New Lifeboats Delivered to KNRM

On Friday, August 30, 2013 in Volendam, two new Nikolaas class lifeboats were delivered to the Royal Dutch Rescue Society (KNRM), the Bert and Anneke Knape for Lelystad and HAYO for Hoorn.

The lifeboats are Fast Rescue Crafts 903, designed by Pieter Meuzelaar (Dutch Special Marine Group) and built at Habbeke Shipyard in Volendam. It is a completely new design from which the KNRM the main requirement was that the sailing conditions were to remain the same as the current boats of this class. The boats have a length of 9.15 m, width 3.30 m and reach a maximum speed of 34 knots. They are equipped with a Volvo Penta D6-435 engine powering the UltraJet 377 waterjet. The crew consists of four people who can sit sheltered on specially designed chairs. The capacity is 20 people rescued.

The main difference with current boats of this class is that the flat plates are made thicker and the construction stronger. The navigation mast is placed on the console instead of the stern. This is to create more working space on the back. The fender is PE-foam with an extra durable coating. In addition the service and maintenance friendliness is improved and other numerous larger and smaller optimizations occurred on the crafts.

Last week the boats were in the national news by the theft of navigation and communication equipment. The builders credit good craftsmanship for making it possible that the boats could still be delivered to the KNRM on time.

fastrescuecraft.nl