C-class lifeboat (Zodiac Grand Raid IV)

A C-class lifeboat usually refers to the Zodiac Grand Raid Mark IVs lifeboats, powered by twin 40 hp outboard motors, manufactured by Zodiac Marine & Pool of France, and which were operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Class overview
Name	C-class
Builders	Zodiac Marine & Pool, France
Operators	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded by	D-class (RFD PB16)
Succeeded by	B-class (Atlantic 21) D-class (EA16)
General characteristics
Length	17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
Beam	8 ft (2.4 m)
Propulsion	2 x 40 hp Mariner outboard engines
Speed	>26 knots (30 mph)
Complement	4

They were initially designated as D-class lifeboats, starting a series of boats numbered from D-500, but this was subsequently changed to C-class, to signify the difference between the twin engine C-class and the single engine D-class.^[1]

In 1970, the first lifeboats to be classed as C-class were twin engine RIBs, which were developed to be the Atlantic series lifeboats, and were re-designated B-Class. C-1 was renumbered as B-3, C-2 became B-4 etc.^[1]

The C-class Zodiac Grand Raid IV was replaced by both the D-class (EA16) and the B-class (Atlantic 21) inshore lifeboats.^[2]

Fleet

Op. No.[a]	Name	In Service[1]	Station	Comments
B-3 (Ex C-1)	Unnamed	1970 1971	Littlestone-on-Sea Atlantic College
B-4 (Ex C-2)	Unnamed	1971–1974 1974–1976 1978	Helensburgh Littlestone-on-Sea Helensburgh
B-5 (Ex C-3)	Unnamed	1972–1974 1976–1978	Littlestone-on-Sea Helensburgh
B-6 (Ex C-4)	Unnamed	1973 1974–1976	Lymington Helensburgh
B-7 (Ex C-5)	Unnamed	1974 1981–1984	Helensburgh Tynemouth Boarding Boat
B-8	Unnamed	1975 1977	Poole Poole
(D-500)	Unnamed	1972–1974 1974–1979 1979–1981	Trials Minehead Relief fleet
(D-501)	Unnamed		Trials only
C-502 (Ex D-502)	John Gilpin	1973–1975 1975–1977 1977–1983 1983–1985 1985–1988	Trials Silloth Relief fleet Boarding Boat Inshore Lifeboat Centre
C-503 (Ex D-503)	Unnamed	1973–1977 1977–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987	Trials Silloth Training fleet Boarding Boat
C-504 (Ex D-504)	Unnamed	1973–1978 1978–1987	Trials Inshore Lifeboat Centre
C-505 (Ex D-505)	Unnamed	1979–1986 1986–1987 1987 1987–1989 1990	St Abbs Red Bay Relief fleet Clifden Arran (Lamlash)
C-506 (Ex D-506)	Unnamed	1980–1986 1987–1988 1988–1993 1993–1997	Portaferry Arran (Lamlash) Relief fleet Boarding Boat
C-507 (Ex D-507)	Unnamed	1981–1988 1988–1990	Mudeford Relief fleet
C-508 (Ex D-508)	The Chris Pirson	1981–1992 1992–1996	Relief fleet Boarding Boat
C-509 (Ex D-509)	Oats	1983–1993 1993–1994 1994–1995 1995–1996 1996–1998	Aberystwyth Relief fleet Newquay Tighnabruaich Relief fleet
C-510 (Ex D-510)	Unnamed	1983–1991 1991–1995	Criccieth Relief fleet
C-511 (Ex D-511)	Unnamed	1984–1994 1994–1996 1996–2008	Newquay Relief fleet Boarding Boat
C-512 (Ex D-512)	Unnamed	1984–1991 1991–1996	Cullercoats Relief fleet
C-513	Sebag of Jersey	1984–1990 1990–1993 1993 1993–1996 1997–	St Catherine Relief fleet Criccieth Relief fleet Boarding Boat
C-514	Unnamed	1985–1995 1995–1997 1997–1998 1998	Kinghorn Relief fleet Clifden Inshore Lifeboat Centre
C-515	Unnamed	1985–1995 1995	St Bees Inshore Lifeboat Centre
C-516	Belsize Charitable Trust No.1	1986–1995 1995–1996	St Ives Relief fleet
C-517	Unnamed	1986–1996 1996–1997 1997–2008	Rye Harbour Relief fleet Boarding Boat
C-518	Unnamed	1987–1997	Cardigan
C-519	Thomas Corbett	1987–1995 1995–1996 1996–1997	Red Bay Relief fleet Tighnabruaich
C-520	Unnamed	1988–1996 1996–1999	Relief fleet Boarding Boat
C-521	Prince of Arran	1988–1998	Arran (Lamlash)
C-522	Unnamed	1989–1997 1997 1998–	Clifden Boarding Boat Publicity
C-523	British Diver IV	1990–1991 1991–1993 1993–1994 1994–1995 1995–1996 1996–1998	Relief fleet Criccieth Relief fleet Tighnabruaich Red Bay Relief fleet

1. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.