Atlantic 21-class lifeboat

The Atlantic 21 Inshore lifeboat was the first generation rigid inflatable boat (RIB), in the B-class series of Inshore lifeboats, that were operated around the shores of the British Isles and the Channel Islands by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), between 1972 and 2008.

The Inshore boat was designed at Atlantic College in South Wales, the birthplace of the RIB, after which the craft is named. The college was also one of nine locations where the RNLI first established lifeboat stations using smaller inshore watercraft. Atlantic College Lifeboat Station was operated by the RNLI between 1963 and 2013.

The development of the Atlantic 21 resulted in the larger Atlantic 75-class, with production beginning in 1993. The Atlantic 75 gradually replaced the Atlantic 21, with the majority of the ninety-six Atlantic 21 lifeboats retired from service by 2006. Just a handful remained on service into 2007 and 2008, with the last two Atlantic 21 lifeboats, at Enniskillen Lifeboat Station (Upper and Lower), both withdrawn from operational duties on 26 February 2008.

Description

The Atlantic 21 can be launched from a davit, carriage or floating boathouse depending on the location of the station and the available facilities.

The lifeboat is a rigid inflatable boat (RIB), with the hull constructed of Fibre-reinforced plastic, subdivided into water-tight compartments, and manufactured at Halmatic Ltd. of Havant. The boats are then fitted out at the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre at East Cowes, Isle of Wight. A roll-bar is fitted above the engines, which carries an inflatable air-bag for self-righting, which can be inflated by a crew-member from a gas bottle should the boat capsize.

The boat carries a variety of equipment which includes two VHF radios, first aid kit and oxygen, GPS navigation system, night vision equipment, self-righting system, anchor and various warps, toolkit, towing system, illuminating and distress pyrotechnics, spotlight, torches.

All of the following fleet details are referenced to the 2026 Lifeboat Enthusiast Society Handbook, with information retrieved directly from RNLI records.

Atlantic 21 fleet

Op.No.	Name	In service	Station	Comments
B-500	Unnamed	1970	Hartlepool	First Atlantic 21 (Prototype), trialled at various locations. On display in the RNLI Heritage Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard, December 2025.
1970	Mudeford
1970	Lyme Regis
1972	Littlehampton
1972	Largs
1972–1973	Appledore
1973	Littlehampton
1973–1977	Relief fleet
B-501	Unnamed	1970–1973	Relief fleet
1973	Lyme Regis
1973–1977	Relief fleet
B-502	Unnamed	1970–1972	Trials
B-503	Unnamed	1972–1975	Hartlepool
1975–1981	Relief fleet
B-504	Blue Peter I	1972–1973	Littlehampton
B-505	Major Osman Gabriel	1972–1975	Queensferry
1975–1979	Relief fleet
1979–1980	Silloth
1980–1981	Atlantic College
B-506	Unnamed	1972–1976	West Mersea
1976–1978	Relief fleet
1978	Staithes and Runswick
1978–1981	Relief fleet
B-507	Griende	1972–2005	KNRM
B-508	Unnamed	1973–1980	Atlantic College
B-509	Unnamed	1973–1981	New Brighton
1981–1985	Relief fleet
B-510	Tuimelaar	1973–<2007	KNRM
B-511	Co-Operative No.1	1973	Largs
1975–1979	Hayling Island
1981–1982	Newbiggin
1982	Hunstanton
1982–1985	Relief fleet
1985–1989	Clacton-on-Sea
1989–1997	Relief fleet
B-512	U.S.Navy League	1973–1980	Lyme Regis	Damaged by vandals and scrapped
1980–1990	Relief fleet
1990–1992	Walmer
1992–1994	Relief fleet
1994–1995	Bundoran
1995–1997	Relief fleet
1997–1998	Weymouth
1998	Clifden
1998–1999	Relief fleet
1999–2001	Sligo Bay
2001–2009	Publicity fleet
B-513	William McCunn and Broom Church Youth Fellowship	1973–1980	Largs
1980–1988	Relief fleet
1988–1990	Bangor
1990–1997	Relief fleet
B-514	Guide Friendship 1	1974–1983	Aberdovey	Sold to ICE-SAR
1983–1984	Relief fleet
1984–1985	Clacton-on-Sea
1986	Redcar
1986–1991	Relief fleet
1991–1992	Cullercoats
1992–2000	Relief fleet
B-515	Blue Peter II	1976–1985	Beaumaris
Vee Webber	1985–1992	Relief fleet	Sold to ICE-SAR
1992–1993	Port Erin
1993–1994	Flamborough
1994–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Penarth
1996–2000	Relief fleet
B-516	Whitstable Branch	1974–1983	Whitstable
1983–1990	Relief fleet
B-517	Blue Peter I	1973–1974	Littlehampton
B-518	Sole Bay	1973–1985	Southwold	Last reported as privately owned at St Helens, Isle of Wight
1985–1987	Relief fleet
1987–1988	Falmouth
1988–1990	Relief fleet
B-519	Surrey Forester	1973–1986	Lymington
1986–1990	Relief fleet
B-520	Wildenrath Whizzer	1974–1986	Appledore
1986–1990	Redcar
1990–1993	Relief fleet
1993–2005	Publicity fleet
B-521	Mary Livingstone	1975–1981	Queensferry
1981–1984	Relief fleet
1984	Ramsgate
1984–1994	Relief fleet
B-522	Dolfijn	1974–????	KNRM
B-523	Blue Peter I	1974–1985	Littlehampton	Later named Bay Mermaid I with Cardiff Harbour Authority.
Unnamed	1985–1988	Relief fleet
1988	Kirkcudbright
1988–1995	Relief fleet
1995–1998	Inshore Lifeboat Centre
B-524	Unnamed	1974–????	KNRM
B-525	Unnamed	1974–1975	Relief fleet	Named Spix's Macaw after being re-hulled in 1992.
1975	Blackpool
1975–1979	Relief fleet
1979–1980	Hayling Island
1980–1988	Relief fleet
1988–1991	Kirkcudbright
1991–1992	Relief fleet
Spix's Macaw	1992–1993	Relief fleet
1993	Kilkeel
1993–1998	Relief fleet
1998	Weymouth
1998–1999	Relief fleet
1999	Sligo Bay
1999–2001	Relief fleet
2001	Sligo Bay
2001–2002	Relief fleet
2002–2004	Enniskillin (Upper)
B-526	Unnamed	1974–1978	Relief fleet	LifeSaving Victoria, AU, VMR900 Mornington & Hastings, AU. 2010 - Transferred to Lifesaving Victoria (Melbourne, Australia). 2013 - Operated by VMR Mornington & Hastings - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc - (Mornington, Australia). Renamed LSV 001 (2020)
1978–1987	Harwich
1987–1995	Relief fleet
1995	Hayling Island
1997–1998	Clacton-on-Sea
1998–2002	Relief fleet
2002–2009	Training fleet
B-527	Percy Garon (Civil Service)	1976–1986	Southend-on-Sea	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
1986–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Red Bay
1996–1998	Relief fleet
1998	Arran (Lamlash)
B-528	Unnamed	1975–1976	Relief fleet
1976–1978	Blackpool
1978–1982	Relief fleet
1982	Hunstanton
1982–1998	Relief fleet
1998	Helvick Head
1998–2000	Relief fleet
B-529	Alexander Duckham	1976–1987	West Mersea
1988–1990	Mudeford
1991–1993	Falmouth
1993–2000	Relief fleet
B-530	Himley Hall	1975–1981	Eastney
1981–1985	Relief fleet
1985–1989	Macduff
1989–1993	Relief fleet
B-531	Foresters	1975–1988	Great Yarmouth and Gorleston	2002–2011 with Poole Harbour Commission. Sold 2011 to Aegir Nautical.
1988–1993	Relief fleet
1993–1994	Criccieth
1994–1995	Relief fleet
1995	Lough Swilly
1996	Galway
1996–1998	Relief fleet
1998	Clovelly
1998–2001	Relief fleet
2001	Sligo Bay
2001–2002	Relief fleet
B-532	Guide Friendship III	1976–1986	Hartlepool	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
1986–1998	Relief fleet
B-533	Unnamed	1976–1988	Littlestone-on-Sea
1988–1990	Relief fleet
1990–1991	Teignmouth
1991–1992	Relief fleet
1992–1993	Kilkeel
1993–1995	Relief fleet
1995	Kinghorn
1995–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Galway
1996–1998	Relief fleet
B-534	Unnamed	–	–	1975. Reported to have been sold to MOD
B-535	R.A.O.B.	1975–1976	Hartlepool	Sold 2011. Renamed Aga B, private ownership in Szczecin, Poland, used for pleasure, training and safety boat (also cooperating with local volunteer rescue services)
1976–1992	Berwick-upon-Tweed
1992–1995	Relief fleet
1995–1997	Kyle of Lochalsh
Clara T	1997–2010	Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue
B-536	Unnamed	1976–1989	Peel
1989–1992	Relief fleet
1992–1994	Sheringham
1994–1997	Relief fleet
1997	Helvick Head
1997–1999	Relief fleet
B-537	Unnamed	1976–1978	Relief fleet
1978–1979	Blackpool
1979–1983	Relief fleet
1983–1984	Youghal
1984–1986	Relief fleet
1986–1988	St Abbs
1988–1999	Relief fleet
B-538	Lord Brotherton	1978–1989	Staithes and Runswick
1989–1990	Relief fleet
1990	Teignmouth
B-539	Lions International District 105 SE	1978–1989	Brighton
1989–1990	Relief fleet
1990–1991	St Catherine
1991–1994	Relief fleet
1994	Sheringham
1994–1995	Relief fleet
1995	Newquay
1995–1998	Relief fleet
B-540	Wolverhampton	1978–1990	Abersoch	Sold to ICE-SAR
1990–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Trearddur Bay
1996–2000	Relief/Training fleet
B-541	Elizabeth Bestwick	1976–1988	Relief fleet
1988–1991	Falmouth
1992–1993	Berwick-upon-Tweed
1993–1994	Falmouth
1994–1995	Hayling Island
1995–1996	Weymouth
1996–1997	Relief fleet
B-542	William Yeo	1976–1987	Relief fleet
1987–2003	Inshore Lifeboat Centre
B-543	Round Table	1978–1990	Helensburgh
1990–1996	Relief fleet
1996–1997	Weymouth
1997–1998	Skerries
1998–1999	Clovelly
1999–2001	Relief fleet
B-544	Catherine Plumbley	1979–1994	Minehead	Sold to ICE-SAR
1995	St Bees
1995–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Weymouth
1996–1998	Relief fleet
B-545	Amelia Gregory Armstrong	1980–1995	Silloth
1995–1998	Relief fleet
B-546	Independent Forester Benevolence	1980–1997	Lyme Regis	Last reported in private ownership in Portugal
1997–1998	Relief fleet
B-547	Independent Forester Liberty	1980–1998	Largs	Renamed Káraborg (BB-7482) with ICE-SAR
B-548	Aldershot	1980–1994	Hayling Island	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society, later with Muhu Maritime Rescue Society (Muhu, Saaremaa, Estonia)
1994–1995	Poole
1995–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Rye Harbour
1996–1999	Relief fleet
B-549	Blenwatch	1981–1996	New Brighton	Sold to ICE-SAR
1996	Porthcawl
1996–1997	Relief fleet
1997–1998	Tighnabruaich
1998–2001	Relief fleet
2001–2003	Enniskillin (Lower)
B-550	City of Portsmouth	1981–1996	Portsmouth	1998 - Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society. Later sold to Estonian Maritime Rescue Organization (Tallinna Vabatahtlik Merepääste/Tallinn SAR)
1996–1998	Relief fleet
B-551	Constance Macnay	1981–1997	Queensferry	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
1997–1998	Relief fleet
1998–1999	Clifden
B-552	Bruinvis	1981–2006	KNRM Ter Heyde
B-553	Kirklees	1982–1998	Newbiggin
1998–1999	Helvick Head
1999–2000	Relief fleet
Dove	2000–2013	Sandown and Shanklin (Ind.)
2013–	Lagan Search and Rescue
B-554	American Ambassador	1982–2000	Atlantic College	Last reported in Australia
2000–2001	Relief fleet
B-555	Long Life I	1982–1985	Relief fleet
1985	Macduff
1986	Portaferry
1986–1993	Relief fleet
1993	Falmouth
1993–1995	Relief fleet
1995	St Bees
1995–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Kilrush
B-556	Spirit of America	1982–1998	Hunstanton	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
1998–1999	Relief fleet
B-557	Weston Centenary	1983–2001	Weston-super-Mare	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-558	Ramsgate Enterprise	1984–2000	Ramsgate
2000–2001	Relief fleet
St. Brendan	2002–2007	Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue (Ind.)
B-559	Long Life 3	1984–1999	Aberdovey	Last reported renamed Spirit of Tortola in British Virgin Islands
1999–2002	Relief fleet
B-560	British Diver	1983–2000	Whitstable
B-561	Marjorie Turner	1984–2002	Youghal	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
B-562	The Quiver	1985–1998	Southwold	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
1998–2001	Relief fleet
B-563	Blue Peter II	1985–2000	Beaumaris	Sold to Finnish Lifeboat Society
Unnamed	2000–2002	Relief fleet
B-564	Blue Peter I	1985–2001	Littlehampton
Unnamed	2001–2003	Relief fleet
B-565	Manchester and District XXXII	1986–1997	Appledore
1997–1998	Relief fleet
B-566	Frank and Mary Atkinson	1986–2002	Lymington	Now named Willemtje with KNRM
B-567	Percy Garon II	1986–2001	Southend-on-Sea	Sold to Chilean Lifeboat Service. In service as 'R-9' with Bote Salvavidas de Iquique, Chile, January 2026.
2001–2002	Relief fleet
2002	Great Yarmouth and Gorleston
2002–2004	Relief fleet
B-568	Burton Brewer	1986–2000	Hartlepool	Last reported with Dorset Police (P-002)
2000–2002	Relief fleet
2002	St Abbs
2002–2005	Relief fleet
2005–2007	Training fleet
2008–2010	Hired to Dorset Police (P-002)
B-569	Blue Peter V	1986–1994	Portaferry
Unnamed	1994–1997	Relief fleet
1997–1998	Helvick Head
1998–2000	Relief/Training fleet
B-570	Himley Hall	1987–2001	West Mersea
2001–2005	Relief fleet
B-571	British Diver II	1987–2002	Harwich	VMR Mornington, Australia, 2008–2016 - Operated by LifeSaving Victoria (Melbourne, Australia)2016–2021 Operated by VMR Mornington - Volunteer Marine Rescue Inc (Mornington, Australia)2021–Present, In private ownership (Mornington, Australia)
2002–2006	Relief fleet
2006–2021	Training fleet
B-572	Dorothy and Katherine Barr	1988–2001	St Abbs	Sold to Chilean Lifeboat Service
B-573	The Lady Dart and Long Life II	1988–2001	Littlestone-on-Sea	Sold to Chilean Lifeboat Service
B-574	Joseph B. Press	1988–2002	Great Yarmouth and Gorleston
2002–2007	Relief fleet
2007–2008	Training fleet
B-575	John Batstone	1989–1992	Peel
1992–1997	Relief fleet
1997–1998	Clifden
1998–2000	Relief fleet
2000–2002	Crosshaven
2002–2005	Relief fleet
B-576	Ellis Sinclair	1989–2002	Staithes and Runswick
2002–2006	Relief fleet
B-577	Graham Hillier and Tony Cater	1989–1997	Brighton	Last reported named Ira since 2005, with Nisos Yacht Charter in the Ionian Islands, Greece
1997–1999	Relief fleet
Sidmouth Herald	1999–2004	Sidmouth Lifeboat
B-578	The Rotary Club of Glasgow	1989–2006	Macduff	Sold to Dorset Police (P-001). Now in private ownership in the Netherlands, named Anna Jacoba
2006–2008	Training fleet
2008–2010	Hired to Dorset Police (P-001)
B-579	Institute of London Underwriters	1989–1997	Clacton-on-Sea
1997–2001	Relief fleet
2001–2002	St Abbs
2002–2003	Relief fleet
B-580	Leicester Challenge	1990–2001	Redcar
2001–2002	Sligo Bay
2002	Enniskillin (Upper)
2002–2009	Relief fleet
B-581	Andrew Mason	1990–2002	Helensburgh
2002–2004	Relief fleet
2004–2008	Enniskillin (Upper)
B-582	Borough of Solihull	1990–2002	Abersoch	2008–2011 with Dorset Police (P-003). 2011 - returned to RNLI
2002–2007	Relief fleet
2007–2008	Training fleet
2008–2009	Hired to Dorset Police (P-003)
B-583	Ken Derham	1990–2006	Mudeford	2021, Purchased by Safetyboat Services Ltd for use as a safety / rescue boat
2006–2009	Training fleet
B-584	Youth of Ulster	1990–2006	Bangor
B-585	Peter and Grace Ewing	1991–2006	Kirkcudbright
B-586	Clothworker	1991–1998	Relief fleet
1998–1999	Cardigan
1999–2001	Relief fleet
2001–2002	Littlehampton
2002–2004	Relief fleet
2004–2007	Lough Derg
2007–2009	Relief fleet
B-587	Jessie Eliza	1991–2000	St Catherine
B-588	Frank and Dorothy	1991–2006	Teignmouth
2006–2008	Relief fleet
2008–2009	Storage
B-589	James Burgess	1992–2006	Walmer	2009 - Sold to Gardline
2006–2009	Training fleet
B-590	Wolverson X-Ray	1992–1993	Relief fleet
1993–1994	Aberystwyth
1994–1996	Relief fleet
1996	Kilrush
1996–1997	Galway
1997–2002	Relief fleet
2002	Youghal
2002–2006	Relief fleet
2006–2007	Cullercoats
2007–2009	Training fleet
The Dove II	2011–	Sandown and Shanklin (Ind.)
B-591	Edmund and Joan White	1992–2006	Cullercoats	Sold to ICE-SAR in Eskifjordur
2006–2008	Enniskillin (Lower)
B-592	Ernest Armstrong	1992–1998	Relief fleet
1998–2001	Arran (Lamlash)
2001–2003	Relief fleet
2003–2006	Enniskillin (Lower)
B-593	Valerie Hull	1993–2006	Kilkeel	2010–2013 with Oban Sea Cadets. 2013–2021 in private ownership
John Collins II	2022–	Bonmahon Lifeboat (CRBI)
B-594	Herbert and Edith	1993–2006	Port Erin
B-595	Falmouth Round Table	1994–2007	Falmouth	Sold to KNRM

External links

Atlantic College Lifeboat Station