The Waveney-class lifeboat was the first class of lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) capable of operating at speeds in excess of . Based on an American design, 22 saw operational service between 1964 and 1999 at the RNLI's stations around the coast of the United Kingdom and Ireland. After being superseded by faster boats in the 1990s, many were sold for further use with lifeboat services abroad, notably in Australia and New Zealand.

The class name comes from the River Waveney, which discharges into the North Sea at Great Yarmouth.

History In the 1960s the RNLI's fleet consisted of motor lifeboats of limited speed due to the shape of their hulls. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) had developed a 44-foot motor lifeboat which planed across the surface of the water, the consequence of which is a reduced wetted surface area to the hull, and therefore a much higher speed. One was built for the RNLI by the USCG in Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard, Maryland, and this was put through extensive trials and proved capable of operating in restricted spaces, even though the propellers lacked the usual protection afforded to lifeboats.

The prototype was never given a name although the crews nicknamed it "The Yank". It entered trials in 1964 but the first production boats did not start to emerge until 1967. After six had been placed in service, there was a hiatus which lasted until 1974 when production was restarted, which then continued through until 1982, by which time 22 were in service. The entire fleet was replaced between 1996 and 1999 as new and lifeboats came into service, but many were sold for further use as lifeboats or pilot boats.

The boats launched in 1967 and 1968 were built by Brooke Marine at Lowestoft and those in 1974/75 by Groves and Gutteridge in Cowes. The 1976/77 batch came from Bideford Ship Yard and the last three from Fairey Marine in Cowes.

Two long versions were built, as the first of a proposed fleet of lifeboats, but the class was cancelled in favour of the lifeboat, with a different hull shape and improved crew facilities.

Description

The steel hull is long and wide, drawing of water. The hull is divided into seven watertight compartments including two survivor compartments and a crew space. The coxswain operates the boat from an open wheelhouse. Powered by a pair of diesel engines, it has an operating radius of .

Engines 2 x Cummins V6 diesel engine 2 x Cummins V6 diesel engine 2 x Detroit Diesel Series 53 GM 8V53 2-stroke V8 diesel 2 x (Ford 2704C) Mermaid 595T 4-cyl turbo-charged diesel 2 x Caterpillar 3208T turbo-charged diesel

40-001 was built with twin Cummins V6 engines, which were replaced in 1973, with the Ford Mermaid 595T 6-cylinder engines. These too were replaced in 1982, with the Caterpillar 3208T

40-002 – 40-007 were all built by Brooke Marine, and featured twin Cummins V6 engines. These were all replaced between 1979 and 1983 with the Caterpillar 3208T

Groves and Guttridge of Cowes built the next eight boats (40-008 – 40-015), all equipped with the General Motors 8V53, which were never replaced.

Four further boats (44-016 – 44-019), built by Bideford Shipyard, were given the Ford Mermaid 595T, with all engines being replaced between 1978 and 1982, with the Caterpillar 3208T.

Finally, the last three boats, (44-020 – 44-022), built by Fairey Allday Marine, received the Caterpillar 3208T from new.

RNLI fleet ON Op. No. Name Built Station Comments – 44-001 1964 1964–1996 Preserved in RNLI Heritage Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard.100144-002John F. Kennedy1966 1967–1990 Legacy of Miss Gibson, built by Brooke Marine, costing £33,000. Sold 1996.Renamed Sarah JFK. Last reported as Fortitude, Charter Boat, Lagos, Nigeria, October 2019. 1990–1996 Relief fleet100244-003Khami1967 1967–1980 Gift of Mr and Mrs Bedwell, built by Brooke Marine, costing £33,361. Sold 1999.RVCP Australia, See below:– 1980–1990 Relief fleet 1990 1990–1997 Relief fleet100344-004Faithful Forrester1967 1967–1979 Gift of the Ancient Order of Foresters, built by Brooke Marine, costing £35,000. Sold 1999.RVCP Australia, See below:– 1979–1984 Relief fleet 1984–1985 1985–1997 Relief fleet100444-005Margaret Graham1967 1967–1980 Funded by an anonymous gift, built by Brooke Marine, costing £37,838. Sold 1999.Renamed St Hilda of Whitby. Unaltered Pilot boat at Whitby, July 2024. 1980–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1999 100544-006Arthur and Blanche Harris1968 1968–1974 Legacy of Mrs Harris, built by Brooke Marine, costing £35,000. Sold 1999.RVCP Australia. See below:– 1974–1979 Relief fleet 1979–1985 1985–1993 Relief fleet 1993–1995 1995–1996 Relief fleet100644-007Connel Elizabeth Cargill1967 1968–1985 Gift of the 'W. A. Cargill Charitable Trust', built by Brooke Marine, costing £34,386. Sold 1999.RVCP Australia. See below:– 1986–1990 1990–1991 Relief fleet 1991 1991–1997 Relief fleet 1026 44-008 Eric Seal 1974 1974–1996 Gift of the Civil Service LB Fund, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £100,000. Sold 1999.Sea Rescue Institute, Namibia. See below:–1027144-009Helen Turnbull1974 1974–1996 Legacy of Mr Turnbull, plus the 'Medway LB Appeal', built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £100,000. Sold 1999.Renamed Badger, later Sturm, 2019. Last reported at Bowling Basin, Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, May 2023. 1996–1997 1997 Relief fleet102844-010Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse II1974 1974–1987 Legacy of Mr T. Field, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £100,000. Sold 1999.Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation. See below:– 1987–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet102944-011Augustine Courtauld1974 1974–1983 Gift of Mr W. P. Courtauld, plus the 'Mayor of Poole's LB Appeal, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £81,000. Sold 1999.RVCP Australia. See below:– 1983–1985 Relief fleet 1985–1987 1987–1988 1988–1990 Relief fleet 1990–1997 103344-012The White Rose of Yorkshire1974 1974–1988 Gift of Mrs G. Milburn, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £81,000. Sold 1999.Canadian Lifeboat Institution. See below:– 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet103444-013Thomas James King1975 1975–1989 Funded by the 'Jersey LB Appeal', built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £100,000. Sold 1998.Renamed Northesk, Pilot boat at Montrose.Sold April 2022.Renamed Ledra Express. Workboat for Ledra Ena Shipping, Limassol, Cyprus, October 2025. 1989–1993 Relief fleet 1993–1995 1995–1997 Relief fleet 1035 44-014 St Patrick 1975 1975–1996 Funded by the 'Irish LB Appeal', built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £100,000. Sold 1999.RVCP Australia. See below:– 103644-015Lady of Lancashire1975 1976–1989 Funded by an anonymous gift, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £130,000. Sold 1996.Renamed St Boisil. Pilot boat Berwick-on-Tweed.Sold August 2022.At Berwick-on-Tweed, November 2025. 1990–1995 1995–1996 Relief fleet104244-016Ralph and Joy Swann1976 1976–1990 Legacy of Mrs Crathorne, plus RNLI funds, built by Bideford Shipyard, costing £130,000. Sold July 1998.Renamed West Swann. Used as passenger ferry between West and East Falkland. Sitting derelict on hard standing, West Falkland, December 2025. 1990–1991 1991–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet 1997–1998 104344-017The Nelsons of Donaghadee1976 1976–1978 Funded by the RNLI, built by Bideford Shipyard, costing £130,000. Renamed Wavy Line in 1979 1978–1979 Relief fleetWavy Line 1979–1990 Relief fleetFunded by the 'Wavy Line Grocers Association'. Sold 1997.Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation. See Below:– 1990–1997 1044 44-018 The Scout 1977 1977–1997 Gift of The Scout Association, built by Bideford Shipyard, costing £122,000. Sold 1997.ADES Uruguay. See Below:–104544-019Louis Marchesi of Round Table1977 1977–1985 Gift of the Nat. Assoc. of Round Tables of Gt. Britain and Ireland, built by Bideford Shipyard, costing £150,000. Sold 1997.Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation. See Below:– 1985–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1994 1994–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet106044-020John Fison1980 1980–1996 Gift of Mrs Fison and Mrs Knowles-Franks, plus a legacy of Mrs Sutcliffe, built by Fairey Allday Marine, costing £260,000. Sold 1997.Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation. See Below:– 1996–1999 Relief fleet106544-021Barham1980 1980–1996 Legacy of Mr Stringer and Mrs Miles, built by Fairey Allday Marine, costing £260,000. Sold 1997.Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation. See Below:– 1996–1999 Relief fleet1079The William and Jane1982 1982–1995 Legacies of Miss Hewson, Mrs Grey, Mrs Whittaker, Mr Dunn and Mr Rowe, built by Fairey Allday Marine, costing £319,940. Sold 1997.Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation. See Below:– 1996–1999

Other fleets Australia RVCP Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol was formed in 1937. In 2008 it amalgamated with Australian Volunteer Coast Guard and Volunteer Rescue Association to form Marine Rescue New South Wales. RNLI ON Name Station Comments 1002 P&O Nedlloyd Stratheden 1999–2011 Sold 2011.Renamed Khami. Private Ownership, Esperance, Western Australia.Sold 2014.Yacht Club Rescue Vessel, Beauty Point, Tasmania, Australia. Restored to RNLI 44-003 livery.Sold 2023.Safety Vessel, Scarborough, Western Australia, September 2024. 1003 P&O Nedlloyd Strathmore 1999–2011 Narooma Sold 2011.Renamed Harbour Conquest, crew transfer and utility vessel, with Harbour Services Australia, Fremantle.Sold 2018.Last reported at Freemantle, Western Australia, May 2023.1005P&O Nedlloyd Strathallan 1999–2007 UlladullaSold 2009.Renamed Harbour Crusader.Crew transfer and utility vessel with Harbour Services Australia, Fremantle. Scrapped, June 2019 2007–2009 Broken Bay 1006 P&O Nedlloyd Rawalpindi 1999–2011 Mosman Sold 2011.Workboat/houseboat, Brisbane River, Queensland, Australia. Under restoration, December 2025.1029P&O Nedlloyd Strathaird 1999–2002 Broken BaySold 20 May 2011.Renamed Augustine Courtauld, work boat for Melbourne Charter Services P/L, Pier 35 Marina, Melbourne. Restored to RNLI 44-011 livery. Last reported on the hard at Melbourne, February 2025. 2002–2011 Trial Bay 1035 P&O Nedlloyd Strathnaver 1999–2009 Batemans Bay Sold 18 October 2009.Renamed St. Patrick Strathnaver, at Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia.Sold 6 October 2022.Last reported under restoration at Somerville, Victoria, Australia, December 2022.

New Zealand The Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation, now Royal New Zealand Coastguard is the primary civilian marine search and rescue organisation for New Zealand. Unlike a number of other countries, the organisation is a non-governmental, civilian charitable organisation, with no enforcement powers. RNLI ON Name Station Comments 1028 Westgate Rescue(Taranaki Volunteer Coastguard) 2000–2012 Port Taranaki Sold 2012.Renamed Harrier. Last reported at Fiordland, New Zealand, April 2019 1043 (Mana Volunteer Coastguard) 1998–2010 Mana Island Sold 2010.Renamed Toucan.Sold 2015, Workboat, Lyttelton, New Zealand.Sold October 2021. Last reported as a workboat, Whanganui River, New Zealand, December 2021. 1045 P&O Nedlloyd Rescue(Waiheke Volunteer Coastguard) 1999–2006 Sold 4 May 2006.Renamed Louis Marchesi of Round Table.Sold 20 September 2010.At Northcote Point, Auckland, August 2025. 1060 Hamilton Rotary Rescue(Raglan Volunteer Coastguard) 1999–2005 Raglan Sold 2006.Renamed Harbour Cruiser, crew transfer and utility vessel, Harbour Services, Fremantle, Australia. Last reported for sale, January 2021. 1065 Barham(Hawkes Bay Volunteer Coastguard) 2000–2003 Napier Sold 27 June 2003.Renamed Legend at Auckland.Sold 31 January 2008. Last reported at Seaview Marina, Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, October 2015. 1079 John Barton Acland Rescue(Kaikōura Volunteer Coastguard) 1999–2005 Kaikōura Sold 21 April 2005.Renamed Gryphon, used as a coastal cruising boat, Newport, Oregon, USA, November 2025.

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