Solent-class lifeboat
The Solent-class lifeboat is a steel-hulled version of the Oakley-class self-righting lifeboat and is sometimes referred to as the 48-foot, 6-inch Oakley-class Mark III. Solent Operational Numbers followed on from the first three 48-foot, 6-inch Oakleys and were interrupted by the last two Oakleys. The operational numbers of the Solent-class had three digits in the suffix to indicate a metal hull. Two digits indicates a wooden, glass-reinforced plastic or fiber-reinforced composite hull.
Description
The Solent was powered by twin 110 bhp Gardner 6LX diesel engines which gave the boat a top speed of. There were twin spade rudders installed which were coupled to Mathway manual steering gear.Apart from the steel hull, the Solent-class differed from the Oakley-class in its self-righting mechanism. The Oakley used a water ballast system, while the Solent class was self-righting as a result of its watertight superstructure. The Solent was the last class of traditional displacement-type lifeboats designed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
There were two versions of the Solent, unofficially known as "Mark I" and "Mark II". The "Mark I" boats have a vertical steering wheel. Sliding doors provide access to the forward end of the wheelhouse on each side. The "Mark II" boats have a seated steering position with hinged wheelhouse doors at the after end of the wheelhouse. These boats entered service in 1972.
The first four Solent-class boats and the last three were built by Groves & Guttridge at Cowes. The second four were built by Camper & Nicholson at Gosport.