D-class lifeboat (Zodiac III)

	D-233 being launched at Borth
Class overview
Name	D-class (Zodiac III)
Builders	Zodiac Nautic
Operators	RNLI
Preceded by	D-class (RFD PB16)
Succeeded by	D-class (EA16)
Built	1971–1987
In service	1971–1996
Completed	64
Retired	64
General characteristics
Class & type	Zodiac III
Complement	2 or 3

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 D-class (EA16).

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.

RNLI Fleet

Op. No.^[a]	Name	In Service^[1]	Station
D-205	Unnamed	1971–1976	Conwy
D-205	Unnamed	1976–1987	Relief fleet
D-206	Unnamed	1971–1974	Relief fleet
		1974–1975	Harwich
		1976–1987	Relief fleet
		1987–1992	Publicity Boat (D-28-P)
D-207	Unnamed	1972–1974	Criccieth
		1974–1988	Relief fleet
		1988–????	Publicity Boat (D-29-P)
D-214	Unnamed	1972–1976	Exmouth
D-214	Unnamed	1977–1987	Relief fleet
D-223	Unnamed	1972–1987	Relief fleet
D-224	Unnamed	1975–1982	Stranraer
		1982–1988	Relief fleet
		1988–????	Publicity Boat (D-30-P)
D-225	Unnamed	1975–1976	Moelfre
		1977–1978	Harwich
		1978–1986	Relief fleet
		1986–1987	Southend-on-Sea
		1987–1988	Publicity Boat (D-31-P)
D-226	Unnamed	1975–1982	Hastings
D-226	Unnamed	1982–1988	Relief fleet
D-227	Unnamed	1976–1982	Withernsea
		1982–1988	Relief fleet
		1988–????	Publicity Boat (D-32-P)
D-228	Unnamed	1975–1982	Craster
		1982–1986	Relief fleet
		1986	Rhyl
		1986–1987	Relief fleet
		1987–????	Publicity Boat (D-33-P)
D-229	Unnamed	1975–1984	Cullercoats
D-229	Unnamed	1984–1988	Relief fleet
D-230	Miss Winfield	1975–1987	West Kirby
D-230	Miss Winfield	1987	Relief fleet
D-231	Unnamed	1976–1986	Burnham-on-Crouch
D-231	Unnamed	1987	Relief fleet
D-232	Unnamed	1975–1987	Bude
D-232	Unnamed	1988	Publicity Boat (D-4-P)
D-233	Unnamed	1976–1987	Borth
D-234	Unnamed	1975–1984	Stonehaven
		1985–1986	Amble
		1987	Relief fleet
		1987–1993	Publicity Boat (D-6-P)
D-235	Unnamed	1975–1978	St Abbs
		1979–1987	Tighnabruaich
		1988	Publicity Boat (D-11-P)
D-236	Unnamed	1975–1987	Southend-on-Sea
D-236	Unnamed	1988–????	Publicity Boat
D-237	Unnamed	1987	Crimdon Dene
		1987	Relief fleet
		1987–1989	Publicity Boat (D-13-P)
D-238	Hemel Hempstead Round Table	1976–1987	New Quay
D-238	Hemel Hempstead Round Table	1987–????	Publicity Boat (D-15-P)
D-239	Unnamed	1976–1987	Conwy
D-240	Unnamed	1976–1978	Harwich
		1978–1987	Relief fleet
		1987–1988	Publicity Boat (D-4-P)
D-241	Unnamed	1976–1986	Rye Harbour
		1986	Kilkeel
		1987	Relief fleet
D-242	Unnamed	1976–1987	Little and Broad Haven
D-242	Unnamed	1987–????	Publicity Boat
D-243	Unnamed	1976–1987	Rhyl
		1987–1988	Relief fleet
		1988–1991	Publicity Boat
D-244	Unnamed	1976–1987	Bembridge
D-244	Unnamed	1987–1988	Publicity Boat
D-245	Alick Mackay	1976–1985	Kinghorn
		1985–1988	Relief fleet
		1988–>1994	Boarding Boat
D-246	Spirit of Rotary	1976–1987	Wells-next-the-Sea
D-246	Spirit of Rotary	1987–1988	Relief fleet
D-247	Unnamed	1976–1987	Mablethorpe
D-248	Unnamed	1976–1978	Yarmouth
D-248	Unnamed	1978–1988	Relief fleet
D-249	Caribbean I	1976–1987	Holyhead
D-250	Unnamed	1977–1988	Llandudno
D-250	Unnamed	1988–1993	Publicity Boat (D-4-P)
D-251	Unnamed	1977–1988	Lytham St Annes
D-252	Unnamed	1976–1988	Flint
D-252	Unnamed	1988–????	Publicity Boat (D-5-P)
D-253	Unnamed	1976–1988	Sheerness
D-254	Unnamed	1977–1988	Walmer
D-255	Unnamed	1977–1987	Exmouth
D-256	Lion Cub I	1978–1986	St Ives
D-256	Lion Cub I	1986–1988	Relief fleet
D-257	Unnamed	1978–1988	Port Isaac
D-258	Unnamed	1978	On Board 70-003
		1981
		1983–1984
		1986–1988
		1988–1994	Boarding Boat
D-259	S.M.T.A. Shuttle	1978–1988	Trearddur Bay
D-259	S.M.T.A. Shuttle	1988–1989	Boarding Boat
D-260	Gwynaeth	1978–1988	Whitby
D-260	Gwynaeth	1988–1993	Boarding Boat
D-261	Unnamed	1978–1988	Kippford
D-261	Unnamed	1988–>1994	Boarding Boat
D-262	Clacton Round Table 3484	1978–1984	Clacton-on-Sea
		1984–1988	Relief fleet
		1988–1991	Boarding Boat
D-263	Unnamed	1978–1988	On Board 70-002
D-270	Unnamed	1980–1988	Aldeburgh
D-271	Unnamed	1980–1988	North Sunderland
		1988–1989	Relief fleet
		1989–1993	Boarding Boat
D-272	Unnamed	1980–1983	Criccieth
D-272	Unnamed	1983–1989	Relief fleet
D-278	Unnamed	1980–1984	Newquay
		1984–1989	Relief fleet
		1989–????	Boarding Boat
D-279	Unnamed	1981–1989	Penarth
D-279	Unnamed	1989–????	Boarding Boat
D-280	Unnamed	1981–1989	Tynemouth
D-280	Unnamed	1989–1992	Publicity Boat (D-2-P)
D-281	Sewing Machine Times	1981–1989	Aberdeen
D-281	Sewing Machine Times	1989–????	Publicity Boat (D-9-P)
D-282	Unnamed	1981–1989	Weston-super-Mare
D-282	Unnamed	1989–1993	Boarding Boat
D-283	Unnamed	1982–1990	Skerries
D-287	Unnamed	1983–1989	Stranraer
D-287	Unnamed	1989–????	Publicity Boat
D-288	Cinque Ports I	1983–1989	Hastings
D-288	Cinque Ports I	1989–????	Publicity Boat (D-20-P)
D-289	Unnamed	1983–1989	Withernsea
D-290	Unnamed	1983–1989	Craster
D-290	Unnamed	1989–1990	Relief fleet
D-312	Court Henbury	1985–1992	Relief fleet
D-312	Court Henbury	1992–1995	Publicity Boat
D-313	Unnamed	1985–1992	Relief fleet
D-313	Unnamed	1992–1995	Publicity Boat
D-314	Tricentrol I	1985–1992	Relief fleet
D-314	Tricentrol I	1992–1995	Publicity Boat
D-340	Blue Peter VI	1987–1994	Relief fleet
D-341	Unnamed	1987–1988	Relief fleet
		1988	Southend-on-Sea
		1989	Southend-on-Sea
		1989–1993	Relief fleet
		1993–1994	Boarding Boat
D-342	Unnamed	1987–1992	Relief fleet
D-342	Unnamed	1993–1996	Boarding Boat

^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat.

References

^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2026). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2026. Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society. pp. 71–74.

[1] Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat.

[LBES_2026-2] Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2026). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2026. Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society. pp. 71–74.

[a]

[1]