D-class lifeboat (RFD PB16)

The D-class (RFD PB16) lifeboat was the first of a class of inflatable boat operated between 1963 and 2007 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was replaced operationally by the .

They were manufactured by R.F.D. Co.Ltd of Godalming, Surrey, a company founded by engineer Reginald Foster Dagnall. Over time, RFD became a synonym for "Rapid Flotation Devices".

History Increasing numbers of leisure craft in waters around Britain and Ireland in the late 1950s caused the RNLI to consider using inflatable boats as Inshore Lifeboats (ILBs). A boat was purchased for trials and the work of the lifesaving society in Brittany was studied. This resulted in RFD PB16 inflatables being modified and fitted out as ILBs.

The first was deployed at in 1963. It capsized on its first launch but was soon put to good use. Once in service, the main problems came from the boats deflating and from the outboard motors failing. It was decided that these should be replaced every year.

Production continued until 1984, however two alternative designs were tried in 1971 and 1972. Only a few Avon S650 were built but the Zodiac III proved more successful and series production of these started in 1975 and continued until 1987. The last PB16 was withdrawn in 2002.

The RFD PB16 was long and fitted with a single 40  outboard motor.

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

RNLI Fleet D-1 – D-100 Op. No. Name Station CommentsD-1 1963 1965 1965–???? Relief fleetD-2 1964 1965 D-3 1966 Relief fleet D-4 1963 D-5 1963 1964 1965 D-6 1963 1963 1966 D-7 1963 1964 1967 D-8 1964 1965 1966 D-9 1963–1964 1965 1966 D-1-P 1966–1973 PublicityD-10 1964 1965 D-11 1963 1965 1966 Relief fleet 1967 D-12 1963–1964 1965 1965 1967 1968–1970 D-2-P 1983–1987 Publicity D-13 D-14 1964 1965 1965 1967 1968 1969 D-15 1964 1965 1965–1983 Relief fleet D-3-P 1983–1988 PublicityD-16 1964 1965 Relief fleet 1965–1966 1967–1968 1968–1969 1969–1972 Relief fleetD-17 1964–1967 1967–1970 Relief fleet D-18 1965–1966 D-4-P 1983–???? PublicityD-19 1964 1965–1967 1967–1970 Relief fleet 1970 D-20 1964 1965 1965–1966 1967 1968–1970 1971–1972 Relief fleetD-21 1964 1965 1965 1965–1966 1966 1967 1967–1972 Relief fleetD-22 1964 1965 1967 1967 1967–1969 Relief fleet D-5-P 1983–1988 PublicityD-23 1964 1970–1973 Relief fleetD-24 1965 1966 1966–1969 Relief fleet 1969–1971 1971–1974 Relief fleet 1974–1981 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-25 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968–1969 1969–1972 Relief fleetD-26 1965 1966 1966–1967 1967–1968 1970–1971 1972–1981 Relief fleet D-12-P 1981–1985 Publicity D-27 1965–1967 D-28 1964 1965 1965 1969–1970 1970 1972 D-29 1965 1966 D-30 1964 1965–1967 1967 1968 1969 D-31 1964–1965 D-32 1964 1965–1966 1966–1967 D-33 1965–1966 1968 D-34 D-35 1966 D-36 1964 1965 1965–1970 1970–1973 Relief fleetD-37 1964 1966 1966 1966 1967 1968 1968–1972 Relief fleetD-38 1965–1966 1966–1973 Relief fleetD-39 1965–1967 1966 1968–1972 Relief fleetD-40 1965–1968 1968–1969 1969–1970 Relief fleetD-41 1965–1969 1970–1973 Relief fleetD-42 1965–1967 1967–1973 Relief fleet 1973–1974 1974–1977 Relief fleetD-43 1965–1972 1972–1974 Relief fleet D-12-P 1974–???? Publicity D-44 1965–1972 D-45 1965–1968 1969–1970 1970–1972 Relief fleet 1973 D-46 1965–1967 1967–1969 1970 D-47 1965–1967 1967–1968 Relief fleet 1969–1970 D-48 1965–1970 Eastney 1970–1971 Relief fleetD-49 1965–1966 1966–1967 1968–1969 1970–1972 1972–1979 Relief fleetD-50 1965 1966–1968 1969 Relief fleet 1970 1970–1973 Relief fleet 1973–1974 D-51 1965 1966–1967 1968 Relief fleet 1969–1970 D-6-P 1970–1984 PublicityD-52 1966–1970 1970–1973 Relief fleetD-53 1965 1966–1973 1973 Relief fleet D-11-P 1973–???? PublicityD-54 1965–1966 1966–1969 Relief fleet 1969 1970–1972 1972–1977 Relief fleetD-55 1965–1967 1967–1969 1969–1971 Relief fleetD-56 1964 1965–1972 1972–1977 Relief fleetD-57 1965–1970 1970–1971 Relief fleetD-58 1965–1972 1972–1974 Relief fleet 1974 1974–1977 Relief fleetD-70 1965–1968 1968–1970 Relief fleetD-71 1965–1970 1970–1972 Relief fleet 1972 1972–1973 Relief fleetD-72 1965–1972 1972–1975 Relief fleet D-11-P 1975–???? PublicityD-73 1965–1967 1967–1969 Relief fleet 1969–1973 1973–1982 Relief fleet D-8-P 1982–1987 PublicityD-74 1965–1967 1968–1972 1972–1978 Relief fleetD-75 1965–1967 Relief fleet 1968–1969 1970–1977 Relief fleetD-76 1966 On Board 70-001 1966–1969 Relief fleet 1969–1970 1970–1971 Relief fleetD-81 1966–1972 1972–1973 Relief fleet 1973–1974 1974–1975 Relief fleet 1975 1975–1983 Relief fleet 1983–1985 Boarding BoatD-82 1966–1968 1968–1971 Relief fleetD-83 1966–1968 1968–1971 Relief fleetD-84 1966–1970 1970–1977 Relief fleetD-85 1966–1967 1967–1975 Relief fleet D-7-P 1975–1978 PublicityD-86 1966–1968 1969–1971 Relief fleetD-87 1966–1968 1968–1971 Relief fleet 1971 1971–1978 Relief fleetD-88 1966–1971 1971–1977 Relief fleetD-89 1966–1972 1972–1973 Relief fleetD-90 1966–1969 1969–1976 Relief fleetD-91 1966–1970 1970–1971 1971–1975 Relief fleet 1975 On Board 70-001 1975–1976 Relief fleetD-92 1966–1970 1970–1977 Relief fleet 1977 On Board 70-002 1975 GLC Flood Relief fleet D-21-P 1978–1991 PublicityD-93 1966–1972 1973–1975 1975–1977 Relief fleet D-13-P 1977–1987 Publicity D-94 1966–1976 D-95 1966–1968 1969 1970–1973 Relief fleetD-96 1966–1975 1975–1979 Relief fleetD-97 1966–1971 1971–1975 Relief fleetD-98 1966–1969 1969–1971 Relief fleet D-99 1966–1975 D-100 1966 1968 1969–1974 1974–1980 Relief fleet

D-101 – D-199 Op. No. Name Station CommentsD-101 1967–1969 1970–1971 Relief fleet 1971–1975 1976–1981 Relief fleet D-19-P 1981–1987 PublicityD-102 1966–1968 1970 D-103 1966–1975 D-104 1966–1976 1976–1980 Relief fleet 1980–1983 GLC Flood Relief fleet 1984 PublicityD-105 1966–1975 1976–1983 Relief fleet 1983–1986 Boarding Boat D-106 1966–1974 D-107 1966–1978 1978–1980 Relief fleetD-108 1967–1973 1973–1975 Relief fleet 1975 1975–1977 Relief fleet 1977–1979 D-109 1967–1976 1976–1978 Relief fleetD-110 1967–1968 1969 On Board 70-002 1970 1970–1974 Relief fleet 1974–1975 1975–1980 Relief fleet 1980–1983 GLC Flood Relief fleet 1984–1986 PublicityD-111 1967–1976 1977 1978–1980 Relief fleetD-112 1967–1972 On display since 1996 in the RNLI Heritage Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard, Dec 2025 1973–1984 Relief fleet 1984– On DisplayD-113 1967–1968 1968–1969 1970–1976 1976–1980 Relief fleetD-114 1967–1976 1977 1978 1979–1983 Relief fleet 1983–1987 Boarding BoatD-115Blue Peter I 1967–1972 Now part of The Science Museum collection 1972–1975 Relief fleetD-116 1967–1976 1976–1979 Relief fleet 1979–1982 1982–1983 Relief fleet 1983–1987 Boarding BoatD-117 1967–1971 1972–1981 1981–1982 Relief fleetD-120 1967–1976 1977–1980 Relief fleet 1980–1981 D-17-P 1981–1988 PublicityD-121 1967–1975 1975–1980 Relief fleet D-122 1967–1975 D-123 1967–1976 1976–1980 Relief fleetD-124 1967–1975 1976–1982 Relief fleet D-18-P 1982–1988 PublicityD-125 1967–1969 1969–1975 Relief fleetD-126 1967–1977 1978–1980 Relief fleet 1980–1981 1981–1985 Relief fleet D-127 Blue Peter II 1967–1976 D-128 1967–1970 D-8-P 1970–1976 PublicityD-129 1967–1977 1978–1983 Relief fleet 1983–1987 Boarding BoatD-130 1967–1968 1969–1975 D-131 1968–1970 Relief fleet 1970–1977 On Board 70-001 1977–1980 Relief fleet 1980–1983 GLC Flood Relief fleet D-28-P 1984 PublicityD-132 1968–1971 1971–1974 Relief fleet 1974 1974–1987 Relief fleetD-133 1967–1968 1968 Relief fleet 1969–1974 1975 Relief fleetD-134 1968–1979 1979–1983 Relief fleet D-26-P 1984–1986 PublicityD-135 1967–1970 1970–1972 Relief fleet 1972–1977 1977–1978 Relief fleetD-136 1967–1978 1978–1982 GLC Flood Relief fleetD-137 1967–1978 1978 Relief fleet 1978–1983 GLC Flood Relief fleet 1983–1986 Boarding BoatD-138 1967 1968–1970 Relief fleet 1970–1980 1980–1981 Relief fleetD-139 1967–1977 1978–1983 GLC Flood Relief fleet D-25-P 1983–1988 PublicityD-140 1967–1968 1969 1969–1971 Relief fleet 1971–1974 1974–1980 1980–1984 Relief fleet 1984–1987 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 1987–1989 Training fleet D-141 1967–1975 D-14-P 1975–???? PublicityD-142 1966–1977 1978 Relief fleet 1978–1983 GLC Flood Relief fleet D-25-P 1983–???? PublicityD-143 1967–1975 1975–1978 Relief fleet 1978–1988 Boarding BoatD-144 1967–1968 1969–1970 1970–1975 1975–1977 Relief fleet 1977–1980 1980–1982 Relief fleet 1982–1984 D-145 1967–1971 1972–1976 1977–1980 Relief fleet 1980 On Board 70-001 D-146 1967–1969 1970–1975 D-147 1967–1970 1970–1973 Relief fleetD-148Blue Peter IV 1968–1972 1980–1987, On Display, Bristol Lifeboat Museum 1972–1980 Relief fleetD-149 1967–1970 Relief fleet 1970–1971 On Board 70-001 1971–1974 Relief fleetD-150 1967–1968 1969–1971 Relief fleet 1971–1972 Channel Light Vessel No.6 1972–1975 Relief fleet 1975–1976 D-16-P 1976–1988 Publicity D-151 1967–1973 D-152 1968–1972 1973 1974 1975–1983 Boarding BoatD-153 1968–1978 1978–1983 Relief fleet D-154 1967–1971 Relief fleet D-155 1967–1975 D-156 1967–1968 1968–1969 1969–1970 1970–1971 Relief fleet 1971 1971–1982 Relief fleetD-157 1968–1980 1980–1984 Relief fleet D-10-P 1985–1990 PublicityD-158 1968 1969–1975 D-159 1968 1969 1970–1978 1978–1984 Relief fleet D-160 1967–1971 Relief fleet D-161 1968–1969 1969–1975 D-15-P 1975–1984 PublicityD-162 1968–1969 1970–1978 1979–1983 Relief fleet D-27-P 1983–1993 Publicity D-163 1968–1978 D-164 1968–1970 1970–1972 Relief fleet D-9-P 1972–???? PublicityD-165 1968–1980 1980–1984 Relief fleet D-165T 1984–1991 Training fleetD-166 1967–1972 1972–1978 1979–1985 Relief fleet 1985 Boarding BoatD-167 1969–1979 1980–1981 Relief fleet 1981–1982 D-20-P 1982–1990 PublicityD-168 1968–1981 1981–1985 Relief fleet 1985–1987 Boarding BoatD-169 1968–1983 1983–1985 Relief fleet 1985–1989 Boarding BoatD-170 1969–1972 1973–1981 1981–1984 Relief fleet 1984 D-170T 1985–1988 Training fleet D-171 1969–1979 D-172 1968–1969 1969 1970–1981 1981–1983 Relief fleet D-172T 1983–???? Training fleetD-173 1968–1983 1984–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1988 Boarding BoatD-174 1970–1983 1983–1987 Relief fleet 1987–1991 Boarding BoatD-175 1970–1983 1983–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1988 Boarding BoatD-176 1971–1972 1972–1981 Relief fleet 1982 1982–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1991 Boarding BoatD-177 1970–1983 1983–1987 Relief fleetD-178 1970–1974 1974–1978 Relief fleet 1978–1979 1979–1982 Relief fleet 1982–1983 1983–1987 Relief fleet D-3-P 1987–1991 PublicityD-179 1970–1977 1978–1979 1979–1981 Relief fleet Blue Peter IV 1981–1984 D-180 1970–1985 1985–1986 Relief fleet 1986 1986–1988 Boarding BoatD-181 1970–1973 1973–1979 Relief fleet 1979 1979–1985 Relief fleet 1986–1987 Boarding BoatD-182 1970–1974 1974 Relief fleet 1975–1984 1984–1987 Relief fleet 1987 1987 Relief fleetD-183The Young People of Scarborough 1970–1984 1984–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1990 TrialsD-184 1970–1983 Eastney 1984–1988 Relief fleet 1988–1989 Boarding BoatD-185 1970 1970–1971 1971–1984 1984–1987 Relief fleetD-186 1970–1983 1983–1986 Relief fleet D-2-P 1987–1989 PublicityD-187 1970–1984 1983–1988 Relief fleet D-8-P 1988–1993 PublicityD-188 The Lord Feoffees 1971–1983 1984–1987 Relief fleetD-189 1970–1972 1972–1983 1984–1987 Relief fleet D-9-P 1988 PublicityD-190 1970–1980 1981–1986 Relief fleet 1987–1988 D-191 1971–1973 1973–1988 Relief fleet 1988 Boarding BoatD-192 1971–1977 1978 Relief fleet 1979–1980 1980–1982 Relief fleet 1982–1984 1985–1987 Relief fleet D-193 1971–1977 D-194 1971–1977 D-195 D-196 1972–1987 1987 Relief fleet 1987–1991 Boarding BoatD-197 1972–1984 1984–1987 Relief fleet 1987–1988 Boarding BoatD-198 1972–1986 1986–1987 Relief fleet 1988–1990 Boarding BoatD-199 1972–1986 1986–1988 Relief fleet

D-202 – D-310