D-class lifeboat (Zodiac III)

The D-class (Zodiac III) lifeboat is a class of inflatable boat, operated between 1971 and 1996 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was replaced operationally by the .

Utilization For more than 60 years the D-class has served as the workhorse of the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) fleet. The D-class is one of the few RNLI types not to feature a rigid hull. The D-class was specifically designed as a light and highly manoeuvrable rapid response craft, especially suited to close shore work.

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

RNLI Fleet Op. No. Name Station Comments 1971–1976 1976–1987 Relief fleetD-206 1971–1974 Relief fleet 1974–1975 1976–1987 Relief fleet 1987–1992 PublicityD-207 1972–1974 1974–1988 Relief fleet D-29-P 1988–???? PublicityD-214 1972–1976 1977–1987 Relief fleet D-223 1972–1987 Relief fleet D-224 1975–1982 1982–1988 Relief fleet D-30-P 1988–???? PublicityD-225 1975–1976 1977–1978 1978–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1987 D-31-P 1987–1988 PublicityD-226 1975–1982 1982–1988 Relief fleetD-227 1976–1982 1982–1988 Relief fleet D-32-P 1988–???? PublicityD-228 1975–1982 1982–1986 Relief fleet 1986 1986–1987 Relief fleet D-33-P 1987–???? PublicityD-229 1975–1984 1984–1988 Relief fleetD-230Miss Winfield 1975–1987 1987 Relief fleetD-231 1976–1986 1987 Relief fleet D-232 1975–1987 D-4-P 1988 Publicity D-233 1976–1987 D-234 1975–1984 1985–1986 1987 Relief fleet D-6-P 1987–1993 PublicityD-235 1975–1978 1979–1987 D-11-P 1988 PublicityD-236 1975–1987 1988–???? PublicityD-2371987 1987 Relief fleet D-13-P 1987–1989 Publicity D-238Hemel Hempstead Round Table 1976–1987 D-15-P 1987–???? Publicity D-239 1976–1987 D-240 1976–1978 1978–1987 Relief fleet D-4-P 1987–1988 PublicityD-241 1976–1986 1986 1987 Relief fleetD-242 1976–1987 1987–???? PublicityD-243 1976–1987 1987–1988 Relief fleet 1988–1991 PublicityD-244 1976–1987 1987–1988 PublicityD-245Alick Mackay 1976–1985 1985–1988 Relief fleet 1988–>1994 Boarding BoatD-246Spirit of Rotary 1976–1987 1987–1988 Relief fleet D-247 1976–1987 D-248 1976–1978 1978–1988 Relief fleet D-249 Caribbean I 1976–1987 D-250 1977–1988 D-4-P 1988–1993 Publicity D-251 1977–1988 D-252 1976–1988 D-5-P 1988–???? Publicity D-253 1976–1988 D-254 1977–1988 D-255 1977–1987 D-256Lion Cub I 1978–1986 1986–1988 Relief fleet D-257 1978–1988 D-258 1978On Board 70-003 1981 1983–1984 1986–1988 1988–1994 Boarding BoatD-259S.M.T.A. Shuttle 1978–1988 1988–1989 Boarding BoatD-260Gwynaeth 1978–1988 1988–1993 Boarding BoatD-261 1978–1988 1988–>1994 Boarding BoatD-262Clacton Round Table 3484 1978–1984 1984–1988 Relief fleet 1988–1991 Boarding Boat D-263 1978–1988 On Board 70-002 D-270 1980–1988 D-271 1980–1988 1988–1989 Relief fleet 1989–1993 Boarding BoatD-272 1980–1983 1983–1989 Relief fleetD-278 1980–1984 1984–1989 Relief fleet 1989–???? Boarding BoatD-279 1981–1989 1989–???? Boarding Boat D-280 1981–1989 D-2-P 1989–1992 Publicity D-281Sewing Machine Times 1981–1989 D-9-P 1989–???? PublicityD-282 1981–1989 1989–1993 Boarding Boat D-283 1982–1990 D-287 1983–1989 1989–???? Publicity D-288Cinque Ports I 1983–1989 D-20-P 1989–???? Publicity D-289 1983–1989 D-290 1983–1989 1989–1990 Relief fleetD-312Court Henbury 1985–1992 Relief fleet 1992–1995 PublicityD-313 1985–1992 Relief fleet 1992–1995 PublicityD-314Tricentrol I 1985–1992 Relief fleet 1992–1995 Publicity D-340 Blue Peter VI 1987–1994 Relief fleet D-341 1987–1988 Relief fleet 1988 1989 1989–1993 Relief fleet 1993–1994 Boarding BoatD-342 1987–1992 Relief fleet 1993–1996 Boarding Boat

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