Title: Full hull model of the British Diver (1984), an Atlantic 21 lifeboat.
Description: Before the 1999 Inquiry into River Safety, rescue work on the Thames had been undertaken by a variety of organisations including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Port of London Authority (PLA), the River Police and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The 1999 report concluded that a unified dedicated search and rescue service for the tidal Thames be set up. This led to the establishment of four lifeboat stations at Gravesend, Tower Pier, Chiswick Pier and Teddington. The 'Atlantic 21' is an inshore lifeboat with a solid hull topped with an inflatable tube or sponson. The hull is constructed out of glass-reinforced plastic and is subdivided into a number of watertight compartments. The boat is powered by 70hp Evinrude engines. The crew are seated on a console unit that contains radio, compass, controls, batteries and other equipment.
Creator: Kelvin Thatcher
Date: c. 1987
Credit line: National Maritime Museum, London
