLI lifeboat trumps RNLI https://rnli.org/-/media/rnli/downloads/lifeboat_trumps_a4_printable.pdf	official	General	2026-09-30
[2]	Barnett-class lifeboat Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnett-class_lifeboat	reference	General	2026-09-30