Class overview
BuildersLochin Marine International Ltd., Rye, East Sussex
Operators
Preceded byRother
Succeeded byArun
Built1981–1985
In service1982–
Completed10
Active3
Retired7
General characteristics
TypeMotor lifeboat
Displacement8.5 long tons (8.6 t)
Length33 ft (10 m)
Beam12 ft (3.7 m)
Draught4 ft 3 in (1.30 m)
Speed18.6 knots (21.4 mph)
Range140 nautical miles (260 km)
Capacity8 plus 1 stretcher
Crew4

The Brede-class lifeboat was operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom between 1982 and 2002, at which time it was the fastest all-weather lifeboat in its fleet. Eleven were put into service and when replaced by larger boats, seven were sold for further use as lifeboats, mainly in South Africa.

The class took its name from the River Brede which joins the River Rother to flow into the English Channel at Rye, Sussex.

History

During the 1960s and 1970s the RNLI had placed a number of fast lifeboats into service. These had mostly been 44 ft (13 m) Waveney-class lifeboats but there was a need for smaller, more manoeuvrable boats that were larger than the Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboats. A large boat was built using the construction methods of the Atlantic 21 but this Medina-class lifeboat was never adopted.[1] A prototype Brede was constructed in 1981 and the following year the first two production Brede-class were built.[2] These had a larger wheelhouse than the prototype and placed in service at Fowey and Oban lifeboat stations in October.[3] Ten more production boats followed but production ceased in 1985. The first Brede to be withdrawn was RNLB Ann Richie (ON 1080) which only saw five years service. By the end of 1994 the fleet had been reduced to just five boats; three in the relief fleet and those stationed at Poole and Calshot.[2] The boats had been too small to operate in extreme weather and surveys highlighted potential problems with structural strength.[1]

Most of the fleet found new use with other rescue services. One was transported to New Zealand in 1993. Six were bought between 1994 and 2002 by the National Sea Rescue Institute in South Africa.[2], with a seventh boat purchased privately in 2012, to replace Sanlam Rescuer (RNLI ON 1102) which was destroyed by fire awaiting refit.
In September 2016, the NSRI announced that they were embarking on a project to replace their ageing Brede lifeboat fleet, starting with Eikos Rescuer II (RNLI ON 1104) based in Durban, with further replacements planned for every two years. The Brede lifeboats will be sold out of the fleet as they are replaced.[4] As of Nov 2023, 3 are still in service.

Description

The Brede was built with a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) hull, a strengthened version of a commercial design by Lochin Marine of Rye, Sussex. It was fitted with twin 203 hp diesel engines which gave it a top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h) which was faster than any other all-weather lifeboat in the fleet until the introduction of the Severn and Trent classes in 1991. It had an operating range of 140 nautical miles (260 km).[5]

The hull was divided into five watertight compartments and spaces were filled with buoyant materials which combined with a watertight GRP wheelhouse to give it a self-righting capability. A survivors' cabin was sited forward of the wheelhouse with eight seats and a stretcher could be carried in the wheelhouse which had seats for the four crew members.[5]

RNLI fleet

All built by Lochin Marine, Rye

ON[lower-alpha 1] Op. No.[lower-alpha 2] Name Built In service Station Comments[6]
1066 33-01 – 1981 – – Trials boat 1981–1982. Sold 1983. Renamed John Alexander. Used as a workboat at Yarmouth.
July 2019, Workboat, Southampton East Docks
1080 33-02 Ann Richie 1982 1982–1987 Oban Broken up 1988.
1083 33-03 Leonore Chilcott 1982 1982–1987 Fowey Sold 1990 for use as a diving support boat at Littlehampton. In 2000 she took up duty as a pilot boat at Braye.[3] Alderney. MMSI 235104864
1084 33-04 Philip Vaux 1982 1983–1989 Girvan Sold 1990. Renamed Mourne Mist.
December 2022, Pilot boat at Greencastle, Carlingford Lough. MMSI 235084945
1087 33-05 Merchant Navy 1983 1983–1987 Relief fleet Sold 1990; in use as a pleasure boat Lyonesse on the River Hamble.[2]
Sold to South Africa in 2012 for further use as a lifeboat.[7]
1987–1989 Oban
1088 33-06 Caroline Finch 1983 1983–1994 Exmouth Sold 1994 to South Africa.[8]
1089 33-07 Inner Wheel 1983 1983–2001 Poole Sold 2002 to South Africa.
2001–2002 Calshot
1090 33-08 Foresters Future 1984 1984–1986 Alderney Sold 2002 to South Africa.
1986–2002 Relief fleet
1101 33-09 Enid of Yorkshire 1984 1984–1997 Relief fleet Sold 1997 to South Africa.
1102 33-10 Nottinghamshire 1984 1984–1988 Invergordon Sold 1997 to South Africa.
1989–1997 Oban
1104 33-11 Safeway 1985 1985–2001 Calshot Sold 2002 to South Africa.
1105 33-12 Amateur Swimming Associations 1985 1985–1989 Relief fleet Sold September 1993 to New Zealand.
1989–1993 Girvan
  1. ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Other fleets

New Zealand

Operated by New Zealand Coast Rescue, Nelson

RNLI ON Name[2] In Service Station Comments[6]
1105 Sealord Rescue 1993–2011 Port Nelson Sold 2012. Renamed Girvan, Private ownership, Queen Charlotte Sound, Picton, NZ, restored to RNLI livery.

South Africa

Former RNLI Brede-Class lifeboats operated by the National Sea Rescue Institute in South Africa. As from 2019, the NSRI has embarked on a project to replace the ageing Brede fleet with a new class of lifeboat.

RNLI ON Name[2] In Service with NSRI Station MMSI[9] Comments[6]
1087 Rescue 15[7][10] 2012–2021 Mossel Bay (Rescue 15) Acquired 2012 from UK to replace Sanlam Rescuer. Refit completed 6 November 2012[11]
Decommissioned May 2021. Sold to Bridge Maritime Ltd, SA.
1088 South Star
 1994–2021 Hermanus (Rescue 17) Refit 2011.[12]
Sold 2022 to Bridge Maritime Ltd, SA
1089 Nadine Gordimer
 2002– Hout Bay (Rescue 8) 601029700 Refit March 2012,[13] completed 20 February 2013.[14]
1090 Spirit of Safmarine III
 2002–2021
2021–		 Simon's Town (Rescue 10)
Mossel Bay (Rescue 15)		 601029500 Refit 2014 at Treetops Marine.[15]
Moved to Station 15 Mossel Bay in May 2021.
1101 Spirit of Toft
 1997– Port Elizabeth (Rescue 6) 601105100 2017, Refit in Cape Town
1102 Sanlam Rescuer
 1997–2010 Gordons Bay (Rescue 9) Destroyed by fire whilst awaiting refit, December 2010.
1104 Eikos Rescuer II
 2002–2019 Durban (Rescue 5) 601664000 Sold and renamed Bosss Charger, with Bosss Marine, Durban, SA

References

  1. 1 2 Kipling, Ray; Kipling, Susannah (2006). Never Turn Back. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-4307-6.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Denton, Tony (2009). Handbook 2009. Shrewsbury: Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 28–31.
  3. 1 2 Leach, Nicholas (2002). Fowey Lifeboats: An Illustrated History. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. pp. 63–69. ISBN 0-7524-2378-9.
  4. ↑ "New Search and Rescue Vessel for Durban". 19 September 2016.
  5. 1 2 Wake-Walker, Edward; Deane, Heather; Purches, Georgette (1989). Lifeboat! Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 41. ISBN 0-7110-1835-9.
  6. 1 2 3 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
  7. 1 2 "Ex RNLI Deep Sea Rescue boat arrives". National Sea Rescue Institute. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  8. ↑ Salsbury, Alan (2010). A History of the Exmouth Lifeboats. Wellington, Somerset: Halsgrove. pp. 107–120. ISBN 978-0-85704-073-2.
  9. ↑ "Marine Traffic".
  10. ↑ "Rescue 15 ready for trip to Mossel Bay". National Sea Rescue Institute. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  11. ↑ "Brede's at Treetops". 26 October 2012.
  12. ↑ "South Star Rededication". NRSI. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  13. ↑ "Hout Bay rescue boat off for refit". 28 March 2012.
  14. ↑ "Hout Bay rescue boat refit complete". 20 February 2013.
  15. ↑ "Spirit of Safmarine III is home". NSRI. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
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