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[John W E]

Hi lads,

Have a read of this - just makes you realise how powerful a lifeboat's engines are - to tow this ferry to safety; cos there was a Force 10 gale blowing here last night - and that ferry isn't small :-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-35019883

here is a pic of ferry in calmer waters to give you an idea of the size of her




aye

John

[DavieTait]

Seem to think around 500hp each so 1000hp in a 14m boat makes them very powerful for their size

[furball]

Tynemouth have got a 17m Severn, with two 1250 hp Caterpiller engines.


Lance

[inertia]

A wee bit more than that, Davie.
We visited the Scilly Islands earlier this year and the tour guide told us that the Severn-Class lifeboat in the harbour was twice as powerful as the island's ferry/supply ship. The Tynemouth boat is the same type as the Scillies' and their website says that the engines produce just over 1500HP. http://www.tynemouth-lifeboat.org/our-lifeboats/ 
I did a little more Googling and found that the figure is 1600hp - and that's for EACH engine! http://pdf.nauticexpo.com/pdf/mtu-friedrichshafen/mtu-diesel-engines-8v-10v-2000-m94-fast-vessels-low-load-factors-1ds/31379-19386.html
Sure is one helluvalotta poke for a fifty foot boat.
I wonder if they're brushless...
DM

[Mark T]

I've always thought that lifeboats are like very powerful tugs with the handling and speed of a jet ski     Now thats going to take some HP!

[Perkasaman2]

These engines are more powerful than those fitted to WW2 coastal craft of any type by a good margin. The Severn s are very heavy boats for their size and perform very well with plenty of power in reserve should they need it.

[Netleyned]

The RNLI spec for the Severn Cats is 1250 HP at 2300 RPM


Ned

[inertia]

Check the link to the Tynemouth RNLI website which I posted again, Ned. You have to scroll down the page a bit to get to the relevant bit:

"Spirit of Northumberland's original Caterpillar engines were replaced with new MTU engines during her 2010 refit as part of an evaluation being carried out by the RNLI to investigate the extension of the service life of the Severn Class lifeboats".

Dave M

[Netleyned]

Ok Dave,


I have the spec of the Humber Boat as new up on a Photo and just read it.
Didn't read your link.
Sorry Sir Grovel Grovel 


Ned

[inertia]

No need for that, dear boy, but now your knowledge has been expanded and your world widened...... 
DM

[BFSMP]

I think most of the Severns have been re engine with he more powerful MTU's

Having lived in Cromer for many years and being a volunteer around the area, I have taken, until my move up here, the Lifeboat quarterly Magazine for some years, and the stories in the magazine of the power of lifeboats towing ships of up to 3000 tonnes out of danger is not unusual for them. Immensely strong boats.

Jim.

[John W E]

ok lads, next question - will Nexus (the ferry owners) have to pay salvage rights to RNLI, because reading this she was grounded and the lifeboat pulled her away.

What happens in these circumstances, does on salvage rights only  come into play if a tug is involved or does the lifeboat get a payment for rescue?

aye
john

[inertia]

Bloobs
According to the RYA's website "HM Coastguard and the RNLI do not normally make claims for salvage". They don't explain what might happen abnormally, though. I suppose if they were to do so then in these litigious times there would be counter-claims like "they deliberately left us to run aground before they put a line across".
There lies madness.
DM

[Perkasaman2]

We need input from a Dutchman.

[BFSMP]

Normally most companies such as usually make a donation to the RNLI for services rendered.

However many private owners rescued do not sadly, as those that don't make donations think of it as a god given right to have the RNLI and Coastguards standing by just for their use.

Jim.

[longshanks]

These engines are more powerful than those fitted to WW2 coastal craft of any type by a good margin. The Severn s are very heavy boats for their size and perform very well with plenty of power in reserve should they need it.

1945 Vospers were operating with 3 x 1500 bhp engines.
70 years later technology allows for another 100hp !! Not a lot of progress 

[Perkasaman2]

A world apart in terms of reliability, weight saving, ease of starting and safer fuelling. Marinised aero engine designs  running on 100 octane of WW2 were notorious and cannot compare with modern diesel alternatives.