The Solent-class lifeboat is a steel-hulled version of the Oakley-class self-righting lifeboat and is sometimes referred to as the 48-foot, 6-inch Oakley-class Mark III. Solent Operational Numbers followed on from the first three 48-foot, 6-inch Oakleys and were interrupted by the last two Oakleys (48-12) and (48-13). The operational numbers of the Solent-class had three digits in the suffix to indicate a metal hull (as with Clyde, Waveney, Thames and Tyne classes, one Arun class and the first eleven Merseys). Two digits indicates a wooden, glass-reinforced plastic or fiber-reinforced composite hull.

Description The Solent was powered by twin 110 bhp Gardner 6LX diesel engines which gave the boat a top speed of . There were twin spade rudders installed which were coupled to Mathway manual steering gear.

Apart from the steel hull, the Solent-class differed from the Oakley-class in its self-righting mechanism. The Oakley used a water ballast system, while the Solent class was inherently self-righting as a result of its watertight superstructure. The Solent was the last class of traditional displacement-type lifeboats designed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

There were two versions of the Solent, unofficially known as "Mark I" and "Mark II". The "Mark I" boats have a vertical steering wheel. Sliding doors provide access to the forward end of the wheelhouse on each side. The "Mark II" boats have a seated steering position with hinged wheelhouse doors at the after end of the wheelhouse. These boats entered service in 1972.

The first four Solent-class boats (ON 1007 – ON 1010) and the last three (ON 1019 - ON 1021) were built by Groves & Guttridge at Cowes. The second four (ON 1011 – ON 1014) were built by Camper & Nicholson at Gosport.

RNLI fleet ON Op. No. Name Built Station Comments1007George Urie Scott1969 1969–1978 x Solent-class lifeboat, gift of Mrs Scott, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £70,000. Sold 1990.Renamed Lunga and Blue Highlander. Now named Highlander, at Ameland, NL, September 2025 1979–1984 1985–1989 1989–1990 Relief fleet100848-005James and Mariska Joicey1969 1969–1986 x Solent-class lifeboat, legacy of Mrs Joicey, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £65,000. Sold 1990.Renamed Mariska, Mirage of Dart and Thee Hearts. Restored 2014–2021 as James and Mariska Joicey . At Restonguet Creek, Mylor, Cornwall, December 2025. 1987–1988 1988–1990 Relief fleet100948-006Jack Shayler and the Lees1970 1970–1987 x Solent-class lifeboat, legacies of Miss Shayler and Mr Lees, and RNLI funds, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £59,323. Sold June 1994.Renamed Anne with SAR Tallinn, Estonia. See below:– 1988 1989 1989–1993 Relief fleet101048-007David and Elizabeth King and E. B.1970 1970–1988 x Solent-class lifeboat, legacy of Miss King, and an anonymous donor, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £59,323. Sold 1990.Renamed Island Lass and Storm. Now in unaltered condition bearing original name at Glasson Dock, Lancashire, August 2025. 1988–1989 1989–1990 Relief fleet101148-008R. Hope Roberts1969 1969–1978 x Solent-class lifeboat, legacies of Mrs Ronald, Mrs Hope and Mrs Roberts, plus an anonymous gift, built by Camper Nicholson of Gosport, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £70,000. Sold 1993.Renamed ANL Sea Guardian. Now named Sea Guardian at Gold Coast City Marina, Queensland, Aus., March 2024.1979–1985 1985–1987 1987 Relief fleet1987–1993 101248-009City of Birmingham1970 1970–1983 x Solent-class lifeboat, funded by the City of Birmingham Lifeboat Appeal, built by Camper Nicholson of Gosport, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £72,000. Sold July 1995Renamed ADES 14 with ADES Uruguay. See below:– 1984–1993 1993–1994 Relief fleet101348-010The Royal British Legion Jubilee1970 1970–1978 Relief Fleet x Solent-class lifeboat, funded by the Royal British Legion, built by Camper Nicholson of Gosport, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £72,000. Sold April 1990.Renamed Ocean Jubilee, restored in Wakefield. Later renamed The Royal British Legion Jubilee but broken up in Knottingley, December 2020. 1979–1979 1979–1986 Relief fleet 1986–1988 1988–1990 Relief fleet101448-011The Three Sisters1970 1970–1988 { x Solent-class lifeboat, an anonymous gift, built by Camper Nicholson of Gosport, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £65,000. Sold April 1990.October 2018, Heavily converted cruiser, at Turnchapel, Plymouth, April 2025. 1988–1989 1989–1990 Relief fleet101948-014Lady MacRobert1972 1972–1989 x Solent-class lifeboat, gift of 'The MacRobert Trust', built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £73,000. Sold March 1994.Renamed ADES 12 with ADES Uruguay. See below:– 1989–1993 Relief fleet102048-015Hugh William Viscount Gough1973 1973–1984 x Solent-class lifeboat, gift of the Dowager Viscountess Gough and the Viscount Gough, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £73,000. Sold September 1993.Unaltered pleasure boat at Puteri Harbour Marina, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, September 2021. Last reported under restoration at Miri, Malaysia, January 2026. 1984–1988 1988–1993 102148-016Douglas Currie1973 1973–1974 Relief fleet x Solent-class lifeboat, gift of 'The Douglas Currie Trust' and the legacy of Mr Davidson, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 110-hp Gardner 6LX engines, costing £65,113. Sold 1992.Renamed Leon del Mar and Solent Sea Lion. Now in unaltered condition as Douglas Currie at Fraserburgh, Scotland, June 2025. 1974–1975 1975–1984 1985 1986–1989 1990–1992

Other fleets RNLI ON Name Built Station Comments 1009 Anne 1970 1994–2006 Tallinn Retired 2006?Believed broken up 2021. 1012 ADES 14 ILC 95(ADES Uruguay) 1970 1995–2015 Montevideo Retired 2015.Sold as a workboat, last seen in storage near Montevideo, December 2022. 1019 ADES 12(ADES Uruguay) 1972 1994–2021 Retired 2021.For sale at Punta del Este, December 2024.

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