New 8m SAR RIB for rescue charity
A new lifeboat has recently been delivered to Lagan Search and Rescue, a Water Rescue charity based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Following a tender process, Lagan Search and Rescue (LSAR) chose UK boatbuilder Ribcraft to design and build its new lifeboat. The eight metre vessel has a three metre beam with twin engines, self-righting A frame and a large console giving fantastic weather protection and is built to comply with the Rescue Boat Code. It is the latest Search and Rescue design from Ribcraft with the same design handed over to Ryde Inshore Rescue on the Isle of Wight last year.
It is a state of the art rescue vessel featuring excellent sea keeping capabilities, powerful Twin Yamaha F150 engines giving a top speed of 45 Knots, full Ullman shock mitigating suspension seats, Raymarine electronics with the latest FLIR (Night Vision) system with augmented reality navigating systems. There is also a salvage pump capable of pumping water from sinking vessels.
The boat has a five crew wireless communication system with the addition of the latest technology from IWCS Denmark.
The Ribcraft comes from a long line of independent search and rescue projects over the last 30 years, with over 30 Ribcraft independent lifeboats built, many of which are still operating to this day, highlighting the durable nature of the craft.
The project was demanding with exacting requirements from the customer driven by the desire to replace the very tired existing boat which has been on service since 1981!
Ribcraft describes itself as ‘one of the only British manufacturers to design and construct the entire boat ‘in-house’ at its purpose-built factory’. In Yeovil, Somerset, each craft is built from the GRP hull, inflatable collar and stainless steel fittings to the electrical and engine installations.
Ribcraft manufactures hull sizes from 4.2 to 18.0 metres, for commercial or leisure use.
By Jake Frith
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