The D-class (EA16) lifeboat is a class of inflatable boat operated since 1987 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has been replaced operationally by the D-class (IB1), but many are still used as part of the relief fleet, as boarding boats for the larger classes of lifeboat and by the RNLI Flood Rescue Team.

The type designator EA16 stands for Evans Avon 16.

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.

Design and construction

The D-class lifeboat consists of two sponsons, together housing seven inflatable segments intersected by baffles. The main construction fabric is Hypalon-coated Nylon which provides a durable, non-tear surface.

This was one of the smaller classes of lifeboat operated by the RNLI, and they were a common sight at lifeboat stations around the coast. Unlike other members of the ILB fleet, the D-class does not have a rigid hull; all others, with the exception of the Arancia, hovercraft, and ALB Tenders, are Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs).

The D-class normally had a crew of three or four and was primarily used for surfer/swimmer incidents as well as assisting in cliff incidents where the casualty was near the water. The very nature of its work required a swift response,

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

Fleet D-311 - D-399 Op. No. Name Principal Station CommentsD-311The Holgate 1984–1986 TrialsEA16 Prototype 1986–1997 Relief fleet 1997–1999 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-315Charlie B 1986–1993 1993–1996 Relief fleet 1996–2010 PublicityD-316 1986–1993 1993–1996 Training fleet 1996–???? PublicityD-317 1986–1993 1994–1996 Training fleet 1996–???? PublicityD-318Modeller 1 1986–1993 1993–???? PublicityD-319 1986–1994 1994–1995 Training fleet 1995–???? PublicityD-320Filey Lion 1986–1993 1993–1994 Relief fleet 1994–???? Training fleetD-321Rose Elizabeth Lawrence 1986–1993 1993–1995 Relief fleet 1995 Boarding Boat 1995–1996 Relief fleet 1997–???? PublicityD-322Humphrey and Nora Tollemanche 1986–1993 1993–1995 Relief fleet 1995–1998 PublicityD-323Gus 1986–1994 1995–1998 PublicityD-324 1987–1994 1994–1995 Relief fleet 1995–???? PublicityD-325Tricentrol II 1987–1994 1994–1995 Relief fleet D-325P 1995–2014 PublicityD-326Michel Philippe Wolvers 1987–1994 1994–1995 1995–???? PublicityD-327 1987–1994 1995–???? PublicityD-328Stephen Willoughby 1987–1991 Relief fleet 1991–1997 Training fleetD-329BBC Radio Newcastle I 1987–1994 1994–???? PublicityD-330 1987–1994 1995–???? PublicityD-331Dorothy Way 1987–1994 1996–???? Publicity D-332 1987–1994 D-332P 1995–???? PublicityD-333 1987–1990 Relief fleet 1990 1991–1994 Relief fleet 1994 1995–1998 Relief fleet 1998–2009 Boarding BoatD-334 1987–1991 Relief fleet 1991 1991–1996 Relief fleet 1997 Publicity D-335 1987–1997 D-336 1987–1994 Relief fleet 1994–1996 1996 Relief fleet 1997–???? PublicityD-337Norman Victor Hickling 1987–1993 1993–1996 Relief fleet 1997–???? Publicity D-338Bruce's Bonus 1987–1996 Relief fleet D-338P 1996–2013 PublicityD-339 1987–1995 1995 1996 Boarding Boat D-339P 1996–2008 PublicityD-343 1987–1995 1996–1997 Inshore Lifeboat Centre BB-343 1998–???? D-344Onslaught 1987–1995 1995–1996 Relief fleet 1996–1997 Inshore Lifeboat Centre BB-344 1997–2012 Boarding boatD-345 1987–1994 1994–1995 Relief fleet 1995–1998 Inshore Lifeboat Centre BB-345 1998–2008 Boarding boat D-346 1987–1995 BB-346 1995–2008 Boarding boat RRU-10 2008–2009 Flood RescueD-347 1987–1995 1995–1996 Relief fleet 1996–1998 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-348Banks' Staff I 1987–1995 1995–1996 Relief fleet 1996–1997 Inshore Lifeboat Centre BB-348 1997–2000 Boarding boatD-349 1987–1995 1995–1996 Relief fleet 1996–1997 Inshore Lifeboat Centre BB-349 1997–1998 Boarding boatD-350 1987–1994 Relief fleet 1994–1995 1995–1997 Relief fleetD-351Rotary Club of Sutton 1987–1995 1995–1997 Relief fleet 1997–1998 Inshore Lifeboat Centre D-352 Jane Ann 1987–1996 D-353 1987–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleetD-354Alfred George Martin 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleetD-355 1988–1992 Relief fleet 1992–1993 1993–1997 Relief fleet 1997–1998 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-356 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleetD-357Braemar 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet D-357P 1998–2009 PublicityD-358 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleetD-35941 Club I 1988–1996 1996–???? Relief fleetD-360 1988–1996 1996–1998 Relief fleet D-360P 1998–???? PublicityD-361Tangent I 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet 1997–???? Training fleetD-362Kensington Rescuer 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet 1997–2005 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 2005–2010 Training fleetD-363 1988–1997 1997 Relief fleetD-364Clubs of the River Exe 1988–1997 1997–1999 Relief fleetD-365 1988–1994 Relief fleet 1994 1994–1997 Relief fleet 1997–2005 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 2005–2007 Training fleetD-366Peter and Mollie Tabor 1988–1997 1997–1998 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 1998–1999 1999–2000 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-367Sea Horse 1988–1996 1996–1997 Relief fleet 1997–2012 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-368Douglas Cameron 1988–1997 1997–1998 Relief fleet 1998–2005 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 2005–2009 Training fleet 2009–2014 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-369 1988–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999 Relief fleet D-369P 1999–2020 Publicity D-370 41 Club II 1988–1999 D-37141 Club III 1988–1999 Relief fleet 1999–2000 Inshore Lifeboat Centre D-372The Lion 1988–1997 BB-372 1998–2010 Boarding boatD-373 1988–1997 1997–1999 Relief fleet 1999–2020 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-374 1988–1997 1997–1998 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 1998–2010 Training fleetD-375Alice 1988–1996 1996–2005 Relief fleetD-376 1988–1997 1997–1999 Relief fleet 1999–2001 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-377 1988–1997 1997–2000 Inshore Lifeboat CentreD-378 1988–1993 Relief fleet 1993–1994 1994–1997 Relief fleet 1997–1998 1998–2000 Relief fleetD-379 1989–1998 1998–2001 Relief fleetD-380 1988–1997 1997–1999 Relief fleetD-381Douglas 1989–1998 1998–1999 Relief fleetD-382 1989–1998 1998–1999 Relief fleet D-383 Sea Tiger 1989–1999 Relief fleetD-384John Cresswell 1989–1998 1989–1999 Relief fleetD-385 1989–1998 1998–???? Relief fleetD-386Trevor Edwin Jones 1989–1998 1998–1999 Relief fleetD-387Boto-X 87 1989–1998 1998–1999 Relief fleetD-388Crusader 1989–1998 1998–1999 Relief fleetD-389Captain Colin 1989–1998 1998–2005 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 2005–2011 Training fleetD-390Tiger D 1989–1996 1996–1997 1997–1999 Relief fleetD-391Lifeline 1989–1999 Relief fleet 1999–2015 Inshore Lifeboat Centre(Capsize Training)D-392Cecile Rampton 1989–1998 Now Curlew with Razorbill RIB Charters 1998–2005 Inshore Lifeboat Centre 2005–???? Training fleetD-393Helen Mitchell Scrimgeour 1990–1997 1997–1998 Relief fleet 1998–1999 Inshore Lifeboat Centre D-394Banks' Staff II 1990–1999 D-394P 1999–2008 PublicityD-395Bob 1990–1999 1999–2001 Relief fleetD-396 1989–1993 Relief fleet 1993–1994 North KessockStarting Point 1994 1994–1999 Relief fleetD-397Banks' Staff III 1989–1999 1999 Relief fleetD-398Victory Wheelers 1989–1994 Relief fleet 1994 1995–1996 1996–1999 Relief fleetD-399Bertha 1989–1992 Relief fleet 1992 1993–1999 Relief fleet

D400 - D-499