The Arun-class lifeboat is a fast all-weather lifeboat designed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for service at its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. They were operated by the RNLI between 1971 and 2008. Many have been sold to see further service in the lifeboat and coastguard services of other countries.
The class takes its name from the River Arun in Sussex, England.
The RNLI's first lifeboat capable of speeds in excess of was the boats introduced in 1967. This was based on an American design, but in 1971 it was supplemented by the Arun class, which was designed by the RNLI and gave vastly improved accommodation and increased the speed to .
The first prototype boat entered service at in 1972 but moved on to , where it was stationed until 1997. Two more boats were introduced in 1973 and 1974 and then full production started in 1975 although small numbers of boats were still built until 1982. By 1990, 46 Arun-class boats had been launched. The following year saw the launch of the first '- and boats.
The three prototype boats were withdrawn between 1994 and 1997, the third of which then went on display first at the National Lifeboat Museum, and later at the Chatham Historic Dockyard. The production series boats were taken out of regular service between 1998 and 2007. While a few have found new uses around the coast of Great Britain, the majority have been sold to other lifeboat operators around the world, predominantly in China, Finland and Iceland, and some further boats were built new for service in Canada and Greece. Those travelling long distances go as deck cargo on larger ships but those going to closer harbours are generally sailed across under their own power. The first boat to go to Iceland, Richard Evans, was loaded as deck cargo on a container ship but was washed overboard during the passage â the only Arun to have been lost at sea.
After their RNLI service, 35 boats joined other fleets to continue their service as lifeboats. As of December 2025, it is thought that 11 are still in service, with 2 under restoration.
The design was developed for the RNLI by J.A. MacLachlan working for naval architects G.L. Watson of Glasgow. Initially proposed with chines along the hull to disperse the spray and improve stability when underway at speed, this caused a high deck above water which proved difficult when trying to get people aboard from the water, so the chines were dispensed with on the second boat and the deck curved down nearer the water.
The first three boats were built with wooden hulls and were respectively , and long, the extra length due to a rounded transom. All differed in superstructure design, 52-01 having a raked back superstructure front with the flying bridge at the after end. 52-02 introduced forward raked wheelhouse windscreens, had a unique wheelhouse side window pattern and retained the aft mounted flying bridge. On 52-03, the flying bridge was moved to the forward end of the wheelhouse, the front of which was rounded. From 54-04, the forward flying bridge was standardised and the forward raked wheelhouse windscreens were reintroduced. The side windows were recessed from the superstructure sides. 54-04 had a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) hull and this was standardised for future boats. 54-04 to 54-07 retained the rounded transon but from 52-08 a square transom was reintroduced. The final external change came with 52-11 which had flush sided forward wheelhouse windows and this was a feature of all subsequent boats.
In 1986, 52-030 Snolda (ON 1100) became the only steel-hulled Arun. The GRP hulls were moulded in blue material in the outer skin. After a while it was found that water was accumulating in the fibreglass which added up to two tons to the weight. The boats had the coloured layer stripped off and replaced by a new one made with clear gel which reduced the amount of water absorbed.
The large watertight cabin gave it self-righting capability. Two survivor cabins are situated below decks where first aid and emergency equipment is stowed. The hull is divided into 26 watertight compartments as protection against sinking should it be holed. There is also a flying bridge above the main cabin with an auxiliary steering position which can be used when additional height or visibility is required during an operation. The boat won a Design Council award in 1982.
Five different engine types were fitted:
Fuel tanks have capacity which gives an operating range of .
Operated by the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, later Marine Rescue NSW
Operated by Bote Salvavidas de Valparaiso, Chile
Up to date information is currently unavailable from China.
Operated by Norðoya Bjargingarfelag
Operated by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution
Operated by the Estonian Rescue Services Agency
The Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg (Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue) was founded in 1999 after merging the Slysavarnafélag ÃÂslands (National Life-saving Association of Iceland) and Landsbjörg (Association of rescue teams) and has responsibility for rescue operations in Iceland. The Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg (ICE-SAR) is divided into both land and sea rescue teams and with main office in ReykjavÃÂk. ICE-SAR has a fleet of all weather lifeboats, FRC and rescue boats around the coast of Iceland.
Operated by SANAS Madeira
The Greek boats were built in Greece by MotoMarine with GRP hulls. Ten are in service with the Hellenic Coast Guard.
Ten boats were built for the Canadian Coast Guard between 1989 and 1996.
The first, a GRP-hulled British-built prototype (CCGS Bickerton) was built by Halmatic, Southampton.
The remaining nine boats were all built in Canada, by Industrie Raymond Ltée of Sept-Iles, Quebec; East Isle Shipyard Ltd. of Georgetown, Prince Edward Island; and Hike Metals & Shipbuilding Ltd. of Wheatley, Ontario, all with aluminium hulls. They are considered "high endurance" lifeboats staffed by a crew of four.
The Canadian Coast Guard also maintains approximately three dozen smaller s. They are considered "medium endurance" lifeboats.