The Beach Lifeboat Launching and Recovery System
Several attempts have been made in the past to produce an efficient lifeboat and recovery system that can be launched from a beach. However, the most important factor for launching the lifeboat – the angle of launch, somehow just couldn’t be achieved. But now it seems that the UK Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has finally found a solution which is both safer and efficient.
Developed by Supacat Ltd, England, the beach lifeboat launching system consists of partially submersible tractor with hydraulically operated system for quicker launch. In order to launch the system the tractor brings down the whole arrangement right up to the beach, adjusts the angle of cradle slip away, and initiates the launching process after the lifeboat engine is started.
The angle of launch provides the desired momentum to the lifeboat to the reach the place in the sea where the impellers of the lifeboat are fully submerged to drive the lifeboat.
The beach lifeboat launching and recovery system is still in the testing phase and is expected to be launched in 2012.
Some statistics
- Â The tractor has waterproof 13 litre V8 Scania DC 13 Diesel Engine (450 HP)
- The hydraulically angled launch way has plastic rollers to carry weight of 17 tons of lifeboat
- The trailer has a 360 degree turntable
- The length of lifeboat is 45ft and has a beam of 15 ft
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Reference:
www.supacat.com
Image Credit:
www.supacat.com
