The Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage is a Drive On - Drive Off lifeboat launch and recovery carriage used by the RNLI to launch its Atlantic class inshore lifeboats.
Design
The design is by Clayton Engineering Limited,
who worked with the RNLI to produce the launch system. The carriage works in conjunction with Talus tractors which are used to deploy the
Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboats. There are three versions of the carriage which includes a standard carriage and the option of a hydraulic power pack so that the angle of the launch can be changed to suit the conditions. The carriage launch platform has a main bed which elevates through 10° to achieve this feature. The third variant of the carriage has the elevation bed mounted on a rail carriage system.
Operation
Under normal launch conditions the lifeboat is loaded with its bow to the rear of the carriage to allow faster deployment. When the lifeboat is recovered it reverses back on to the launch bed.
Depending on the sea condition the helmsman require good seamanship to achieve this.
Carriage fleet
See also
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Talus MB-H amphibious tractor
Talus MB-H is a continuous track launch tractor which was specifically designed for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), to launch and recover lifeboats from beach-launched lifeboat stations. The tractor was built by Clayton Engineerin ...
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Talus MB-764 amphibious tractor
Talus MB-764 is a four-wheel drive launch tractor which was specifically designed for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, RNLI, to launch and recover inflatable inshore lifeboats from beach and shorebased launched lifeboat stations.
The Tra ...
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Talus MB-4H amphibious tractor
Talus MB-4H is a four-wheel-drive launch tractor which was specifically designed for the RNLI, to launch and recover inshore lifeboats from beach launched lifeboat stations. The tractor is produced by the British company of Clayton Engineering Li ...
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RNLI New Holland TC45 launch tractor
References
{{reflist, 2
Royal National Lifeboat Institution launch vehicles