Dover LifeBoat

[Wayne Rogers]

I was down Kent on business Thursday/Friday,stayed over in Dover for the night and dropped in to take a look around the Marina.I got talking to the Head Mechanic for the LifeBoat, what a great guy he was he gave me a detailed guided tour of the boat from the flying bridge down to the engine room,he even fired all the electronics up for me to have a look at.What a seroius bit of kit that boat is.

Thanks Jamie (RNLI Crew Member aswell as Mechanic)

[osprey__viper]

Awsome Makes ya feel a little safer

Martin

[codprawn]

Brilliant looking boat but looks a little top heavy for something that has to go out in such conditions!!!

Oh I will bet it is self righting and will have passed numerous stability tests but surely the less top weight the better??? Or don't the laws of physics apply any more???

[Jonny Fuller]

Cod, remember you're basing your theory on your perception of 'top heavy', ie, looking purely at the shape of the boat.

The thing will have enormous weight low in the bilge in the form of a couple of oul clunkers, and god knows what else, and l'd imagine the superstructure is built as light as possible.

I'm sure it's happier the right way up! without the need for additional self righting gear, I mean,...it's a hard boat innit!

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Brilliant looking boat but looks a little top heavy for something that has to go out in such conditions!!!

And there's the RNLI with a couple of hundred years experience and multi million pound development budgets -- what are they thinking?

Perhaps you could help them out with a few technical tips!

John

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

And there's the RNLI with a couple of hundred years experience and multi million pound development budgets -- what are they thinking?

Perhaps you could help them out with a few technical tips!

John

I am fully aware of that - I am also fully aware of the fact the engines and all the other heavy bits are as low down as possible - no doubt the superstructure is made of light weight alloy etc etc BUT I still think it would have been possible to reduce the top load somewhat - the less up there the better!!!

Have you ever stood on top of a flybridge boat in a chop???

As to the sarky comments John for what it's worth I think that you will find that I am pretty well versed on the laws of physics!!!!

As to "multi million pound budgets and all the experience" you will find that the engineers who designed the millenium bridge in London were also "top notch". According to them the bridge swaying in time to people walking across it was an "unknown problem"!!! IKB was well aware of it when he built the Clifton Bridge!!! And he didn't have CAD to help him!!!

[gingercoastie]

The height of the flybridge makes tham a more effective search unit, which is kind of the whole point of a lifeboat in the first place, you cant rescue someone until you have found them.

[Wayne Rogers]

Yeah you're right, at berth it was rocking from side to side and felt very top heavy,the guy was telling me that they get through loads of sick bags,and that's just for the crew.They are designed so that the cockpit is like a boat within a boat and that is how the self righting system works.Most of the upper deck is carbon composite material of some sort so it is very light,but boy she does rock,he was telling me that it is very hairy when along side a large ship when she starts to lean over.If you look at their website it gives the full spec.The engines are something else, two massive Catapillars

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I am pretty well versed on the laws of physics... IKB

So in this case IKB is I Know Best???

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Richard B

So in this case IKB is I Know Best???

Too right!!!

Seems like what Wayne has just said tends to back it up......

Of course the boat is not going to be unsafe and as has been pointed out boats like this rely on passive self righting (sealed structure) rather than inflatable bags etc BUT stable it isn't!!!

Also the windage could be considerable although I am sure the RNLI helmsman will be able to overcome it - still if it was to be reduced.....

Obviously the higher up the better for spotting people in the water - but there is a great new idea for that - think it's called a crows nest - god help the poor bloke in it though!!! Maybe a camera with IR instead???