UK's Caister Lifeboat formally names 14m rescue craft

Annette Thurlow was designed by local naval architecture firm Walker Marine Design and built by Isle of Wight-based Diverse Marine to feature self-righting capability, allowing her to operate under all weather conditions.

The boat has an LOA of 14.03 metres, a beam of 4.76 metres, a maximum draught of only 0.9 metre, and a displacement of 17.9 tonnes. The fully air-conditioned wheelhouse layout has been designed for up to six crewmembers, all with designated shock-mitigation seats.

Two Scania DI13-077M main engines that each produce 552 kW at 2,300 rpm drive Hamilton HJ364 waterjets to propel the boat to speeds in excess of 36 knots, while a service speed of 29 knots will allow the boat to sail for up to 250 nautical miles.