All-weather lifeboat

Rother class

Royal National Lifeboat Institution · United Kingdom & Ireland

Retired

Self-righting development of the Oakley class, redesigned so the hull form alone rights the boat, with radar fitted from new.

Specifications

Hull & dimensions

Manufacturer / builder: William Osborne, Littlehampton; Groves & Guttridge
Hull type: —
Hull material: —
Watertight compartments: —
Length overall: 11.43 m (37.5 ft)
Length at waterline: —
Beam: 3.51 m (11.5 ft)
Draught: 1.07 m (3.5 ft)
Freeboard at bow: —
Freeboard at stern: —
Displacement: 13 t (14.3 US tons)
Gross tonnage: —
Net tonnage: —
Min vertical clearance: —
Height to highest unfixed point: —
Height to highest fixed point: —
Number built: 14
Year introduced: 1973
Year retired: —

Machinery & propulsion

Propulsion type: Twin 52 hp diesel
Engines: —
Engine manufacturer: —
Total engine power: —
Fuel type: —
Total fuel capacity: —
Fresh water capacity: —
Launch method: —

Performance & capabilities

Maximum speed: 8 kn (14.8 km/h · 9.2 mph)
Range: 180 nm (333 km · 207 mi)
Endurance: —
Crew complement: 7
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]	Rother-class lifeboat Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rother-class_lifeboat	reference	General	2026-09-30
[2]	New Rother Class Life-Boat (1972) RNLI Lifeboat Magazine https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/42/441/new-rother-class-life-boat	official	General	2026-09-30